Secondary Syllabus Form 1

KURIKULUM STANDARD

English L
Sylla

Secondar

D SEKOLAH MENENGAH

Language
abus
ry Form 1





Secondary Form 1
Syllabus

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus

Secondary Form 1 Syllabus

Overview:

The aim of learning English in Form 1 is to continue providing pupils with positive and
successful experiences with English, along with an integrated focus on grammar and varied
and continued practice of the four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and
Literature in Action. This syllabus sets out the themes, topics, grammar and vocabulary
pupils will learn in Form 1. It also provides a list of suggested text types suitable for pupils in
Form 1.

Themes and Topics:

The English Language Curriculum for Malaysian Secondary Schools emphasises the
importance of sustaining the use of the English language within and beyond the classroom.
The curriculum adopts an inter-disciplinary approach and this is reflected within the four
broad themes of:

 People and Culture
 Health and Environment
 Science and Technology
 Consumerism and Financial Awareness

The selected textbook for Form 1 (Pulse 2 Units 1 – 5) and the lessons that teachers will
create themselves (i.e. the non-textbook-based lessons) will all be based on the above four
themes. Details of themes and lessons can be found within the Scheme of Work document.

Grammar:

In Form 1 there will be a number of lessons where grammar is explicitly focused on. These
will cover a range of grammatical structures and functions at the A2 level of the CEFR.
Although grammar is explicitly taught, it should be noted that teachers will need to ensure
that grammatical structures and functions are integrated where possible within lessons
focusing on the four skills Literature in Action. For this reason, grammar lessons are referred
to as Language Awareness lessons within the Scheme of Work.

This syllabus will provide teachers with the list of grammatical structures and functions
covered within the Pulse 2 textbook, and an additional list which teachers will need to refer
to when creating their own non-textbook-based lessons.

Vocabulary:

The Form 1 syllabus lists vocabulary in two ways: by textbook unit and by category.
The words in the Form 1 wordlist come from the Pulse 2 textbook, Units 1 – 5. These words
are repeated within the textbook units, and so pupils will have the opportunity to recycle
them as they learn to use them. There is also a Study Guide section at the end of each unit
to provide consolidation of vocabulary (and of language structures). The non-textbook-based
lessons should ideally aim to recycle some of the textbook-based vocabulary whenever
possible.

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus

Pupils are not expected to learn all these words by heart, or to spell all of them with 100%
accuracy; although good accuracy in spelling is a requirement at A2 level, complete
accuracy in spelling is above the A2 target in the CEFR.

The wordlist does not show all the words which pupils will meet in Form 1. Teachers can, of
course, choose other words for pupils to learn or omit some words from the wordlist, if this is
appropriate to their local context.

In addition to the provided wordlist within this syllabus document, teachers are encouraged
to consult the following additional vocabulary resources:

1. English Vocabulary Profile (EVP): The EVP shows the most common words and
phrases that pupils need to know in British or American English. The meaning of
each word or phrase in the wordlist has been assigned a level between A1 and C2
on the CEFR. The EVP can therefore provide teachers with guidance on A2 –
appropriate words.

EVP can be accessed at http://www.englishprofile.org/wordlists

2. Cambridge English: Key for Schools Wordlist: Although this is a wordlist which
teachers can use to prepare their pupils for the A2 Key for Schools Examination,
teachers will find this to be a user-friendly resource as this provides A2 words within
an accessible wordlist document.

http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/images/22105-ket-vocabulary-list.pdf

Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS):

Pupils have frequent opportunities to develop higher order thinking skills as they learn
English in Form 1 using The Pulse 2 textbook. For example, in Unit 3, pupils read a text
about lightning and are then asked to investigate this subject further on the internet which
requires them to evaluate the content of various web pages before making their selection.
Pupils then compare the information they have found and collaborate to design and produce
a fact sheet. This gives pupils opportunities to analyse, evaluate and prioritise information.
Pupils will also need to justify their reasoning behind the selection of their chosen facts. The
practice of these skills is repeated throughout the textbook.

In the non-textbook-based lessons, teachers have the opportunity to expand their pupils’
higher order thinking skills according to observed needs within the class. A particularly good
opportunity to do this is within the Literature in Action lessons where pupils are encouraged
to respond to a range of texts. Here pupils can be encouraged to infer cause and
consequence, speculate on alternative outcomes to storylines, assess and criticise
characters’ behaviours or choices, invent new endings or outcomes and to create their own
expression of the themes explored by writing their own poems and stories.

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus

Text types:

It is important to ensure that pupils are exposed to a variety of text types. The selected text
types should be based on pupils’ needs and interests. The selected text types below are
varied and are appropriate to the A2 level within CEFR. The Pulse 2 textbook contains
several of the chosen text types below (e.g. magazine article, magazine interview, news
reports, online news article). Teachers are also encouraged to incorporate a range of text
types within their own non-textbook-based lessons. Teachers should note that other text
types which suit their pupils’ needs or interests are of course possible.

