Developing independence and confidence in English
Age: 9–12
Level: Basic knowledge of English required
Lesson length: 75 minutes
Format: In person
Programme: Full academic year, October 2026 – June 2027
Frequency: Twice a week
English SpeakUp 9–12 is designed for learners who already have a foundation in English and are ready to develop greater confidence and independence in using the language.
The programme provides balanced development across the key language skills – vocabulary, grammar, listening, pronunciation, reading and writing. At the same time, particular emphasis is placed on helping learners use the language they are developing across a range of communicative situations.
Learners gradually expand their vocabulary and range of language structures while learning to use them in conversation, express and support opinions, explain, compare, present information and work collaboratively with others.
SpeakUp 9–12 combines systematic language development with practical application. As learners progress, they are given increasing opportunities to formulate their own responses, interact more independently and apply their English in new situations.
Our approach
New vocabulary and language structures are introduced in context and then consolidated through carefully selected practice. The next stage is increasingly independent use of the language in practice.
Practical language use is an integral part of the SpeakUp 9–12 programme. Learners take part in language games and activities, work in pairs and teams, complete projects, carry out simple experiments, solve problems, engage in conversations and discussions, and prepare short presentations.
Activities are adapted to the age and level of the group. They combine language learning with collaboration, movement and creative work. Each activity is designed to give language a clear purpose – exchanging information, asking questions, explaining ideas, expressing opinions, making decisions together or presenting the outcomes of a task.
As learners’ skills develop, so does their level of independence. They apply familiar vocabulary and structures in increasingly extended tasks and communicative situations, gradually moving from more supported language use towards formulating their own responses and interacting more independently in English.
In this way, the development of vocabulary, grammar and the other language skills is connected from the outset with the practical use of English.
Language in action
EXPLORE AND INVESTIGATE
Experiments, observations and simple investigative tasks give learners opportunities to describe processes, compare results, make predictions and present conclusions.
CREATE AND DESIGN
Projects involve planning, making decisions and explaining choices, while using English to complete a specific task.
DISCUSS AND COLLABORATE
Pair and group work develops learners’ ability to initiate and sustain conversations, ask questions, exchange information and respond to others.
PRESENT AND EXPLAIN
Learners develop increasingly extended responses, present information and the outcomes of their work, express opinions and learn to support them with reasons.
USE ENGLISH ACROSS DIFFERENT CONTEXTS
Science & the Natural World, Crafts & Food, Arts & Design, and Sports & Theatre provide varied contexts in which learners can develop and apply their English.
Areas of development
Throughout the year, learners develop:
- fluency and confidence in spoken English;
- an increasingly accurate and varied use of grammatical structures;
- a broader and more precise range of vocabulary;
- understanding of longer spoken texts and multi-step instructions;
- the ability to initiate, sustain and close conversations;
- the ability to ask questions and respond appropriately to others;
- the ability to express and support opinions;
- the language needed to compare, explain and make predictions;
- the ability to present information and the outcomes of their own work;
- increasing independence in reading and producing structured written texts;
- communication strategies that help learners maintain interaction when they do not have all the language they need;
- the ability to monitor and gradually self-correct their own language.
Expected outcomes
As they progress through the programme, learners develop greater fluency, accuracy and independence in using English.
They gradually become more confident in initiating and sustaining conversations, producing longer responses, expressing and supporting opinions, asking follow-up questions, and drawing on an increasingly broad range of vocabulary and language structures.
Learners also develop strategies for communicating when they do not know a particular word or expression, including paraphrasing, explaining and drawing on language they already know. They gradually develop greater language awareness, learning to recognise language patterns, notice some of their own errors and make attempts to correct them independently.