Scheme of Work – Year 8

This scheme of work is a guide for teachers teaching Year 8 classes. It incorporates the use of the Gateway to English 2 textbook
and workbook and represents one year’s study. Teachers should feel free to change, modify, supplement and vary the content of
this scheme according to their students’ needs and abilities. There is a lot of material in the two books and it is unlikely that all
fifteen units will be completed in full.

Although every effort should be made to move sequentially through the textbook, it is expected that some materials might be
selectively left out. In order to make this selection more systematic, some topics have been categorised as either core or
extension. Core topics relate more directly to the GCE O Level examination. Certain compositions, all grammar and all summary
work have been listed as core. If teachers decide to skip core materials, it is expected they would incorporate similar tasks into
their schemes of work by other means.

Reading texts (except for those presented with summary writing in mind) and vocabulary have not been categorised as either core
or extension, but a good variety of text types should be covered and students’ vocabulary should be expanded whenever possible.

Teachers should take advantage of the ICT resources available at their respective schools to supplement the activities in this
scheme of work wherever possible.

Teachers should also be conscious of the fact that diagnosis of student needs and areas of concern and improvement should be
an ongoing process, using both formative and summative assessment.

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Composition
Students should be able to:
1. write in a variety of genres as
prescribed by the secondary
syllabus, with attention to
appropriate format, style and
length:
- narratives/ recounts of
personal experiences/ picture
compositions
- descriptions
- personal letters
- arguments/ expressions of
view
(The above items can be further
developed for extension)
(The following items of guided
writing are not prescribed for
the O-Level syllabus, but are
assessed at the end of Lower
Secondary)
*factual narratives
*factual descriptions
*comparisons and contrasts
*accounts of how things work
*accounts of natural processes
*description of controlled
processes
Year 8 Outcomes
Reading Comprehension &
Summary
Students should be able to:
1. read for pleasure
2. read and comprehend a variety
of genres
3 perform different types of
comprehension tasks such as:
• multiple-choice and true/false
questions
• open (wh-) questions which
students may answer with single 4.
words, phrases or complete
sentences, as appropriate to the
specific question.
• transferring information to a 5.
table or diagram
• writing a basic summary
In order to perform the above 6.
tasks students will need to:
(i) understand and respond
appropriately to written
instructions, directions and
questions
(ii) identify specific information
located at one or more points in
a text (literal comprehension)
Oral/Aural Skills
Students should be able to:
1. speak audibly
2. read aloud accurately and
fluently, with an awareness of
expression and audience
3. respond appropriately to
questions pertaining to a picture
prompt (this is not assessed at
O level)
understand and use the
common speech conventions of
social English
participate effectively in a
conversation and develop
responses to prompts
demonstrate proficiency in the
following listening skills:
- listening for gist
- listening for specific information
- following instructions
- listening to varieties of English
in different situations (these
skills are not assessed at O
level)
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 Composition
2. interpret the question
appropriately
3. arouse and maintain the
readers’ interest
4. maintain focus throughout
composition
5. plan, organize and write in
paragraphs
6. write effectively, maintaining
coherence and cohesion
7. choose a vocabulary and tone
which is suited to its purpose
and audience, and use correct
grammar and punctuation
8. write legibly, and present work
clearly
9. demonstrate consistency in
language usage
Reading Comprehension & Oral/Aural Skills
Summary
(iii) identify implied meaning and
make deductions from
information in a text
(iv) infer the meanings of unfamiliar
words and expressions (e.g.
idiomatic phrases) from their
context in a passage
(v) answer questions using the
following reading strategies:
- use word recognition skills to
check meaning
- use knowledge of cohesive
devices and text organization
- use contextual clues
(association of words/ ideas and
logical relationship of ideas)
- use prior knowledge: unfamiliar
words, word association,
knowledge of the topic/
figurative language/
connotations/ culture
- skim for gist
(vi) select, retrieve, evaluate and
combine information from a
selected section of the text
(vii) summarize a given text to a
prescribed word limit,
paraphrasing and using their
own words as much as possible
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 Composition
(viii)
(ix)
In order to achieve the Form Two Outcomes students should develop competence in the following areas:
Grammar & Language Usage
- basic sentence structure
- more complex sentence
structures
- a basic knowledge of
grammatical terminology and
parts of speech
- appropriate use of basic tenses
- functional grammar
Reading Comprehension &
Summary
show evidence of using
cohesive devices when writing a
summary
edit their summary, adhering to
the conventions of grammar
Year 8 Foundation Skills
Vocabulary
- word formation
- knowledge of a core of high
frequency words
- knowledge of words with more
specific meanings
- appropriate register
- spelling
- connotation & collocation
Oral/Aural Skills
Study Skills
- good study habits
- using a dictionary/ thesaurus
- basic research skills for locating
information
- note-making skills
- presentation skills
- ICT skills
- examination skills
- time management
- goal setting
- managing materials
systematically
- develop good reading habits
- checking and editing own work
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 Year 8 Scheme of Work
Core Textbook: Gateway to English 2