Suggested Text Types:

Articles Leaflets
Adverts Maps
Blog posts
Charts Message boards
Comics Online articles
Dialogues Poems
Graphs Questionnaires
Guides Quizzes
Instructions Stories
Interviews Web pages

Text content:

When creating, selecting or adapting text content for Form 1, teachers should focus on
content which is within their pupils’ interest or experience and can widen their world
knowledge. The concepts within the text should be varied in order to integrate concrete
specific and some abstract concepts such as national identity, cultural values etc.)

Text content should include support for pupils when suitable (e.g. pictures to support a text
about geographical descriptions). They should also provide opportunities for pupils to
engage with texts about real life appropriate to their age range and level. Where possible,
text content should reflect the Malaysian National Education Policy that aims to develop a
greater understanding and sensitivity of the different races and ethnic groups within
Malaysia.

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus

Form 1 Textbook scope and sequence

Theme Unit Topic Language Awa
1 What do you like?
People and Present simple
Culture
a. Affirmative
I / We / You wear casual
He / She / [It] watches film

b. Negative
I / We / You / They don’t
He / She / [It] doesn’t pla

c. Questions and s
Do I / you / we / they live
Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.
Does he / she / [it] like to
Yes, he / she / [it] does.
No, he / she / [it] doesn’t.

Present continuous

a. Affirmative
I’m dancing.
You / We / They’re cookin
He / She / [It]’s watching

b. Negative
I’m not talking to Jane.
We / You / They aren’t lis
He / She / [It] isn’t listenin

c. Questions and s
Am I going fast?
Yes, I am.
Are we / you / they eating
Yes, we are.
Is / he / she / [it] playing t
No, he / she / [it] isn’t.

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Secondary Fo

areness Content Vocabulary

clothes. Free-time activities
ms. chat online
study art. do water sports
ay rugby. go to a café
short answers go to a concert
in a house? go to the gym
o sing? go for a run
. go shopping
hang out with friends
ng. listen to music
a DVD. play computer games
play volleyball
stening. send text messages
ng. surf the internet
short answers watch DVDs

g? Skills and abilities
the guitar? act
bake a cake
cook
dance
do tricks
draw
drive a car
paint
play a musical instrument
ride a motorbike
sing
speak a language
tell jokes
write songs

Time words

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orm 1 Syllabus

People and 2 Fact or fiction? Past simple
Culture
a. affirmative
I read the book in class.
They enjoyed the autobio

b. negative
I didn’t see the film adap
They didn’t want to read

c. questions
Did I finish the book?
Did you like the main cha

d. short answers
Yes, I / you / he / she / it /
No, I / you / he / she / it / w

was / were

a. affirmative
He was an actor.
Many events were free.

b. negative
It wasn’t a good performa
They weren’t in the show

c. questions
Was I / he / she / [it] an ex
Were we / you / they critic

d. short answers
No, I / he / she / [it] wasn

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Secondary Fo

ography. always
at the moment
ptation. every day
the ending. now
often
aracter? once a week / month / year
never
/ we / they did. sometimes
we / they didn’t. today
tonight
usually

Literature
adventure story
autobiography
biography
comic novel
cookery book
detective novel
fairy tale
historical novel
poetry book
romantic novel
science fiction novel
thriller
travel guide

ance. Professions
w. astronaut

xplorer?
cal about the novel?

’t.
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orm 1 Syllabus

Yes, we / you / they were

could / couldn’t

a. affirmative
You could visit many pla

b. negative
We couldn’t see the stag

c. questions
Could they perform?

d. short answers
Yes, they could. / No, the

Health and 3 Wild weather Past continuous
Environment
a. affirmative
I / He / She / [It] was talki
We / You / They were doi

b. negative
I / He / She / [It] wasn’t tid
We / You / They weren’t

c. questions
Was it snowing?
Were we / you / they walk

d. short answers
Yes, it was.
No, we / you / they weren

Adjectives and Adverbs

It’s cold. Dress warmly.
It’s foggy. Drive carefully.
It’s raining hard today.
I can easily do this exercis
She speaks English well.

Past continuous and pa

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Secondary Fo

e. athlete
comedian
aces. dancer
ge. engineer
ey couldn’t. explorer
inventor
musician
painter
pilot
politician
scientist
writer

ing with friends. Weather
ing their homework. blizzard
dying her room. cloudy
eating lunch. damp
dry
king? foggy
hailstones
n’t. heatwave
s icy
rainy
snowy
stormy
sunny
thunder and lightning
warm
wet
windy

se.

ast simple Natural disasters
avalanche
7 drought

orm 1 Syllabus

His mum was cooking din
shout.
Lots of brick fell on me wh
ground.

Health and 4 Life on Earth Comparatives and supe
Environment
faster - the fastest
hotter - the hottest
funnier - the funniest
more expensive - the mo
better - the best
worse - the worst

a / an, some, any, count

Countable nouns

He climbed a mountain.
There’s an elephant.
There are some great bea
I haven’t got a car.
There aren’t any animals
Is that a waterfall?
Are there any owls?

