Year 2 standard elaborations — Australian Curriculum: English
REVISED DRAFT
The Australian Curriculum achievement standards are an expectation of the depth of understanding, the extent of knowledge and the sophistication of
skills that students should typically demonstrate at the end of a teaching and learning year. In Queensland, the Year 2 Australian Curriculum
achievement standard represents a child who is Working with (WW) the curriculum, demonstrating understanding of the required knowledge and
applying skills in situations familiar to them.
Year 2 Australian Curriculum: English achievement standard
Receptive modes (listening, reading and viewing)
By the end of Year 2, students understand how similar texts share characteristics by identifying text structures and language features used to describe characters,
settings and events. They read texts that contain varied sentence structures, some unfamiliar vocabulary, a significant number of high frequency sight words and
images that provide additional information. They monitor meaning and self-correct using context, prior knowledge, punctuation, language and phonic knowledge.
They identify literal and implied meaning, main ideas and supporting detail. Students make connections between texts by comparing content. They listen for
particular purposes. They listen for and manipulate sound combinations and rhythmic sound patterns.
Productive modes (speaking, writing and creating)
When discussing their ideas and experiences, students use everyday language features and topic-specific vocabulary. They explain their preferences for aspects
of texts using other texts as comparisons. They create texts that show how images support the meaning of the text.
Students create texts, drawing on their own experiences, their imagination and information they have learned. They use a variety of strategies to engage in group
and class discussions and make presentations. They accurately spell familiar words and attempt to spell less familiar words and use punctuation accurately. They
legibly write unjoined upper- and lower-case letters.
Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), Australian Curriculum v6.0 English for Foundation–10, www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English/Curriculum/F-10
The standards elaborations (SEs) should be used in conjunction with the Australian Curriculum achievement standard and content descriptions for the
relevant year level. They provide additional clarity about using the Australian Curriculum achievement standard to make judgments on a five-point
scale.
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The SEs for English have been developed using the Australian Curriculum content descriptions and the achievement standard.
They promote and support:
 aligning curriculum, assessment and reporting, connecting curriculum and evidence in assessment, so that what is assessed relates directly to what
students have had the opportunity to learn
 continuing skill development from one year of schooling to another
 making judgments on a five-point scale based on evidence of learning in a folio of student work
 planning an assessment program and individual assessments
 developing task-specific standards and grading guides.
Year 2 English standard elaborations
Applying
(AP)
REVISED DRAFT
Making connections
(MC)
Working with
(WW)
Exploring
(EX)
Becoming aware
(BA)
Ideas and information in texts
Text structures
Receptive modes
Evidence of listening, reading and viewing
Understanding and skills dimensions
The folio of a child’s work has the following characteristics:
Clear and effective use
of knowledge of:
Effective use of
knowledge of:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
context
prior experience
punctuation
language
phonics
to monitor meaning and
self-correct
context
prior experience
punctuation
language
phonics
to monitor meaning and
self-correct
Use of knowledge of:
•
•
•
•
•
context
prior experience
punctuation
language
phonics
to monitor meaning and
self-correct
Guided use of
knowledge of:
•
•
•
•
•
Directed use of support
resources to monitor
meaning and self-correct
context
prior experience
punctuation
language
phonics
to monitor meaning and
self-correct
Explanation of the main
ideas and supporting
detail to show
understanding of literal
and implied meaning in
texts
Description of the main
ideas and supporting
detail to show
understanding of literal
and implied meaning in
texts
Identification of the main
ideas and supporting
detail to show
understanding of literal
and implied meaning in
texts
Guided identification of
key ideas and supporting
detail, to identify literal
and implied meaning in
familiar texts
Directed identification of
aspects of key ideas and
supporting detail, to
recognise literal meaning
in familiar texts
Clear explanation of text
structures to show
understanding of
purposes and content
shared by similar texts
Explanation of text
structures to show
understanding of
purposes and content
shared by similar texts
Statements that show
understanding of text
structures, content and
purposes shared by
similar texts
Guided identification of
common characteristics
shared by similar texts
Directed identification of
common characteristics
shared by similar texts
Year 2 standard elaborations — Australian Curriculum: English
REVISED DRAFT
Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
July 2014
Page 2 of 7
Language and textual features,
including oral language, and listening
Receptive modes
Evidence of listening, reading and viewing
Understanding and skills dimensions
Clear explanation of
language features used
to describe characters,
settings and events
Explanation of language
features used to describe
characters, settings and
events
Identification of language
features used to describe
characters, settings and
events
Guided identification of
aspects of language
features used to describe
characters, settings and
events
Directed identification of
aspects of language
features used to describe
characters, settings and
events
