Using language, symbols, and texts resources

This resource assesses students' ability to identify and correct common spelling errors, taken from the essential word lists of commonly misspelt words.

This focus of this resource is punctuating direct speech. Students drag speech marks, commas, and full stops into place to show where direct speech begins and ends. The resource ends with a collaborative writing activity. Students work with a partner to create and punctuate a conversation based on the characters in a photograph.

Students produce a simple written description, using nouns and adjectives with some precision.

Students write a report which gives details about a problem, gives reasons for the problem, and suggests how it might be fixed.

This task assesses a student's ability to persuade an audience to agree with their opinion. Some speech topics and a checklist are provided.

This oral language resource has students matching debating terms and their definitions with extracts from a debate.

This resource assesses student knowledge of six language terms used in debating. Students match the language terms with their definitions.

Students present and deliver a short talk on a news item that interests them. Oral Language Assessment Guide C is suitable for this task.

Students read some examples of metaphors that have been extended then write their own. They also reflect on why writers use metaphors.

For this NEMP task students write a thank you letter to the Playground Trust. The letter is assessed on letter conventions, content, and language.

Students are given an example of ordering adjectives in an advertisement. They use this example to develop a list of adjectives that they order as they create their own advertisement .

This task assesses students' ability to provide examples of different parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) in the context of writing two four-word alliteration poems.

From given examples, students define four root words then complete a chart of root words and their meanings.

Students use a given example of a blurb about a book to create their own blurb for a book of their choice.

Students write an invitation to a party.

Students create a character vignette with a focus on writing pieces that are brief, descriptive, and set in one point in time. They should not be concerned with plot. As the emphasis is on quality rather than quantity, students need to show a controlled and elegant skill in writing, and to use figurative language to 'show' rather than 'tell'.

This task has students writing about themselves. Assessment focus: the use of capitals.

Students produce a simple written description, using nouns and adjectives with some precision.

Students are provided with information about the structure of a haiku poem. They identify the syllables in another haiku poem, and then write their own.

Students prepare a 2 to 3 minute speech to inform, persuade, or entertain. A list of topics suitable for Year 7/8 students is provided. Assessment guides A and B are suitable for this task.

Students complete sentences by adding a given noun or pronoun and using an apostrophe as required.

Students identify phrases within sentences which provide additional information, and enclose these phrases using commas.

Students place photos in order, then use them to write a narrative with a beginning, middle and end.

From a list of language techniques that writers use to emphasise a word or idea, students identify which ones have been used in some sentences and then write their own examples.

Students reflect on notes taken during a rugby game to write an effective report. They also consider some features that will add effect to their report. A link to student support material is given under the "Working with Students" tab.