Uncountable nouns

I need some information a
There isn’t any clean wate
Did you try any special fo

Much, many, a lot of

Countable nouns

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Secondary Fo

nner when she heard a earthquake
hile I was lying on the famine
flood
erlatives hurricane
ost expensive landslide
table nouns tornado
tsunami
aches. volcano
on the island. wildfire

Geography and landscape
beach
canyon
cave
cliff
coast
desert
forest
island
lake
mountain
ocean
reef
river
valley
waterfalls

about volunteering. Animals
er in some countries. bee
ood? butterfly
crocodile
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orm 1 Syllabus

There are a lot of volunte
I didn’t go to many boring
How many people were th
Uncountable nouns
We had a lot of time to ex
There isn’t much rain in s
How much food will we n

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Secondary Fo

eering projects. elephant
g places. giraffe
here? gorilla
owl
xplore the city. penguin
summer. polar bear
need? rhinoceros
snake
tiger
turtle
whale

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orm 1 Syllabus

Science and 5 Let’s experiment will / won’t
Technology
a. affirmative
Robots will work for hum
We will be able to do mo

b. negative
Learning a second langua

c. questions
Will humans be able to fl

d. short answers
Yes, they will. / No, they w

First conditional

a. situation – resul
If scientists continue to e
cures for more diseases.

b. result – situation
There will be more explos
if we aren’t careful with th

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Secondary Fo

mans. Science
ore things we enjoy. battery
age won’t be necessary. clone
cure
ly? disease
won’t. DNA
genetically modified crops
planet
satellite
solar panel
spacecraft
vaccine
wind turbine

lt
experiment, we will find

n Science in the classroom
sions in our science class acid
he chemicals. air
bubbles
chemical reaction
explosion
gas
gravity
jug
laboratory
liquid
pressure
temperature
test tube
thermometer

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orm 1 Syllabus

Form 1 Textbook vocabulary by category

Animals Free time activities
bee, butterfly, crocodile, elephant, giraffe, gorilla, chat online, do water spor
owl, penguin, polar bear, rhinoceros, snake, tiger concert, go to the gym, go
turtle, whale hang out with friends, liste
computer games, play vo
messages, surf the intern

Geography and landscape Literature
beach, canyon, cave, cliff, coast, desert, forest, adventure story, autobiog
island, lake, mountain, ocean, reef, river ,valley comic novel, cookery boo
waterfalls fairy tale, historical novel,
novel, science fiction nove

Professions Skills and abilities
astronaut, athlete, comedian, dancer, engineer, act, bake a cake, cook, da
explorer, inventor, musician, painter, pilot, drive a car, paint, play a m
politician, scientist, writer a motorbike, sing, speak a
write songs

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Secondary Fo

rts, go to a café, go to a Fixed phrases
o for a run, go shopping,
en to music, play Congratulations.
olleyball, send text
net, watch DVDs Cool!

Exactly!

Great, thanks!

Hi there.
How’s it going?

It looks great / nice.

Many happy returns!

Me too.

Nice to meet you.

No way!

Okay, brilliant!
Okay, let’s go!

Sounds fun.
That’s a good idea.
That’s right.
That’s true.

Wow!
You’re joking.

Yeah.

Yuk!

graphy, biography, Natural disasters
ok, detective novel, avalanche, drought, earthquake, famine,
, poetry book, romantic flood, hurricane, landslide, tornado, tsunami
el, thriller, travel guide volcano, wildfire

ance, do tricks, draw, Time words
musical instrument, ride now, at the moment, today, tonight
a language, tell jokes, always, usually, often, sometimes, never, every
day, once a week /month /year

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orm 1 Syllabus

Weather Science
blizzard, cloudy, damp, dry, foggy, hailstones, battery, clone, cure, disea
heatwave, icy, rainy, snowy, stormy, sunny, modified crops, planet, sa
thunder and lightning, warm, wet, windy spacecraft, vaccine, wind

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Secondary Fo

ase, DNA, genetically Science in the classroom
atellite, solar panel, acid, air, bubbles, chemical reaction, explosion,
d turbine gas, gravity, jug, laboratory, liquid, pressure,
temperature, test tube, thermometer

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orm 1 Syllabus

Grammar (Language Awareness) Syllabus
Many of the key grammatical areas at the A2 level are integrated explicitly in the five units of the Pulse 2
textbook and these areas have been indicated in the above Form 1 textbook scope and sequence table.
Teachers will need to ensure that the following grammatical areas are also covered within their own
Form 1 non-textbook-based lessons.

1. Indirect questions with present and past tenses
Do you know what …?
Can you tell me …?

2. Past tense with a limited range of sequencing adverbs
first, then, after that, etc.

3. Modal verbs to talk about rules and obligations
must, mustn’t, should, shouldn’t

4. Present continuous, going to, will, to talk about future events, plans and arrangements
Tomorrow we’re meeting in the park to play football.

5. Modal verbs to give and talk about advice
Can, could, should, shouldn’t, might

6. Defining relative clauses to describe and give information
who, which, and that

7. Growing range of prepositions
against, into, out, of, towards, past, over, near to, in front of, etc.

8. Infinitive of purpose
She went to the shops to buy a new bag for school.

9. Passive sentences (present simple and past simple)
The house is made from wood.

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus







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