English in the New Zealand Curriculum
Level 5: Writing Functions
Transactional Writing: Students should write coherent, logical instructions, explanations, and factual accounts, and express and argue a point of view, linking main and supporting ideas, and structuring material in appropriate styles in a range of authentic contexts.
Levels 5 and 6: Reading and Writing Processes
Exploring Language: Students should, using appropriate terminology, describe, discuss, analyse, and apply the distinctive conventions, structures, and language features of a range of texts and explain how they suit the topic and purpose.
Thinking Critically: Students should interpret, analyse, and produce written texts, identifying and discussing their literary qualities, and explore and identify attitudes and beliefs in terms of personal experience and knowledge of other texts.
Processing Information: Students should, using appropriate technologies, retrieve, select, and interpret information from a variety of sources, and present accurate and coherent information for a range of purposes, analysing the processes used.
English in the New Zealand Curriculum, pages 35–36
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/language/curriculum/contents_e.php
NCEA (National Certificate of Educational Achievement)
Achievement Standard AS 90053: English 1.2 Produce Formal Writing.
New Zealand Qualifications Authority (2001).
 PDF 13kb
Unit Standard 8812: Produce Transactional Written Text in Simple Forms.
New Zealand Qualifications Authority (2002).
PDF 10kb
This teacher used social studies as a context for helping her students to develop the literacy skills needed to explain why and how the temples at Abu Simbel in Egypt were saved from flooding. They were to go on to use their explanations as background information for evaluating the arguments for and against construction of a dam.
The students familiarised themselves with information on the Abu Simbel temples through close reading and thinking about selected texts. The class discussed the language features and structure of these explanations. They also studied a map of the geographical area involved.
The teacher asked them to write an explanatory piece, drawing on their research. She suggested a format for their written explanations, emphasising the importance of including answers to the questions "What, Who, Where, When, Why, and How?" She explained that she expected them to:
- sequence their explanations logically
- explain why the temples were under threat
- explain how they were saved
- conclude with a statement about the success of the operation.
There was much classroom discussion throughout the process. Once the students had begun drafting their explanations, the teacher roved around and discussed their work with them on an individual basis.
Teacher-student conversations
After the first draft:
| Teacher: |
I think you've managed to structure this well. What does your first paragraph tell us? |
| Dylan: |
Well, it's just the introduction. It gives a very basic outline of why the whole operation had to happen. |
| Teacher: |
You mean, why the temples were under threat? |
| Dylan: |
Yes. |
| Teacher: |
Mm, as a reader I reckon that tells me why. How did you decide what details to include in the process? |
| Dylan: |
I looked at my notes that I'd made when I was reading. I had the reasons why, who was involved, and how they actually did it. |
| Teacher: |
That was probably helpful in deciding how to arrange your paragraphs? |
| Dylan: |
Yes. |
Dylan went on to redraft his explanation, adding considerably more detail for impact.
Integrating reading and writing
Writing explanations often requires students to do research. As with this exemplar, they should be given opportunities for close reading of selected texts that provide factual information. Teachers can provide them with a selection of material for research, including published texts that illustrate the language features of explanations. The structure of such texts can be explored using techniques such as pattern guides, restructuring texts, and making summaries. Teachers can support students to develop the literacy skills required to produce written explanations within a range of learning areas.
To move Dylan towards the next learning step, the teacher could help him to focus on impact, targeting the audience by using appropriate stylistic and language selections. This might include analogies, similes, or metaphors to engage the reader particularly in the introduction and conclusion.
The teacher could do this by:
- modelling of writing that uses these strategies, and discussing the process
- exploring models of writing that exemplify the strategies Dylan needs to develop
- developing criteria with Dylan for successfully achieving the purpose of the writing.
References
Ministry of Education (1994). English in the New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.
TKI English community
|
