Language, identity, and perspective (of the writer and the reader) are powerful forces in a conversation that spans past, present, and future. Ākonga learn that their identity (or identities) and the world around them shape what they write, and how they read. They learn that their own perspectives frame their understanding and interpretations of texts. Ākonga learn to recognise the value of other peoples’ stories, along with their own. This empowers ākonga to feel part of a larger whole. They also learn to identify how they themselves are portrayed and can be objectified in texts.

Becoming familiar with a wide range of perspectives in the creation of texts, including the identity of the writer and the reader, will help ākonga understand and communicate increasingly sophisticated ideas based on the insights they gain into themselves and others.

We make sense of our inner and outer lives through story. Ākonga will learn about the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand through studying a range of Aotearoa New Zealand texts. They will be able to critically respond to, evaluate, enjoy, and be enriched by what they read. The study of the varied stories of Aotearoa New Zealand from the past to the present contributes to students’ developing sense of identity and their awareness and understanding of their place in the world. Ākonga will explore how text creators in Aotearoa participate in local, national, and global conversations.

English is the only Learning Area that mentions joy in its essence statement, and the overarching Big Idea Stories are a source of joy and nourishment foregrounds this aspect of English study. Enjoyment and nourishment come from bringing the aesthetic to the fore, and from being moved when interacting with text. These textual interactions move ākonga forward on a journey towards reading for enjoyment and personal fulfilment.

Enjoyment is enhanced and learners are enriched when they have the ability to use language with control and respond critically to texts. Language carries culture, memory, connects us to the past, connects us to each other, and creates shared experiences. Language can bring us joy and can communicate sadness.

The codes, conventions, and features of text can interact in sophisticated, surprising, delightful, and challenging ways. Engaging with text-based activities, ākonga learn to communicate and interpret. They become increasingly skilled at making meaning through reading and engaging with language and text and in writing and creating meaning for themselves and others.

Appreciating the intended effects of language features, and the structure and organisation of texts will contribute to active meaning making. As the audience, ākonga will be able to think critically about texts and articulate increasingly sophisticated ideas with confidence, understanding, and clarity.

Making deliberate choices in crafting and editing texts whilst being able to critique and refine their creative processes empowers ākonga to find and nurture their own voice. Learning to recognise the aesthetic qualities (sensual, perceptual, cognitive, and affective) of a text will allow ākonga to purposefully emulate those skills in the creation of their own text.

Language is not neutral. All uses of it (including our own) involve power, and texts are often shaped according to social and political interests. As ākonga learn to deconstruct and critically interrogate texts, they will understand the power that language has to shape their own and others’ lives. They will learn about the gaps in literature and identify omissions and privileges in the texts with which they interact.

There is a conversation between the reader, the text creator, and the text itself which is specific to each reader and creator. Ākonga should be aware of this conversation and learn how to take an active part in it. In this way, ākonga will develop the metacognitive skills to communicate with confidence in their unique voice as creators and critics.

‘Texts’ refer to written, verbal, visual, and multi-modal texts. Literary texts are the domain of the English Learning Area and will be studied along with a range of other text types and genres.