ELLP Years1-4 - ESOL - Literacy Online - Te Kete Ipurangi

Stage 1B
The following sample text is at Stage 1B because it is fairly short and conceptually simple, with
ideas presented in a simple sequence. The sentences are simple.
Texts at Stage 1B tend to have the following characteristics:
– only a few short sentences per page;
– a variety of sentence beginnings;
– ideas presented in a simple sequence;
– good support from illustrations;
– use of high-frequency words and some topic words that are strongly supported
by the context;
– use of simple or compound sentences.
Other examples of texts at Stage 1B include those found at the early levels on the colour wheel in
the Ready to Read series books and their commercially published equivalents.
Sample text
Extract: Holt, Sharon (2003). Skipper’s Happy Tail. Ready to Read series.
Wellington: Learning Media, pages 2–5.
Topic: A dog’s tail and its effect on family members
Text type: Narrative
Audience: A young reader – the text uses simple ideas and language
Topic development
The text is short, and the ideas are
presented in sequence. The problem is
shown rather than explained. The reader
needs to distinguish between a number of
characters and link them to their respective
actions.
Skipper’s Happy Tail
The children got out of the car.
They helped Mum pick up the
shopping bags.
Skipper came to meet them.
Skipper wagged his happy tail.
Language structures
His tail tickled Sophie’s nose.
The sentences are mostly short and use
“Get away, Skipper!” said Sophie.
simple clauses (subject–verb–object). They
“Skipper, come here!” shouted Dad.
are not repetitive and have a variety of
beginnings. Some direct speech is used.
Dad was painting the shed.
Skipper wagged his happy tail.
The verb phrases are mostly in the thirdperson
singular simple past – came,
His tail brushed the wet paint.
shouted. There are two imperative verbs
used in direct speech – Get away, come.
Some complex verb phrases are included
– came to meet, was painting. The text also contains some phrasal verbs – got out of, pick up.
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The noun phrases are mainly simple. Some noun phrases include determiners – the car, his tail.
Some consist of a determiner, an adjective, and a noun – his happy tail, the wet paint. Some noun
phrases also contain pronouns or possessive adjectives that are close to the noun they refer to
– The children … They; Skipper … his.