It’s an incredible experience to see your child grow and learn new things. From learning new words to forming sentences, children step forward from kindergarten to primary school. In this learning journey, your role as a parent makes a significant difference. Hence, it’s necessary for you to know what your child will learn each year so you can support them throughout.
However, knowing where to begin with so many things to cover can be challenging. Don’t worry; we’re here to help. In this blog, we’ll walk you through the Year 3 English curriculum while also sharing tips on how you can help your child. Are you ready to take a deep dive? Let’s go!
The Australian Curriculum for Year 3 English
The Australian curriculum for Year 3 English is built around three interconnected strands: Language, Literature, and Literacy. Together, these strands help your child become an effective communicator, a critical thinker, and a creative learner.
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Language
This strand focuses on understanding how language works. Your child will learn to construct sentences using correct grammar and punctuation, explore spelling rules, and understand how language changes based on context and purpose. These skills form the foundation for clear and accurate communication.
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Literature
The Literature strand introduces your child to stories, poems, and other creative texts. By engaging with a variety of narratives, your child will develop a love for reading and learn to analyze characters and themes while discovering how to express ideas through their own imaginative writing.
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Literacy
The Literacy strand emphasizes practical communication skills. Your child will build fluency in reading, learn to write for different purposes, and develop confidence in speaking and listening. These skills ensure they can effectively share ideas and understand others.
Year 3 English lays the groundwork for future learning by strengthening core skills like reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Now, let’s understand each of these strands more closely.
What Will Your Child Learn in Year 3 English?
In Year 3, your child will build on the skills they’ve developed in earlier years, diving deeper into areas like reading, writing, speaking, and listening. They’ll learn to read more fluently, understand different types of texts, and express their ideas clearly through writing. Let’s look at each skill.
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Building Communication Skills
Year 3 focuses on honing your child’s ability to communicate effectively across different contexts. Here’s how:
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Listening and Speaking: Your child will engage in group discussions, class presentations, and everyday conversations, learning to express ideas clearly while listening actively to others. These activities build their confidence in sharing opinions and responding thoughtfully.
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Reading: Vocabulary expansion and reading fluency are key objectives. Your child will explore diverse texts, from stories to informational pieces, practicing skills like identifying key ideas, understanding context, and predicting outcomes. This helps them become more independent and proficient readers.
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Writing: Organizing thoughts into clear, structured sentences and paragraphs is a primary focus. Your child will practice writing for different purposes, whether it’s a creative story, a persuasive argument, or a simple explanation while improving grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
How You Can Help: Support your child’s communication skills by encouraging daily reading and discussing their favorite stories. Practice speaking and listening through family conversations or storytelling.
For writing, try fun activities like journaling or writing letters. Celebrate their progress with positive feedback to keep learning enjoyable and boost their confidence.
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Language Variation and Change
Language is constantly evolving, and understanding its variability is a key focus in Year 3. Your child will learn how to adapt their language to suit different contexts and purposes, whether they’re having a casual conversation with friends, writing a formal letter, or explaining ideas in class.
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Using Linking Words: Your child will explore how to use words like because, then, therefore, and however to connect ideas and create logical sequences in their speech and writing. This skill helps them organize thoughts clearly and communicate more effectively.
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Expressing Feelings and Opinions: Year 3 emphasizes teaching children to use descriptive words and phrases to convey emotions and share their views. They’ll learn to express opinions with clarity, backing them up with reasons, which is an essential step in developing persuasive communication.
How You Can Help: Encourage your child to express their thoughts and feelings through daily conversations. Use prompts like, “What do you think about this?” to build confidence in sharing opinions.
Play word games or practice storytelling to introduce linking words naturally. Guide their writing by helping them connect ideas clearly and confidently. Small, consistent efforts can have a big impact.
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Phonics and Word Knowledge
Phonics continues to play a critical role in your child’s literacy journey in Year 3. It builds the foundation for decoding complex words, improving spelling, and enhancing overall reading and writing proficiency.
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Letter-Sound Relationships: Your child will delve deeper into understanding how letters and combinations of letters represent different sounds. This includes learning to decode unfamiliar words by breaking them down into smaller parts, which boosts reading fluency and accuracy.
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Spelling High-Frequency Words: Year 3 focuses on helping your child master the spelling of commonly used words they encounter daily, such as because, different, and together. This consistent practice improves their confidence in writing.
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Rules for Tricky Spellings: Your child will explore rules and patterns for words that don’t follow standard spelling conventions, such as knight or receive. They’ll also learn strategies to remember these challenging words, making writing a more enjoyable experience.
By strengthening their phonics and word knowledge, your child will not only read and write more accurately but also feel more confident navigating texts independently.
How You Can Help: Support your child’s phonics and spelling skills by incorporating simple activities into your routine. Practice sounding out new or tricky words together and encourage them to write short stories or sentences using high-frequency words.
Use flashcards, spelling apps, or fun word games to make learning engaging. Celebrate their progress and correct mistakes gently to maintain their enthusiasm for learning.
