Year 3 English – Term 1 (WA Curriculum): Term 1 Language Skills

What this unit covers

In Term 1, Year 3 English in the WA Curriculum centres on the unit “Term 1 Language Skills”.

Term 1 English for Year 3. Writing (24 lessons), Reading (16 lessons), Speaking & Listening (40 lessons).

Lesson sequence (80 lessons)

The unit breaks down into the following lesson-by-lesson sequence — each title below is a teachable lesson, in order:

1. Exploring Different Text Types and Their Purposes
2. Writing Simple Sentences with Capital Letters and Full Stops
3. Using Describing Words to Make Writing Interesting
4. Planning a Personal Recount Using a Timeline
5. Writing About My Holiday Using Past Tense Verbs
6. Adding Detail with When, Where and Who
7. Forming Letters Correctly in Cursive Writing
8. Spelling Words with Short Vowel Sounds
9. Writing a Simple Procedure - How to Make a Sandwich
10. Using Commas in Lists
11. Creating Characters for Story Writing
12. Spelling Words with Long Vowel Sounds
13. Writing the Beginning of a Narrative Story
14. Using Adjectives to Describe People and Places
15. Editing My Writing for Capital Letters and Full Stops
16. Writing Instructions Using Action Words
17. Spelling Common Sight Words Correctly
18. Adding Dialogue to My Stories
19. Writing a Book Review to Persuade Others
20. Using Conjunctions to Join Ideas
21. Planning and Writing a Simple Report About Animals
22. Proofreading for Spelling Mistakes
23. Publishing My Best Writing Piece
24. Reflecting on My Writing Progress This Term
25. Reading with Expression and Fluency
26. Identifying Main Ideas in Fiction Texts
27. Decoding Multisyllabic Words Using Phonics
28. Understanding Character Feelings and Motivations
29. Reading Information Texts for Key Facts
30. Using Context Clues to Find Word Meanings
31. Comparing Different Versions of the Same Story
32. Reading Poetry with Rhythm and Rhyme
33. Finding Supporting Details in Non-fiction
34. Understanding Cause and Effect in Stories
35. Reading Instructions and Following Steps
36. Identifying Author's Purpose in Different Texts
37. Making Predictions Using Text Evidence
38. Understanding Text Features in Information Books
39. Reading Dialogue with Different Character Voices
40. Summarising Stories in Sequence
41. Introducing Ourselves with Clear Speech
42. Listening for Key Information in Stories
43. Taking Turns in Group Conversations
44. Following Two-Step Instructions
45. Sharing Weekend News Clearly
46. Active Listening Body Language
47. Asking Questions to Learn More
48. Retelling Simple Stories in Order
49. Speaking Loudly Enough for Everyone
50. Listening to Different Points of View
51. Giving Clear Instructions to a Partner
52. Using Expression When Reading Aloud
53. Participating in Show and Tell
54. Listening for the Main Idea
55. Role Playing Everyday Conversations
56. Building Vocabulary Through Discussion
57. Presenting a Favourite Book
58. Listening and Responding to Poems
59. Collaborative Story Building
60. Using Polite Language in Discussions
61. Describing Objects Clearly
62. Following Multi-Step Game Instructions
63. Dramatic Retelling of Fairy Tales
64. Listening for Specific Details
65. Expressing Opinions with Reasons
66. Interviewing a Classmate
67. Responding to Questions Thoughtfully
68. Creating Character Voices
69. Group Problem Solving Discussions
70. Listening to Instructions Without Interrupting
71. Telling Personal Stories Confidently
72. Asking for Clarification When Confused
73. Role Playing Community Helpers
74. Summarising What We Heard
75. Giving Compliments and Feedback
76. Listening to Different Text Types
77. Planning Group Activities Together
78. Using Gestures to Support Speech
79. Reflecting on Our Listening Skills
80. Celebrating Our Speaking Progress

Curriculum codes in this unit

Content codes:

Reading the codes: WA codes (the ones starting with WA) pack the year level, learning area, strand and content number into one string, while the national Australian Curriculum v9 uses a different anatomy that starts with AC9 — same content family, different labels. Our complete WA Curriculum guide decodes both, character by character.

Planning notes for Term 1

WA terms run roughly 9–11 weeks, and in 2026 Term 1 runs from Monday 2 February to Thursday 2 April — 9 weeks for WA public schools. With 80 lessons in this unit, that leaves breathing room for assessment, moderation and the weeks that disappear to carnivals, camps and public holidays — plan the assessable work to land two to three weeks before the end of term rather than in the final week.