Unit / Topic Writing Reading Listening and Grammar & Vocabulary Study Skills
Speaking Language Usage
(core)

* Paragraph * Narrative * Listening for * would/wouldn’t * Internet

UNIT 1 writing (Greek Legend) specific points like to + infinitive research
Dreams and (daydreams/charity in a monologue for wishes (Predictions for
Wishes work): * Evaluating the the future)
core identified * will/won’t +
information infinitive for
* Short play (The * Eliciting and predictions
Three Wishes): expressing
extension personal
opinions and
supporting
details

* Email reservation * Factual reports * Giving and * Sentence * Fantasy * Internet

* Invitation card: (mysteries) evaluating modifiers characters / research
extension * Web page (ghost explanations perhaps/maybe creatures (mysteries)
UNIT 2 tour) * Determiners all of,
Believe it or not! * Genre: Narrative * Multi-path story * Identifying and most of, a few, of,
(Visit to a haunted (mysteries) evaluating none of
house): specific * Imperatives for
extension information in a instructions
dialogue * Simple past tense:
* Mystery story: irregular verbs
core

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 Unit / Topic Writing Reading Listening and Grammar & Vocabulary Study Skills
Speaking Language Usage
(core)

* Genre: Narrative * Email * Eliciting and * Present simple * Natural * Internet

UNIT 3 (Story extension): * Science Fiction providing and present features: research (solar
Alien Calling! extension (War of the information with continuous Space system)
Worlds) wh - questions * May for possibility * Science
* Email reply: * A Joke * Listening for * Comparatives, fiction
extension specific modified with * Computers
information much / a little

* Genre: Factual * Interview * Carrying out a * Determiners : a * Food: * Dictionary use

(Baking a cake): (healthy eating) survey little, a lot of, categories, (headwords and
core * Advertisements * Making notes plenty of, too specific items, derived words)
UNIT 4 (restaurant) from a much, (not) adjectives,
Fabulous food * Writing dialogue: * Dialogue telephone enough, more, cooking
core (working as a conversation less * Suffixes: -y,
chef) * Ordering food * Adverbs of -ess, -less,
* Personal /recording degree: very, -er, -tion
narrative orders in a really, quite, too
(famine) restaurant

* Genre: Narrative (A * Biography * Asking about * Frequency * Health:

road accident): (Terry Fox) and describing expressions: diseases,
UNIT 5 core * Guided summary symptoms once/twice/three body parts,
Staying healthy (Terry Fox) * Identifying and times a week treatment,
interpreting /every (week) personnel
information in a * used to + infinitive * prefix: -un
dialogue * to + infinitive to
* Pair discussion express purpose

* Genre: Directed * Personal diary * Discussion * Time conjunctions: * Teenage

writing * School report (teenage before, when, after slang
UNIT 6 (School report): * Dialogue activities) * if in Type 1 * Text message
Growing Pains extension (Parents’ Day) * Role play: conditional jargon
* Magazine parent/child sentences
* Letter to an agony headlines (holiday
aunt: core * agony aunt timetable)
advice

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 Unit / Topic Writing Reading Listening and Grammar & Vocabulary Study Skills
Speaking Language Usage
(core)

Genre: Factual * Advertisements * Completing a * Superlatives: long * Travel: means

* A ‘small ad’ for a (used cars) checklist and and short of transport,
car * Driving licence making a adjectives locations,
UNIT 7 * Instructions (car application form decision based * Expressing time occupations,
Wheels and maintenance): * Road signs on information using the 24-hour verbs, car
Wings extension * Highway code in a dialogue clock parts
extracts game: * Present
* Personal Race to Brunei continuous tense
narratives(flight for future
attendant) arrangements

* Genre: Factual * Tabulated * Identifying * Past continuous * Categories of

Writing an article: information specific tense travellers
UNIT 8 extension (nomads) information from * Clauses with * Adjectives for
Moving on * Story (animal a dialogue although feelings
* Genre: Narrative instinct) * Preparing and * Movement
(Refugees): core * Guided summary conducting an verbs
(nomads) interview with
an expatriate

* Genre: Narrative * Benedict’s Journal * Sharing * Sentence * Space travel * Using an

Journal information Connectors: in encyclopaedia:
UNIT 9 (The Lost World): about a topic addition, besides, locating
Into extension (exploration) moreover, also, information
the Unknown * Identifying and too * Guided note
interpreting * Combination of making
information in a past simple and
dialogue past continuous
(moon landing) tenses
* Use of the with
geographical
names

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 Unit / Topic Writing Reading Listening and Grammar & Vocabulary Study Skills
Speaking Language Usage
(core)

* Genre: Descriptive * Poem (Tigress) * Evaluating * Present perfect * Adjectives,

UNIT 10 (describing a * Short story factual tense (positive nouns and
The Tiger scene): core (Fatima and the statements forms) verbs relating
tiger) to different
* Genre: Directed senses
writing
Report:
extension

