Teaching responsibilities when teaching text types text book p. 44
INTERPRETING, ANALYSING, EVALUATING
READING
Tip; When reading a text, talk about it as writers. Text, p.44.
Four Resources Model – Reader Practices (chapter 1)
 Text Decoder (reading/ working out the words)
 Text Participant (determining meaning / main ideas of the text)
 Text User (recognizing text type, purpose, structure)
 Text Analyser (recognizing ‘positioning’ by author)
Talking to Learn (Week 3 reading)
 Deconstruction strategies
Textbook
 Reading p.45
 Before, during and after reading teaching strategies p.46
 Modelled reading (focuses, strategies) p.50-51
 How to plan modelled reading session pp. 51-2
 Balanced reading program pp. 54-5
CREATING
WRITING
Tip: when writing a text, talk about it as readers, Text, p.44.
Balanced Writing Program - 2 types knowledge required:
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Knowledge of structure, purpose, language features
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Knowledge of writing process: planning, drafting, editing, revising, publishing
Teaching Learning Cycle (powerpoint week 3)
 Field building
 Demonstration
 Modelling
 Joint construction
 Independent construction
Talking to Learn (Week 3 reading)
 Joint construction strategies
Textbook
 Writing p.47
 Supporting students during writing p.47-8
 Modelled writing p.49-50
 How to plan modelled writing session pp.51-52
 Balanced writing program p. 55-6
TEACHING ABOUT GRAMMAR USING TEXTS
Write Ways text, pp. 21 on
While traditional grammar primarily focuses on parts of speech …
Functional Grammar focuses on how language works to achieve different purposes.
The teaching of grammar should help students understand:
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how language works
how to use language more effectively to create and comprehend meaning in oral
and written texts for specific cultural purposes
The teaching and learning of grammar is most effective when it is CONTEXTUALISED.
For example:
During READING
Help students understand purpose and work of grammatical
structures by asking questions or providing action prompts, for
example:
 What has the author done / used to let you know that there will
be several points made about this issue?
 Who or what is the sentence about?
 Show me the group of words that tell who or what this is about.
During WRITING
Use EXPLICIT demonstrations to teach children about:
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During EVERYDAY
INTERACTIONS
The ways of using language for specific purposes
The ways of using language to talk about grammar
The work of grammatical features
The choice of words to best suit the context
Aspects to be considered at whole text, paragraph,
sentence, word group and word level
During everyday interactions with students:


Model good oral language
When appropriate, provide feedback and support to help
them use language effectively in a variety of contexts
WHOLE TEXT LEVEL
Textbook p.22 …
A study of TEXT TYPES provides opportunities for teaching about grammar within the context
of the WHOLE TEXT:
Focusing on the
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Purpose
Audience
Structure
the teacher draws attention to grammatical elements that make the text
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Meaningful
Cohesive
Meet its intended purpose
PARAGRAPH LEVEL
Students need to know that PARAGRAPHS:
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are used to group related information
are organised in a logical sequence throughout the text
Helpful for them to know:
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First sentence (topic sentence) indicates the content of the paragraph
Last sentence often leads to the proceeding paragraph
Knowledge of:
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top level structure (SEE TEXT)
signal words
helps identify purpose / main ideas in paragraph
Visual layout helps identify when a paragraph begins and ends, indicated by:
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leaving a one-line gap between each paragraph (block set out)
indenting from left margin the first line only on each paragraph (indented set out)
SENTENCE & CLAUSE LEVEL
Exploring types and ‘work’ of sentences:
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commands
questions
exclamations
statements
and, structure of:
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clauses
simple sentences
compound sentences
complex sentences
WORD GROUP LEVEL
Sentences are made up of smaller groups of words that do certain jobs within the sentence.
Main word groups:
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Noun groups – identify who or what
Verb groups – tell what the who or what are doing
Adverbial groups – add info about the verb … time, location, manner, reason, with whom
(accompaniment)
WORD LEVEL
Word groups are made up of individual words, each of which has a specific role/ function within the
word group. Students can learn about the ‘work’ of classes of words within sentences: Articles,
Adjectives, Nouns, Adverbs, Verbs, Prepositions, Pronouns, Conjunctions
THROUGH THE STUDY OF TEXTS & GRAMMAR CHILDREN CAN LEARN ABOUT:
 How grammatical structures are used to make meaning for a range of purposes
 Text organisation (overall structure of the text)
 Text cohesion (use of words to connect aspects of the text)
 Grammatical patterns (the ways nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, pronouns and
related groups of words are used to enhance meaning in text)
 The language used to talk about language
See textbook chapters for info on the GRAMMATICAL FOCUSES for each text type (e.g. Chapter 8 for Information reports)
WAYS OF FOCUSING ON GRAMMAR
o Focus on grammar within the context of a complete text …from whole text to sentence level
… making sure to emphasise the purpose or ‘work’ of the particular grammatical aspect
within the text
o Discuss and analyse the text and focus on the use and ‘work’ of particular grammatical
features common to that text type
o Limit the focus when teaching abut grammar … for example, one session may focus on how
different parts of a recount are connected to create a cohesive, logically sequenced text (a
focus on the linking words). Another session may focus on the noun-verb agreement.
o Encourage children to identify the purpose or ‘work’ of a particular grammatical aspect.
Help them construct their own understanding … so that this helps them construct meaning in
texts.
o Introduce correct grammatical terms as soon as possible after considering their stage of
development and needs
o Encourage children to consider how they can use specific grammatical aspects to improve
teir own writing. Help them make links between reading and writing.
o Plan specific sessions only if intensive study of a particular aspect of grammar is reauired by
groups of students.
o Focus on the construction of well-structured texts and the role of aspects of grammar to
create meaning rather than on specific grammatical rules.
o Make class charts that record children’s developing knowledge of grammatical aspects
(e.g. What we know about recounts: …. What we know about verbs: …) see text book
pp.34-35).
o Write for and with children and talk about the grammatical decisions that need to be made
as the text is constructed. Use correct grammatical terms if appropriate.
o Use individual writing conferences as opportunities to monitor and extend each child’s
specific grammatical knowledge – the best teaching occurs at point of need.
o Provide many opportunities for children to participate in activities to encourage them to
speak clearly and correctly to impart meaning.