Spoken Language: Whole-School Curriculum Progression Map

Spoken Language*	EYFS	KS1	KS2	
	Three and Four-Year-Olds
Reception
Early Learning Goals	
Year 1	
Year 2	
Year 3	
Year 4	
Year 5	
Year 6	
Listening Skills	Enjoy listening to longer stories and can remember much of what happens.
Can find it difficult to pay attention to more than one thing at a time.
Can start a conversation with an adult or a friend and continue it for many turns.
Listen with increased attention to sounds.
Understand how to listen carefully and why listening is important.
Listen to and talk about stories to build familiarity and understanding.
Listen carefully to rhymes and songs, paying attention to how they sound.
Listen to and talk about selected non-fiction to develop a deep familiarity with new knowledge and vocabulary.	To listen to others in a range of situations and usually respond appropriately.	To listen carefully and respond with increasing appropriateness to what has been said, e.g. make a helpful contribution when speaking in a small reading group.	To listen carefully in a range of different contexts and usually respond appropriately to both adults and their peers.	To listen carefully in a range of different contexts and usually respond appropriately to both adults and their peers.	To listen carefully, making timely contributions and asking questions that are responsive to others’ ideas and views, e.g. participate in a collaborative project where they listen to the ideas of others and adapt these to meet the needs of the group.	To make improvements based on constructive feedback on their listening skills.	
	Listen attentively, move to and talk about music, expressing their feelings and response.

Listen attentively and respond to what they hear with relevant questions, comments and actions when being read to and during whole class discussions and small group interactions.

Make comments about what they have heard and ask questions to clarify their understanding.

Hold conversation when engaged in back-and-forth exchanges with their teacher and peers.

Give focused attention to what the teacher says, responding appropriately even when engaged in activity, and show an ability to follow instructions involving several ideas or actions.							

Following Instruction	Understand a question or instruction that has two parts, such as “Get your coat and wait at the door.”
Increasingly follow rules, understanding why they are important.
Give focused attention to what the teacher says, responding appropriately even when engaged in activity, and show an ability to follow instructions involving several ideas or actions.
Explain the reasons for rules, know right from wrong and try to behave accordingly.	To understand instructions with more than one point in many situations.	To fully understand instructions with more than one point in many situations and independently seek clarification when a message is not clear.
To attempt to follow instructions before seeking assistance.	To follow instructions in a range of unfamiliar situations.
To recognise when it is needed and ask for specific additional information to clarify instructions.	To follow complex directions/multi-step instructions without the need for repetition.	
Asking & Answering Questions	Understand a question or instruction that has two parts, such as “Get your coat and wait at the door.”

Understand ‘why’ questions, like: “Why do you think the caterpillar got so fat?”

Ask questions to find out more and check they understand what has been said to them.
	To begin to ask questions that are linked to the topic being discussed.
To answer questions on a wider range of topics (sometimes may only be one-word answers).	To show that they are following a conversation by asking relevant and timely questions.
To answer questions using clear sentences.
To begin to give reasoning behind their answers when prompted to do so.	To ask questions that relate to what has been heard or what was presented to them.
To begin to offer support for their answers to questions with justifiable reasoning.	To generate relevant questions to ask a specific speaker/audience in response to what has been said.
To regularly offer answers that are supported with justifiable reasoning.	To ask questions which deepen conversations and/or further their knowledge.
To understand how to answer questions that require more detailed answers and justification.	To regularly ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge.
To articulate and justify answers with confidence in a range of situations.	
	Listen attentively and respond to what they hear with relevant questions, comments and actions when being read to and during whole class discussions and small group interactions.

Make comments about what they have heard and ask questions to clarify their understanding.

Offer explanations for why things happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems when appropriate.							
Drama, Performance & Confidence	Be able to express a point of view and debate when they disagree with an adult or friend, using words as well as actions.
Show more confidence in new social situations.
Develop appropriate ways of being assertive.
Create their own songs, or improvise a song around one they know.
Retell the story, once they have developed a deep familiarity with the text; some as exact repetition and some in their own words.							