* Genre: Narrative * Play (Marif) * Identifying * Present perfect * Plays/drama

Play ending: * Description sequence of tense (negative performance
UNIT 11 extension (character in a events and forms) * Character
Sons and play) speakers in a * Relative pronoun adjectives
mothers * Genre: Descriptive story (Nakhoda who and relative
(describing Manis) clauses introduced
character): * Reading: by who
extension sentence stress
and body
language
* Read/act scene
from a play

* Genre: Descriptive * Description (a * Describing a * Relative pronouns * More * Using an index

(describe a favourite favourite which/that; relative adjectives for
favourite possession) possession clauses introduced feelings
UNIT 12 possession): * Extract from an * Exchanging by which/that
Telling our own core autobiography information (an * Present prefect
stories (Roald Dahl) unpleasant tense (questions,
* Genre: Factual * Biodata (Pele) memory) including use of
Your * Guided summary * Identifying ever)
autobiography: explicit * Contrast of past
extension information in simple and
an interview present perfect

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 Unit / Topic Writing Reading Listening and Grammar & Vocabulary Study Skills
Speaking Language Usage
(core)

* Genre: Narrative * Modern fable * Making * Reflexive * Animal

Dialogue: (Warm fuzzies suggestions pronouns similes
extension and cold about a picture * Present passive
pricklies) * Describing a tense
* Genre: Narrative * Instructions bad day
UNIT 13 (an eventful day): (making a fuzzy, * Evaluating
Terrible Tuesday core doing a magic behaviour in a
trick) dialogue
* Story (bad day at * Role play:
school) making polite
complaints
about a service
or a product
* Game

* Genre: Directed * Multi-format * Identifying * Past passive tense * Travelling by * Internet

writing information: specific facts with/without an sea research
Newspaper article poster, brochure, and figures in agent * Parts of a (The Titanic)
UNIT 14 (Titanic survivor): tickets, news an interview * Connector ship
Practically extension report, map * Identifying however * Crew of a
Unsinkable (background to specific ship
the Titanic) information in a * Morse code
* Narrative dialogue
(voyage of the * Collating
Titanic) information and
negotiating a
decision

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 Unit / Topic Writing Reading Listening and Grammar & Vocabulary Study Skills
Speaking Language Usage
(core)
* Library /internet
* Genre: Narrative * Quiz (response * Group * Tense revision: * Symptoms of research
Short play: to fear) discussion: Present perfect, fear (African-
UNIT 15 extension * Multi-format thinking of simple past, past * Boxing Americans)
Courage information: birth examples, continuous, past
* Genre: Narrative certificate, making passive
Dialogue: newspaper suggestions * Comparatives with
extension reports, captions, (feeling quantity
medical notes, frightened) expressions
quotations, * Reading / acting
narrative a short play
(Muhammad Ali)
* Guided summary
(Muhammad Ali)

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 Lower Secondary (Year 7 and 8) Resources List

Texts marked with an asterisk (*) should already be in schools.

Basic Texts

*1. Gateway to English 1: A Secondary Course for Brunei Darussalam

*2. Gateway to English 2: A Secondary Course for Brunei Darussalam

Supplementary Materials

*1. Secondary English for Brunei Darussalam 1 & 2

*2. Let’s Write 1 & 2

*3. Project English 1, 2 & 3

Other Resources

1. Bell, T et al. (2003), Web of Words: Grammar and Vocabulary Activities for Primary and Secondary Students, Brunei: CfBT
Multimedia Education

2. Boulter, I et al. (1999), Summary Writing in Secondary Schools, Brunei: CfBT

3. Fuchs, M & Bonner, M. (2003), Grammar Express, Harlow: Longman

4. McCarthy, M & O’Dell, F (1994), English Vocabulary In Use: Elementary, Cambridge: CUP

5. Milliken, S. (2003), The Way Ahead in English: Secondary 2, Singapore: SNP Panpac
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6. Murphy, R. (1997), Essential Grammar In Use, Cambridge: CUP

7. Seaton, A. (2000), English Grammar for Students, Singapore: Learners Publishing (with accompanying workbook)

8. Soars, L. & Soars, J. (1993), Headway Elementary, Oxford: OUP

9. Soars, L & Soars, J. (1991), Headway Pre-Intermediate, Oxford: OUP

10. Swan, M. (1995), Practical English Usage, Oxford: OUP

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 LIST OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Facilitators : Dayang Regina Szetu Mee Ching

Department of Schools

: Awang Gani bin Haji Daud

Curriculum Development Department

: Pg Roseni binti Pg Haji Mahmud

Curriculum Development Department

: Dayang Hajah Zaiton binti Haji Mohsin

Curriculum Development Department

: Awang Alias Stipic

Department of Schools Inspectorate

Chief : Awang Andrew Dowling

Coordinator Sekolah Menengah PJN PH Abu Bakar

Members : Awang Richard Perry

MSPSBS

Awang Darlin Sia Vui Sue

MSPSBS

Dayang Ida Rafidah binti Haji Dzolkifli

Sekolah Menengah Sayyidina Husain

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Sekolah Menengah Sufri Bolkiah

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Awang Harry Hansman

Sekolah Menengah Menglait

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Dayang Hajah Sofiana binti Haji Mahmud
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Maktab SOAS

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