Developed in partnership with Education Services Australia

The Australian Curriculum sets the goal for what all students should learn as they progress through their school life. Skills in the Year 5-6 curriculum include:

• interpreting and challenging different points of view
• creating written and spoken texts that seek to explain, instruct or persuade.

It’s easy to help your child practise these skills as part of everyday life – just use these simple ideas.

Big conversations

Being able to express your opinion (and argue persuasively in favour of it) is an important skill – both for school and for life. International research shows that one of the most important ways parents can support learning is by having ‘big conversations’  with their children. So encourage family discussions about issues that interest your child, and give them lots of practice at:

• looking at the different sides of an issue
• explaining their viewpoint clearly using supporting arguments and evidence
• listening to people who disagree with them, and making sure they understand what they are saying
• thinking about their reasons, acknowledging where they agree, and developing counterarguments where they disagree
• being prepared to change their viewpoint
• being passionate but respectful
• knowing when (and how) to agree to disagree – they don’t always have to ‘win’ the argument!

Go online

For online reinforcement, Point of view: witness reports will give your child practice at:

• choosing verbs and adverbs to show points of view.

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