GENRE THEORY:
Differing Perspectives Based on
Unique Situations
GENRE THEORY
• Genre theory is based on the idea that
writing is social and that it responds to
situations; consequently, it isn’t the same
for every person or situation. (Genre Theory 5)
• Therefore, the writing process should be
adapted for the specific purpose at hand.
When teaching genre, it is important
to consider both constraint and
choice. Doing so will allow for a
balance between individual creativity
and the expected form of the genre.
(Genre Theory 34)
BEST PRACTICES-LESS
• Whole-class, teacher-directed instruction
• Student passivity: sitting, listening, receiving
• Solitude and working alone
• One way transmission of information to student
• Prizing of silence in the classroom
• Fill-in-the-blank worksheets and other “seatwork”
(Best Practice 6)
BEST PRACTICES-MORE
• Experiential, hands-on learning
• Student-student interaction
• Development of students’ curiosity and intrinsic
motivation to drive learning
• Reading of real texts: whole books, primary sources,
and nonfiction materials
• Choice for students (e.g., choosing their own books,
writing topics, team partners, and research projects)
(Best Practice 7)
Understanding Genre As
Reader Expectation
Genres give us ideas on how to read
in certain situations. When writing,
you have choices but you also have
responsibilities to you reader.
WHAT’S BEHIND THE SPINE?
HABITAT
Once common throughout Australia,
but now found only in the southeast;
confined largely to the eucalyptus
forests and foothills of the Blue
Mountains.
SIZE AND COLOR
Size ranges from 3 t 6 feet high at
the shoulder. Color: usually brown
or dull red
SIZE AND COLOR
Size ranges from 3 to 6 feet high at
the shoulder; 30 feet long. Color:
usually brown, dull red, or greenish
blue; often becomes caked in mud,
which obscures its true color.
SCALES AND SPINES
Skin overall has a leathery rather
than a scaly texture; large breast
scales give a plated appearance;
short, hooked spines run down the
length of the back.
READER EXPECTATION
Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons (Steer)
READER EXPECTATION
The Paper Bag Princess (Munsch)
http://prezi.com/gqjghmzbiuxu/untitled-prezi/
WHEN YOU CARE ENOUGH TO SEND THE
VERY BEST…
it better be what the
reader expects.
CONSIDERING THE OCCASION OF YOUR CARD
• Without looking at your card; think about what words,
phrases, and illustrations you expect to be on it
• Write your predictions in your journal
• Then compare your predictions (reader expectations)
with the card. Repeat with a different card.
• Share/Discuss with others at your table.
HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=AO0PI31
VWR8
STANDARDS-I CAN
• Write opinion pieces on topics or
texts, supporting a point of view
with reasons and information.
W.4.1
STANDARDS-I CAN
• Write informative/explanatory texts
to examine a topic and convey
ideas and information clearly.
W.4.2
STANDARDS-I CAN
• Write narratives to develop real or
imagined experiences or events
using effective technique,
descriptive details, and clear event
sequences.
W.4.3
Recent brain research shows that to
understand, own, and remember
ideas, students need to not just
receive, but also act upon them.
(Best Practice 15)
THE BOSTON MASSACRE
• Read the three Boston Massacre documents. They
have been tweeted to your electronic devices using
#ekuwp (paper copies are available)
• After reading the documents, choose a role and task
from the provided sheet
• Draft your writing in your journal
• As you write, consider your point of view and the reader
expectations of your chosen genre
STUDENT SAMPLE
BEST PRACTICES-LESS
• Whole-class, teacher-directed instruction
• Student passivity: sitting, listening, receiving
• Solitude and working alone
• One way transmission of information to student
• Prizing of silence in the classroom
• Fill-in-the-blank worksheets and other “seatwork”
(Best Practice 6)
BEST PRACTICES-MORE
• Experiential, hands-on learning
• Student-student interaction
• Development of students’ curiosity and intrinsic
motivation to drive learning
• Reading of real texts: whole books, primary sources,
and nonfiction materials
• Choice for students (e.g., choosing their own books,
writing topics, team partners, and research projects)
(Best Practice 7)
SOURCES CITED
Dean, Deborah. Genre Theory: Teaching, Writing, and Being. Urbana: NCTE, 2008. Print.
Zemelman, Steven, Harvey Daniels, and Arthur A. Hyde. Best Practice: Bringing Standards to
Life in America's Classrooms. 4th ed. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2012. Print.