English (ENG01‑06)
Basic skills

Oral skills in English refers to creating meaning through listening, talking and engaging in conversation. This means presenting information, adapting the language to the purpose, the receiver and the situation and choosing suitable strategies. Developing oral skills in English means using the spoken language gradually more accurately and with more nuances in order to communicate on different topics in formal and informal situations with a variety of receivers with varying linguistic backgrounds.

Writing in English means being able to express ideas and opinions in an understandable and appropriate manner in various types of texts, both on paper and on screen. Writing requires planning, formulating and processing texts that communicate, and to adapt the language to the purpose, receiver and situation, and to choose appropriate writing strategies. The development of writing proficiency in English progresses from learning single words and phrases to creating different types of coherent texts that present viewpoints and knowledge. It also entails using different types of sources in a critical and verifiable manner.

Reading in English means understanding and reflecting on the content of various types of texts on paper and on screen, and contributing to reading pleasure and language acquisition. It means reading and finding information in multimedia texts with competing messages and using reading strategies to understand explicit and implicit information. The development of reading skills in English progresses from experimenting with phonemes and speech sounds, spelling patterns and syllables to reading varied and complex texts with fluency and comprehension and being increasingly able to critically reflect on and assess different types of texts.

Digital skills in English involve being able to use digital media and resources to strengthen language learning, to encounter authentic language models and interlocutors in English, and to acquire relevant knowledge in English. This requires critical and reflected behaviour using digital forms of expression in English and in communication with others. The development of digital skills in English progresses from exploring the language to interacting with others, creating texts and acquiring knowledge by obtaining, exploring and critically assessing information from different English-language sources. For pupils in Years 1 to 4, the use of digital devices should be especially cautious, and should not dominate teaching.