Subject: English
Level(s): All levels
Title: Unit-planning template
Authors: Created by Trish Holden (University
of Canterbury English and Literacy Advisor),
André Prichard and Anne Shave, and adapted
by Diana Patience (Team Solutions, University
of Auckland), Anne Shave and Jennifer Glenn.
All Curriculum Support Days resources reflect the work of subject
specialists during a two-day forum. You should view them as ‘work-inprogress’, not as finished units to download and use. They
demonstrate a range of ways of thinking about how you might build the
‘front end’ of the NZ Curriculum (the Vision, Principles, Values, Key
Competencies, Effective Pedagogies and Learning Area Statements)
into your existing units of work, by re-focusing how you teach rather
than changing what you teach. The questions and comments recorded
in the body of each resource are at least as important as the unit itself.
If for some reason your software does not display such questions and
comments, it is likely that you need to make some technical adjustment
to how you are viewing the resource. (This unit-planning template is an
exception in this regard – do not expect to find comment boxes in this
particular resource.)
Note:
This is not “the” template that should be used for planning units in English, but
“a” template which may provide a useful starting point for discussion. It
provides a structure that some teachers may wish to adapt quite significantly.
It is suggested that teachers of English also explore examples of unit planning
occurring in other subjects, by browsing the PPTA website.
It is hoped that this template will encourage teachers to develop a coherent
approach to planning with reference to all parts of the NZ Curriculum.
UNIT TITLE: ______________________________________________
YEAR: ____ CURRICULUM LEVEL/S: ______ DURATION: _________
Introduction
Values highlighted in this unit
Excellence – aiming high, persevering
How students will be encouraged to
develop the selected value or values
during the unit


Diversity – culture, language, heritage 
Respect – for themselves and others 
Equity – fairness and social justice 
Innovation, enquiry and curiosity
Community and participation for the common good


Care for the environment
Integrity – accountability, honesty, acting ethically

Key competencies highlighted
in this unit
How students will be encouraged to
develop the selected competency or
competencies during the unit
Managing self – self-motivation, personal goals,
appropriate behaviour, resourcefulness, sense of

self and importance of heritage
Relating to others – listen actively, recognise

different points of view, negotiate, share ideas.
Participating and contributing – balancing rights,
roles and responsibilities, and responding

appropriately as a group member.
Thinking – using creative, critical, metacognitive and
reflective processes, drawing on personal

knowledge and intuitions.
Using language, symbols, and texts – interpreting
language and symbols, using ICT, recognising how
choices of language and symbol affect people’s
understanding.

ACHIEVEMENT OBJECTIVES
Making meaning
Creating meaning
Listening Reading  Viewing 
Speaking  Writing  Presenting 

Purposes and audiences 
Ideas 
Language features 
Structure 
Processes and strategies

Purposes and audiences 
Ideas 
Language features 
Structure 
Processes and strategies
LEARNING OUTCOMES
How students will learn
Students will …
For example:
Through the use of effective literacy strategies,
thinking tools, co-operative activities …
Resources
Key vocabulary
ASSESSMENT
Note: “Assessment” is not synonymous with formal testing
Diagnostic
Formative
Summative
What do they know?
What can they do?
Individual and group
feedback & feedforward What are they learning?
What do they need to
learn?
What have they learned?
Can the students explain how they
learned it? (Opportunities for
metacognition and student evaluation
of activities.)
Extension/enrichment activities provided for
the following students:
Activities provided:
Further support provided for the following
students:
Support provided:
Teacher reflection and evaluation: What impact did my teaching have on
student learning? What evidence do I have?
What do the students still need to learn/do/practise/understand?