BlogStudy5 Basic Years 7 and 8 English Skills You Need to Know

5 Basic Years 7 and 8 English Skills You Need to Know

English – It’s a tricky subject, especially in Years 7 and 8 English when you’re introduced to a number of new skills, concepts, and kinds of texts in a short amount of time.

However, it doesn’t have to be! There are basic English skills that you can use to succeed in class!

While some people seem to magically be talented at it, the skills you use in English are actually things that can be practiced and developed over time.

In this article, we’ll:

  • Walk you through the 5 basic Years 7 and 8 English skills and;
  • Explain how to develop and approach each skill!

So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to excel in Years 7 and 8 English!

Skill #1: Reading long texts
Skill #2: Planning assessments
Skill #3: Improving your vocabulary
Skill #4: Structuring your writing
Skill #5: Understanding how techniques make meaning

Skill #1: Reading long texts

In Years 7 and 8, it is very important that you are comfortable reading long texts, and have optimally made reading an everyday practice, even if it’s only a little bit each day.

While regular reading is invaluable for an enormous number of reasons, developing this skill will help you tackle the texts you have to read for class, which start to become much more complex and lengthy than the kinds of texts assigned to primary school students.

For home-reading, it’s important to pick books which you enjoy, but which are also challenging you somewhat, so you’re expanding the kind of books you are capable of reading.

It’s also important to note that one of the best ways to ensure your progress in your writing skills is through familiarising yourself with correct usage of grammar and sentence structure through regular engagement with texts.

For a list of books that are perfect for students in Years 7 and 8, click here!

Skill #2: Planning assessments

In these years, it is also important that you have begun the habit of planning for assessments, both take-home tasks and in-class exams.

While this may seem obvious, English tasks in particular need preparation because of how memorisation of texts (namely quotes and examples!) become an essential part of an assessment.

High school is likely the first time you are expected to deal with a number of tasks simultaneously. Don’t let those due dates pile on without working towards your assessments early!

While it may seem pointless to start assessments early on, it’s the best way of guaranteeing you don’t get weighed down by stress because of multiple assessments due around the time.

While assessment tasks are prepared for in class, it’s useful if you can independently schedule when they will complete tasks ahead of time.

Set dates for yourself when you plan to have assessments finished. While you may not always be able to meet these goals, it’s an invaluable skill to build on, which will help you deeply in their later years.

Skill #3: Improving your vocabulary

Another thing that is useful to develop your vocabulary. The amount of words you know, and can use in your writing, is useful to build because it will allow you to create writing which is specific, original, and interesting.

While you might know it’s important to do so, it can be hard to know how to build your vocabulary. One way is by making notes of unfamiliar words you come across in your reading, and looking them up later.

Try to avoid simple words within your writing.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with using words like ‘good,’ ‘bad,’ ‘beautiful,’ ‘ugly,’ ‘happy,’ and ‘sad,’ to name a few examples of commonly overused words, but they don’t really add detail to your writing, and if these kinds of broad words are overused, writing becomes vague and repetitive.

It’s important also to not use words which you’re not sure of the meaning of and how they are used. While you think it might be an effective strategy to spice up writing with unfamiliar words, it stands out if it doesn’t suit and it will work against your marks.

For a list of great words to know in Years 7 and 8, click here!

Skill #4: Structuring your writing

You should also be somewhat familiar with essay structure at this point.

This means writing introductions for longer essays which *signposts the arguments of your writing, body paragraphs which are ordered together in a way that makes sense, and conclusions which summarise your points.

*In English, signposting means you mention or point to your argument in your writing.

It’s also important you understand the key different kinds of writing tasks in English.

For instance:

  • Persuasive writing: to convince an imagined audience of a particular argument.
  • Analytical writing: to analyse the themes and concepts (the big ideas) within a text. While you still make a claim and back it up with evidence, the focus is really on unpacking the text and discussing its meanings.
  • Creative writing: to tell a story which shows your understanding of things like character, plot, setting, and the development of theme.
  • Reflective writing: to write about your own work and make evaluations on your own progress and development.

The kinds of writing you have to complete in these years is diverse and requires you to be familiar with different kinds of text types.

It’s important that you are familiar with understanding the differences between these kinds of writing, and can show this understanding through your work.

At Art of Smart Education, we can support you with English Tutoring at our Castle Hill Campus and right across Sydney in your own home or even online.

Skill #5: Understanding how techniques make meaning

By this point in your English education, it’s useful to not only recognise and distinguish between different techniques, but to be able to explain their meanings. This takes practice.

A strong analysis of a technique is one which is specific to the example it is analysing. One way of doing this is to write a TEA (Technique, example, analysis) table.

A TEA or TEE table helps you analyse a piece fo evidence from your text, whether that be a quote or a scene from a film.

You can read more about TEA tables and how to use them here!

Setting it out like this is a great way to prepare to write about it.

For instance, here is one done on an example from The Hobbit, a classic fantasy novel often prescribed in the early years. It analyses J.R.R. Tolkien’s description of the Arkenstone, a magical gem:

Not only does the analysis identify the technique, it also identifies its function, which shows that the person who wrote it understands the purpose of this particular use of imagery. While it may seem difficult, analysis gets better with practice.

The early years of high school can be difficult, but it’s definitely possible to improve your approach to it with time, practice, and effort.

There’s no such thing as a student who simply ‘can’t do English,’ as it’s a collection of skills you can practice, and each of the five skills discussed here are things which are a continuing process across your education.

Hopefully, they will give you some direction for improvement, so you can do well in, and enjoy, English!

Studying English in NSW? The syllabus is changing! Check out the details here!

Looking for some extra help with Years 7 or 8 English?

We pride ourselves on our inspirational Year 7 and 8 English coaches and mentors!

We offer tutoring and mentoring for Years K-12 in a variety of subjects, with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or at our state of the art campus in Hornsby or Hills! Did you know: we offer personalised North Shore English tutoring!?

To find out more and get started with an inspirational tutor and mentor get in touch today! 

Give us a ring on 1300 267 888, email us at [email protected] or check us out on Facebook!


Cameron Croese is a qualified English teacher, who has a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) / Bachelor of Arts (English) from Macquarie University and is currently undertaking a Masters of Education in Melbourne. A long-time Art of Smart coach, Cameron has supported over 60 students from Years 7 to 12! When not studying, Cameron is an avid writer, having won several awards for short stories, including the Alan Marshall Short Story Award.

 

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