Written Language

Reading And Writing

Reading and writing make it possible to understand, clarify, and communicate ideas, feelings, and thoughts, as well as to gather, process, and present information. The processes of becoming a reader and a writer are inextricably linked. Students should be encouraged to read widely, analyse and evaluate written texts, and develop their ability to make meaning out of increasingly challenging text. They should think critically about what they read, and understand that written language varies according to context.

In planning programmes, teachers should include a wide range of written language, including literary texts. Students should read a variety of texts with confidence, competence, and enjoyment. They should develop strategies for responding to and analysing text, and an understanding of the structures of written language.

Students should develop an explicit knowledge of the processes of reading and writing.

In reading, students should be aware of the processes by which meaning is gained, and of strategies such as sampling, scanning, and reading closely. They should learn how to respond to texts in a range of contexts, and analyse their structures.

In writing, they should develop an explicit knowledge of the steps of the writing process, such as forming intentions, composing, drafting, correcting, and publishing. They should learn to understand and use accurately the conventions of written language, especially in formal contexts, and to write confidently, clearly, and appropriately, in a range of styles and for a variety of purposes.

For the sub-strand of reading, achievement objectives are set out for the two functions of personal reading and close reading. The functions of writing are categorised as expressive writing, poetic writing, and transactional writing (See Selected Glossary, pages 137 to 141).

Expressive writing is personal, spontaneous, and often unstructured, reflecting the ebb and flow of thoughts and feelings, and is frequently the source for other writing. Poetic writing is shaped to convey sensory and artistic qualities, and includes fiction in its many forms. The term "poetic" highlights the crafted quality of such writing. Transactional writing conveys factual information, persuades, or argues a point of view objectively. It, too, is characterised by crafting and shaping, as in report writing or scientific language. These functions of writing are not mutually exclusive, and are often part of a continuum as a writer explores ideas for different purposes.

Through both sub-strands and all functions, students will be developing skills and knowledge in the processes of exploring language, thinking critically, and processing information. Achievement objectives are set out to assist teachers to monitor students' development of the written language processes.