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Skills development in Rise and Shine
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Speaking Can use a few simple words to describe objects (e.g., color, number), if supported by pictures. (19) Lowest within range Highest within range Stretch
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Can say how they feel, using a limited range of common adjectives (e.g., happy, cold). (22) Can describe someone’s likes or dislikes in a simple way. (30) Can talk about a familiar place in a basic way. (35)
The skills syllabus has been developed using the Global Scale of English (GSE) Learning Objectives and the GSE Skill Development Framework for Young Learners, which provides structured scaff olding to support teachers and students. At Level 3, the GSE range covered is 22–30 as core, but includes learning objectives as high as 35 as stretch. The four skills are systematically developed within each level and across the course as a whole. Reading: Tasks are designed to gradually increase profi ciency in terms of speed, accuracy, comprehension, interactive reading skills, and use of reading strategies, as well as to enrich vocabulary. Texts used gradually increase in length and complexity over the course so that the challenge is always appropriate to the level of the students. At a high level, by the end of Level 3 students should have developed their early reading, decoding, and phonics skills introduced and practiced in Levels 1 and 2. They should comfortably recognize and locate basic and familiar words in simple sentences and short texts and use a range of basic everyday nouns and adjectives. Writing: Writing skills are developed and coordinated with reading skills so that students are able to master both reading and writing in English. In Level 3, students build on their ability to write short and simple phrases with support and by the end of Level 3 should be able to write basic sentences on familiar topics. Speaking: Speaking skills are taught through a meaningful task-based approach. The course draws on a range of approaches to teaching speaking, in which students have plenty of opportunities to engage in communicative activities. The course provides a supportive framework for students to make the language their own. By the end of Level 3, students should be able to recall skills introduced and practiced throughout Levels 1 and 2 and be able to answer simple questions on very familiar topics. Students should know and apply fi xed formulas and expressions, and be able to respond politely and appropriately in a social context. Listening: In Level 3, students are building on the listening skills that have been systematically developed across Levels 1 and 2 through predominantly aural input. By the end of Level 3, students should be able to follow short stories and animations if supported by gestures and repetition, understand the general meaning of new words and use the knowledge they have to be able to work out the role of a new word. Within the four language skills, the sets of learning objectives are grouped into strands relating to accuracy and appropriacy, complexity and organization, interaction, and strategies. Within these strands, the objectives are further grouped into specifi c areas of competency and then further aligned to key development indicators. See example:
Speaking
GSE Learning Objective: Can use a few simple words to describe objects (e.g., color, number), if supported by pictures. (19)
Competency: Building Complexity – talking about and describing a range of topics, situations, feelings, and attitudes with an increasing level of detail and complexity.
Development Indicator: Learners can use a few words to name, talk about, or describe familiar situations. The development indicators capture each discrete skill that students are aiming to acquire. Breaking the skills down in this way supports the development of related skills that build on one another and are at the right level, giving students the best chance to learn and achieve. The skill coverage charts on the Pearson English Portal show the key skills covered across the course and the learning objectives in each level that relate to these. By monitoring student performance on the tasks relating to these objectives, teachers can see how students are progressing within and across levels and where they may need more opportunity to practice, so they can build this into their planning. Note that lessons are based on individual learning objectives, but student progress is measured in terms of their performance on the key indicators selected for the course. The Student’s Progress Chart enables students to think about and document their progress in an age-appropriate way as they move along the learning journey. Teachers can also use the chart as a clear visual reference to showcase students’ learning and progress to parents. A copy of the chart can be downloaded from the Pearson English Portal for students to complete.