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Reading: Developing Fluency and Comprehension
In Year 3, reading becomes more than just recognizing words on a page. Your child will begin to dive deeper into texts, exploring their structure, meaning, and purpose. This stage is crucial for developing both fluency and comprehension, helping your child become an independent and confident reader.
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Literal and Implied Meanings: Your child will learn to identify explicit information (literal meanings) in a text, such as what a character said or did. They’ll also start interpreting implied meanings, reading between the lines to understand underlying emotions, intentions, or themes.
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Summarising and Selecting Relevant Information: Another focus is learning how to summarise the main ideas of a text and pick out key details. This skill helps children grasp the essence of what they read and prepares them for critical thinking and analysis in later years.
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Exploring Text Types: Year 3 introduces a variety of text types, including narratives, informative texts, and persuasive pieces. Your child will learn how these texts are structured and the language features that define them, such as dialogue in a story or headings in an informational article.
How You Can Help: Daily reading at home is one of the most effective ways to support your child’s progress. Encourage them to read a variety of materials, from storybooks to magazines. After reading, discuss the content with questions like, “What do you think will happen next?” or “Why do you think the character acted that way?”
This fosters critical thinking and helps them connect with the material. Celebrate their achievements and make reading an enjoyable, shared experience to cultivate a lifelong love of books.
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Writing: Expressing Ideas Creatively
In Year 3, writing becomes a powerful tool for your child to express their ideas, emotions, and opinions. This year focuses on helping them develop the confidence and skills to craft well-structured and meaningful writing pieces.
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Crafting Stories, Reports, and Persuasive Arguments: Your child will explore a range of writing styles. They’ll learn to create imaginative stories with a clear beginning, middle, and end, write factual reports using research and structure, and compose persuasive arguments by presenting ideas supported by logical reasoning and evidence. These varied writing tasks help them think critically and communicate effectively.
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Refining Grammar, Punctuation, and Vocabulary: Your child will continue to build their knowledge of grammar and punctuation, learning how to use commas, apostrophes, and quotation marks correctly. They’ll also expand their vocabulary, discovering new words to enhance their writing and make it more engaging and precise.
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Editing for Clarity and Accuracy: Editing is a critical part of writing. Your child will learn to review their work, check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, and ensure their ideas are clear and coherent. This process fosters self-reflection and improves the overall quality of their writing.
How You Can Help: Incorporate writing into your child’s daily routine with fun activities like journaling, writing short stories, or creating letters for loved ones. Use prompts such as, “If you could visit anywhere, where would it be and why?” to spark their imagination.
Offer constructive feedback by highlighting strengths and gently suggesting improvements. Most importantly, celebrate their efforts to keep them motivated and excited about writing. Get your hands on some interesting creative writing prompts here.
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Text Structure and Organisation
In Year 3, understanding how texts are structured becomes an important focus, as it helps your child create clear and well-organized communication. This skill is foundational for both reading comprehension and writing development.
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Learning the Purpose of Text Structures: Your child will explore how different text types are organized based on their purpose. For instance, they’ll know that stories typically have a clear beginning, middle, and end, while nonfiction texts may use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to present information logically. This understanding enables them to navigate texts more effectively and apply appropriate structures in their writing.
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Exploring Language Features, Images, and Vocabulary: Your child will explore specific language features (like dialogue in stories or technical terms in reports), create meaning, and engage the reader. They’ll also see how images, diagrams, and charts can enhance understanding and make a text more impactful. This helps them see the connection between words, visuals, and ideas, which is crucial for effective communication.
How You Can Help: Support your child by discussing the structure of the books or articles they read. Highlight how stories are divided into a beginning (introducing characters and setting), a middle (events and challenges), and an end (resolution).
For nonfiction, point out headings, subheadings, and diagrams that organize information. Encourage them to think about how these features help readers and suggest using similar techniques in their own writing. This strengthens their understanding and inspires them to experiment with structure.
Before we wrap up, here are some more tips for parents to ensure their child’s learning experience is valuable and not overwhelming.
Supporting Your Child’s Learning at Home
As a parent, you can greatly impact your child’s learning. Here’s how:
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Set a Routine: Encourage daily reading and writing at a consistent time, like bedtime or after school, to build strong habits.
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Engage in Conversations: Discuss their school day, favorite books, or topics they enjoy. Ask open-ended questions to strengthen communication skills.
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Leverage Resources: Use apps, games, and tools designed for Year 3 learners to make literacy practice fun and interactive.
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Stay in Touch with Teachers: Collaborate with teachers to track progress and align efforts at home with classroom learning.
Conclusion
Year 3 is a pivotal stage in your child’s learning journey, where they strengthen foundational skills in reading, writing, and communication. With your support, they can navigate these challenges confidently, building a love for learning that lasts a lifetime. Simple efforts like daily reading, fun writing activities, and meaningful conversations can make a big difference.
Looking for more ways to support your child’s progress? The FunFox Program offers engaging, curriculum-aligned activities meant to enhance literacy and communication skills for Year 3 students. From interactive lessons to creative challenges, FunFox makes learning fun and effective.
Explore the FunFox Program today and give your child the extra boost they need to thrive.
Book a free trial with us today!
