English and Key Skills In addition to their specific content and knowledge, the subjects and short courses of junior cycle provide students with opportunities to develop a range of key skills. This course offers opportunities to support all key skills but some are particularly significant. The 8 key skills are set out in detail in Key Skills of Junior Cycle. Key skill Key skill element Student learning activity Being creative Imagining Students will engage frequently with literary narratives and will compose imaginative narratives of their own. Being literate Growing my understanding of language Students will deepen their critical awareness of language, leading to rich enquiry into texts Texts All products of language use—oral, gesture, sign, written, visual, using Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), objects of reference, Braille, tactile, electronic, digital and/or multimodal—can be described as texts. Multimodal texts include the combination of a variety of forms of communication such as print text, digital text, visual images, audio (e.g., a performance or event) and spoken word. In this definition, 'multimodal' is not synonymous with 'digital'. in all their forms. They learn to read with fluency, understanding and competence, using a broad range of comprehension strategies. They engage in purposeful planning, drafting and writing in a variety of different genres and show increasing awareness of audience and style. Being numerate Gathering, interpreting and representing data Students gather data through questionnaires, surveys and personal records. They present their findings in different formats and to different audiences. They learn to recognise language patterns in literary and non-literary texts Texts All products of language use—oral, gesture, sign, written, visual, using Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), objects of reference, Braille, tactile, electronic, digital and/or multimodal—can be described as texts. Multimodal texts include the combination of a variety of forms of communication such as print text, digital text, visual images, audio (e.g., a performance or event) and spoken word. In this definition, 'multimodal' is not synonymous with 'digital'. . Communicating Listening and expressing myself Discussing and debating The English classroom is a place of talk and discussion. Students enjoy frequent opportunities to debate, to adopt a point of view and defend it. They learn to communicate by writing in a range of forms and for many purposes. Managing information and thinking Gathering, recording, organising and evaluating information and data Students plan for and conduct an investigation into a chosen contemporary issue, leading to the production and presentation. Managing myself Being able to reflect on my own learning Students manage the development of a collection of personal writing, which they build up over time. Through this they learn to see writing as a process to learn about and refine. Staying well Being confident In oral language, reading and writing students develop a sense of audience and purpose through the opportunities they have to present to and for others. Working with others Co-operating Students collaborate with others to explore and discuss views on a range of texts Texts All products of language use—oral, gesture, sign, written, visual, using Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), objects of reference, Braille, tactile, electronic, digital and/or multimodal—can be described as texts. Multimodal texts include the combination of a variety of forms of communication such as print text, digital text, visual images, audio (e.g., a performance or event) and spoken word. In this definition, 'multimodal' is not synonymous with 'digital'. and contexts.