	Learn rhymes, poems and songs.
Watch and talk about dance and performance art, expressing their feelings and responses.
Sing in a group or on their own, increasing matching the pitch and following the melody.
Explore and engage in music making and dance, performing solo or in groups.
Be confident to try new activities and show independence, resilience and perseverance in the face of a challenge.
Sings a range of well-known nursery rhymes and songs.
Performs songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others, and (when appropriate) try to move in time to music.
	To speak clearly in a way that is easy to understand.
To speak in front of larger audiences, e.g. in a class assembly, during a show ‘n’ tell session.
To know when it is their turn to speak in a small group presentation or play performance.
To take part in a simple role play of a known story.	To speak confidently within a group of peers so that their message is clear.
To practise and rehearse reading sentences and stories aloud.
To take on a different role in a drama or role play and discuss the character’s feelings.
To recognise that sometimes speakers talk differently and discuss reasons why this might happen.	To rehearse reading sentences and stories aloud, taking note of feedback from teachers and peers.
To speak regularly in front of large and small audiences.
To participate in role play tasks, showing an understanding of
character by choosing appropriate words and phrases to indicate a person’s emotions.	To use intonation when reading aloud to emphasise punctuation.
To practise and rehearse sentences and stories, gaining feedback on their performance from teachers and peers.
To take on a specific role in role-play/drama activities and participate in focused discussion while remaining in character.
To discuss the language choices of other speakers and how this may vary in different situations.	To narrate stories with intonation and
expression to add detail and excitement for the listener.
To use feedback from peers and teachers (and from observing other speakers) to make improvements to performance.
To combine vocabulary choices, gestures and body movement to take on and maintain the role of a character.	To participate confidently in a range of different performances, role
play exercises and improvisations (including acting in role).
To gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s).
To select and use appropriate registers for effective communication.	
Vocabulary Building & Standard English	Use a wider range of vocabulary.
Develop their communication, but may continue to have problems with irregular tenses and plurals, such as ‘runned’ for ‘ran’ and ‘swimmed’ for ‘swam’.
Use longer sentences of four to six words.
Engage in extended conversations about stories, learning new vocabulary.
Talk about what they see, using a wide vocabulary.
Learn new vocabulary.

Use new vocabulary throughout the day.

Articulate their ideas and thoughts in well-formed sentences.

Develop social phrases.
Use new vocabulary in different contexts.
Participate in small group, class and one-to-one discussions, offering their own ideas, using recently introduced vocabulary.

	To use appropriate vocabulary to describe their immediate world and feelings.
To think of alternatives for simple vocabulary choices.	To start to use subject- specific vocabulary to explain, describe and add detail.
To suggest words or phrases appropriate to the topic being discussed.
To start to vary language according to the situation between formal and informal.
To usually speak in grammatically correct sentences.	To use vocabulary that is appropriate to the topic and/or the audience.
To recognise powerful vocabulary in stories/ texts that they read or listen to and begin to try to use these words and phrases in their own talk.
To discuss topics that are unfamiliar to their own direct experience.	To regularly use interesting adjectives, adverbial phrases and extended noun phrases in speech.
To know and use language that is acceptable in formal and informal situations with increasing confidence.
To recognise powerful vocabulary in stories/ texts that they read or listen to, building these words and phrases into their own talk in an appropriate way.	To regularly use interesting adjectives, adverbial phrases and extended noun phrases in speech.
To know and use language that is acceptable in formal and informal situations with increasing confidence.
To recognise powerful vocabulary in stories/ texts that they read or listen to, building these words and phrases into their own talk in an appropriate way.	To use relevant strategies to build their vocabulary.
To use adventurous and ambitious vocabulary in speech, which is always appropriate to the topic, audience and purpose
To speak audibly, fluently and with a full command of Standard English in all situations.
To use a broad, deep and rich vocabulary to discuss abstract concepts and a wide	

	Express their ideas and feelings about their experiences using full sentences, including use of past, present and future tenses and making use of conjunctions, with modelling and support from their teacher.
Use and understand recently introduced vocabulary during discussions about stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems and during role play.
						range of topics.

To confidently explain the meaning of words and offer alternative synonyms.	
Speaking for a Range of Purposes	Be able to express a point of view and debate when they disagree with an adult or friend, using words as well as actions.
Can start a conversation with an adult or a friend, and continue it for many turns.
Use talk to organise themselves and their play: “Let’s go on a bus… you sit there… I’ll be the driver.”
Play with one or more other children, extending and elaborating play ideas.
Develop appropriate ways of being assertive.

	Talk with others to solve conflicts.