Clear and effective use
of fluency and phrasing,
sound patterns, and
written language features
to read aloud short texts
with:
Effective use of fluency
and phrasing, sound
patterns, and written
language features to
read aloud short texts
with:
Use of fluency and
phrasing, sound
patterns, and written
language features to
read aloud short texts
with:
Directed use of fluency
and phrasing, sound
patterns, and written
language features to
read aloud short texts
with:
•
•
•
Demonstration of
growing fluency and
phrasing by using sound
patterns, and written
language features to
read aloud short texts
with:
•
•
•
some unfamiliar
vocabulary
varied sentence
structures
a significant number
of high frequency
sight words
images that provide
information
Clear and effective use
of interaction skills to
listen and respond to:
 others in
conversations and
discussions
 sound combinations
and rhythmic sound
patterns
•
•
•
some unfamiliar
vocabulary
varied sentence
structures
a significant number
of high frequency
sight words
images that provide
information
Effective use of
interaction skills to listen
and respond to:
 others in
conversations and
discussions
 sound combinations
and rhythmic sound
patterns
•
•
•
some unfamiliar
vocabulary
varied sentence
structures
a significant number
of high frequency
sight words
images that provide
information
Use of interaction skills
to listen and respond to:
 others in
conversations and
discussions
 sound combinations
and rhythmic sound
patterns
Year 2 standard elaborations — Australian Curriculum: English
REVISED DRAFT
•
•
•
•
familiar vocabulary
varied sentence
structures
•
•
•
a number of high
frequency sight words
•
familiar vocabulary
simple and
compound sentences
a number of high
frequency sight words
supportive images
images that provide
information
Guided use of interaction
skills to listen and
respond to:
 others in
conversations and
discussions
 sound combinations
and rhythmic sound
patterns
Directed use of
interaction skills to listen
and respond to:
 others in
conversations and
discussions
 sound combinations
and rhythmic sound
patterns
Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
July 2014
Page 3 of 7
Applying
(AP)
Making connections
(MC)
Working with
(WW)
Exploring
(EX)
Becoming aware
(BA)
Ideas and information in texts
Text structures
Language and textual
features
Productive modes
Evidence of speaking, writing and creating
Understanding and skills dimensions
The folio of a child’s work has the following characteristics:
Clear and effective
selection and use of
relevant ideas,
information and images
to support meaning in
own texts drawn from:
 personal experience
 imagination
 learned information
Effective selection and
use of relevant ideas,
information and images
to support meaning in
own texts drawn from:
 personal experience
 imagination
 learned information
Selection and use of
relevant ideas,
information and images
to support meaning in
own texts drawn from:
 personal experience
 imagination
 learned information
Guided selection and use
of ideas, information and
images to support
meaning in own texts
drawn from:
 personal experience
 imagination
 learned information
Directed selection and
use of ideas, information
and images to support
meaning in own texts
drawn from:
 personal experience
 imagination
 learned information
Clear and effective
explanation of personal
preference for aspects of
different texts
Effective explanation of
personal preference for
aspects of different texts
Explanation of personal
preference for aspects of
different texts
Guided explanation of a
personal preference for
aspects of different texts
Directed explanation of a
personal preference for
aspects of different texts
Clear use of text
structures to suit the
purposes of types of text
Effective use of text
structures to suit the
purposes of types of text
Use of text structures to
suit the purposes of
types of text
Guided use of text
structures to suit the
purposes of types of text
Use of words, phrases
and images to convey
ideas
Clear and effective use
of a variety of strategies
to discuss and present
ideas and personal
experiences, including:
Effective use of a variety
of strategies to discuss
and present ideas and
personal experiences,
including:
Use of a variety of
strategies to discuss and
present ideas and
personal experiences,
including:
Guided use of a variety
of strategies to discuss
and present ideas and
personal experiences,
including:
Directed use of
strategies to discuss and
present ideas and
personal experiences,
including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
topic-specific
vocabulary
spoken language
features
•
topic-specific
vocabulary
spoken language
features
•
topic-specific
vocabulary
spoken language
features
Year 2 standard elaborations — Australian Curriculum: English
REVISED DRAFT
•
topic-specific
vocabulary
spoken language
features
•
topic-related
vocabulary
spoken language
features
Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
July 2014
Page 4 of 7
Language and textual
features
Productive modes
Evidence of speaking, writing and creating
Understanding and skills dimensions
Clear and effective use
of spelling and
punctuation in own texts
including:
•
•
accurate spelling of
familiar words
attempts at spelling
unfamiliar words
Effective use of spelling
and punctuation in own
texts including:
Use of spelling and
punctuation in own texts
including:
Demonstration of
growing fluency and use
of:
•
•
•
•
•
accurate spelling of
familiar words
attempts at spelling
unfamiliar words
•
accurate spelling of
familiar words
spelling patterns
Directed use of:
•
•
spelling patterns
punctuation
punctuation
attempts at spelling
unfamiliar words
Legible use of unjoined
upper- and lower-case
letters
Demonstration of
developing use of
handwriting with legible,
unjoined upper- and
lower-case letters
Directed use of
handwriting with legible,
unjoined upper- and
lower-case letters
Note: Colour highlights have been used in the table to emphasise the qualities that discriminate between the standards.