Talk about their feelings using words like ‘happy’, ‘sad’, ‘angry’ or ‘worried’.
Engage in extended conversations about stories, learning new vocabulary.
Talk about what they see, using a wide range of vocabulary.
Explore and talk about different forces they can feel.
Talk about the differences between materials and changes they notice.
Know that there are different countries in the world and talk about the differences they have experienced or seen in photos.
Take part in simple pretend play, using an object to represent something else even though they are not similar.
Begin to develop complex stories using small world equipment, such as animal sets, dolls and dolls houses, etc.
	To organise their thoughts into sentences before expressing them.
To be able to describe their immediate world and environment.
To retell simple stories and recounts aloud.	To talk about themselves clearly and confidently.
To verbally recount experiences with some added interesting details.
To offer ideas based on what has been heard.	To organise what they want to say so that it has a clear purpose.
To begin to give descriptions, recounts and narrative retellings with added details to engage listeners.	To give descriptions, recounts and narrative retellings with specific details to actively engage listeners.
To debate issues and make their opinions on topics clear.
To adapt their ideas in response to new information.	To plan and present information clearly with ambitious added detail and description for the listener.
To participate in debates/arguments and use relevant details to support their opinions and adding humour where appropriate.	To communicate confidently across a range of contexts and to a range of audiences.
To articulate and justify arguments and opinions with confidence.
To give well-structured descriptions, explanations, presentations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings.
To use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising,
imagining and exploring ideas.
To make reference back to their original thoughts when their opinions have changed and give reasons for their change of focus.	

	Ask questions to find out more and to check they understand what has been said to them.
Describe events in some detail.
Use talk to help work out problems and organise thinking and activities. Explain how things work and why they might happen.
Develop social phrases.
Listen to and talk about stories to build familiarity and understanding.
Retell the story, once they have developed a deep familiarity with the text; some as exact repetition and some in their own words.
Use new vocabulary in different contexts.
Listen to and talk about selected non-fiction to develop a deep familiarity with new knowledge and vocabulary.
Express their feelings and consider the feelings of others.
Talk about their immediate family and community.
							
	Name and describe people who are familiar to them.
Comment on images of familiar situations in the past.
Compare and contrast characters from stories, including figures from the past.
Describe what they see, hear and feel whilst outside.
Watch and talk about dance and performance art, expressing their feelings and responses.
Make comments about what they have heard and ask questions to clarify their meanings.
Hold conversation when engaged in back-and-forth exchanges with their teacher and peers.
Participate in small group, class and one-to-one discussions, offering their own ideas, using recently introduced vocabulary.
Offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems where appropriate.
							
	Express their ideas and feelings about their experiences using full sentences, including use of past, present and future tenses and making use of conjunctions, with modelling and support from their teacher.
Explain the reasons for rules, know right from wrong and try to behave accordingly.
Demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and recently introduced vocabulary.
Use and understand recently introduced vocabulary during discussions about stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems and during role play.
Read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, including some common exception words.
Talk about the lives of the people around them and their roles in society.
							
	Describe their immediate environment using knowledge from observation, discussion, stories, non-fiction texts and maps.
Explain some similarities and differences between life in this country and life in other countries, drawing on knowledge from stories, non-fiction texts and (when appropriate) maps.
Share their creations, explaining the processes they have used.
Invent, adapt and recount narratives and stories with peers and their teacher.
Perform songs, rhymes, poems and stories with others, and (when appropriate) try to move in time to music.							
Participating in Discussion	Be able to express a point of view and debate when they disagree with an adult or friend, using words as well as actions.
Engage in extended conversations about stories, learning new vocabulary							
	Listen attentively and respond to what they hear with relevant questions, comments and actions, when being read to and during whole class discussions and small group interactions.
Hold conversation when engaged in back-and-forth exchanges with their teachers and peers.
Participate in small group, class and one-to-one discussions, offering their own ideas, using recently introduced vocabulary.
Use and understand recently introduced vocabulary during discussions about stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems and during role play.
	To recognise when it is their turn to speak in a discussion.
To recognise that different people will have different responses and that that these are as valuable as their own opinions and ideas.	To give enough detail to hold the interest of other participant(s) in a discussion.
To engage in meaningful discussions that relate to different topic areas.
To remain focused on a discussion when not directly involved and be able to recall the main points when questioned.	To engage in discussions, making relevant points or asking relevant questions to show they have followed a conversation.
To take account of the viewpoints of others when participating in discussions.	To engage in discussions, making relevant points and ask for specific additional information or viewpoints from other participants.
To begin to challenge opinions with respect.
To engage in meaningful discussions in all areas of the curriculum.	To develop, agree to and evaluate rules for effective discussion; follow their own rules in small groups and whole- class conversations.
To engage in longer and sustained discussions about a range of topics.
To ask questions, offer suggestions, challenge ideas and give opinions in order to take an active part in discussions.	To maintain attention and participate actively   in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments with confidence.
To consider and evaluate different viewpoints, adding their own interpretations and building on the contributions of others.
To offer an alternative explanation when other participant(s) do not understand.	
* The national curriculum statutory requirements, which underpin all aspects of spoken language, are the same for all six years of primary education from Y1 to Y6. The requirements are further reflected and contextualised within the reading and writing domains. This long-term map is Twinkl’s interpretation of how the statutory and non-statutory spoken language guidance can be broken down to show the progression of skills and knowledge across EYFS, KS1 and KS2.