Key
AP
The child applies the curriculum content and demonstrates a thorough understanding
of the required knowledge. The child demonstrates a high level of skill that can be
transferred to new situations.
EX
The child is exploring the curriculum content and demonstrates understanding of
aspects of the required knowledge. The child uses a varying level of skills in
situations familiar to them.
MC
The child makes connections using the curriculum content and demonstrates a clear
understanding of the required knowledge. The child applies a high level of skill in
situations familiar to them, and is beginning to transfer skills to new situations.
BA
The child is becoming aware of the curriculum content and demonstrates a basic
understanding of aspects of required knowledge. The child is beginning to use skills
in situations familiar to them.
WW
The child can work with the curriculum content and demonstrates understanding of
the required knowledge. The child applies skills in situations familiar to them.
Year 2 standard elaborations — Australian Curriculum: English
REVISED DRAFT
Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
July 2014
Page 5 of 7
Notes
The SEs describe the qualities of achievement in the two dimensions common to all Australian
Curriculum learning area achievement standards:
 understanding
 skills.
Dimension*
Description
Understanding*
The concepts underpinning and connecting knowledge in a learning area,
related to a student’s ability to appropriately select and apply knowledge
to solve problems in that learning area
Skills*
The specific techniques, strategies and processes in a learning area
The following terms and key words are used in the Year 2 English SEs. They help to clarify the
descriptors and should be used in conjunction with the ACARA Australian Curriculum English
glossary: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/english/Glossary
Term
Description
Aspects
Particular parts or features
Clear; Clarity
Without ambiguity; explicit
Description; Descriptive;
Describe*
Give an account of characteristics or features
Direction; Directed;
Directed use
Following the instructions of the facilitator
Effective
Capably meets the described requirements
Explanation; Explanatory;
Explain*
Provide additional information that demonstrates understanding of
reasoning and/or application
Familiar
Situations or materials that have been the focus of prior
learning experiences
Guided
Visual and/or verbal prompts to facilitate or support independent action
Identification; Identify*
Establish or indicate who or what someone or something is
Implied meaning
Suggested but not directly expressed. The following information is
provided to support working with ‘implied meaning’.
Information and ideas in texts may be:
•
•
•
•
•
*
interpreted to identify relationships among ideas, information, facts and
values. These relationships include comparisons, and cause and effect
combined with prior experience to extrapolate on what is in the text
analysed to judge the logic of the text to, for example, identify
particular points of view represented or fallacies inherent in the text
evaluated to make judgments using criteria
synthesised with literal meaning and other types of implied meaning to
respond to an idea or thesis with creative thinking
The asterisk (*) denotes dimensions and terms described by ACARA. Unmarked terms are described by QCAA.
Year 2 standard elaborations — Australian Curriculum: English
REVISED DRAFT
Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
July 2014
Page 6 of 7
Literal meaning
Taking words in their exact or most basic sense without metaphor or
exaggeration. The following information is provided to support working
with ‘literal meaning’.
Information and ideas in texts may be:
•
•
recognised or recalled
translated or changed into a different form by, for example,
paraphrasing or restating
Monitor meaning
Monitoring meaning is a reading strategy that involves checking
comprehension while a text is being read. By monitoring meaning, readers
determine the parts of the text that are clear and those that are unclear
and whether the unclear parts are critical to understanding the whole text.
This strategy allows readers to identify ways in which a text becomes
gradually more understandable by reading past an unclear portion and/or
by rereading parts or the whole text
Organisation; Organise*
To form as or into a whole consisting of a sequence or interdependent
parts
Recognition; Recognise
To be aware of or acknowledge
Relevant
Applicable and pertinent
Selection; Select*
Choose in preference to another or others
Self-correct
Independently recognising and choosing an alternate way to make
meaning
Sentence
A unit of written language consisting of one or more clauses that are
grammatically linked. A written sentence begins with a capital letter and
ends with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark. A sentence
contains a finite verb.
•
•
Simple sentence: a single main clause that expresses a complete
thought. It has a subject and a finite verb and may also have an object,
for example ‘Mary is beautiful.’, ‘The ground shook.’, ‘Take a seat.’
Compound sentence: two or more main clauses that are coordinated
or linked in such a way as to make each clause of equal grammatical
status. In the following example and is the coordinating conjunction:
‘We went to the movies and bought an ice cream.’
Supported; Support;
Supportive
In an Early Years context, support resources are direct and/or continued
scaffolding and scripting , and visual and verbal support from adults and/or
peers
Unfamiliar
Situations or materials that have not been the focus of prior learning
experiences
Use of
To operate or put into effect. In an Early Years context, students
demonstrate listening and interacting through their use of language
Year 2 standard elaborations — Australian Curriculum: English
REVISED DRAFT
Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
July 2014
Page 7 of 7