Government of South Australia Department of Education and Children’s Services Common Genres in Senior Secondary Schooling Structures and Some of the Important Language Features (This information can be adapted by teachers to suit the specific literacy demands of individual subjects.) DECS CURRICULUM SERVICES, NUMERACY ANI ID SCIENCES PORTFOLIO ~ including Senior Secondary Reform Version 1.1 Noversber 2008 Page | of 31Context and Purpose of this Material This resource is based on the premise that specific subjects/disciplines have specific literacy demands. The purposes of a subject/discipline will determine the genres, language and mediums of presentation that are predominantly used. Therefore, one of the main ways in which the literacies of subjects can be identified is to examine the kinds of texts that students are expected to produce, including the structures and language features of these texts, These structures and language features can then be taught so that students gain a clear understanding of the literacy expectations of specific assessment tasks. Most students in primary schools, and an increasing number in middle schools, are exposed to genre approaches. They already have understandings that need to be built on in the senior years. Therefore, it is important to maintain a genre approach as much as possible, so that students can draw on their prior learning. For example, this means using terminology related to genre that many students will understand. Teachers may make modifications to this material to suit what they would like to do specifically within their classrooms, Both teachers and students can choose the language features that the class could concentrate on when creating texts within a unit of work. Some of the genres used in Senior Secondary schooling are macrogenres, meaning that they are made up of more than one traditional genre. In instances such as this, the different kinds of genres and related language features used at each stage of the text require identification. The language used throughout these materials is from both traditional grammar and systemic functional linguistics. tis a reality that teachers and students need a language to talk about language if they are to discuss and build on understandings about language. A glossary has been included at the back of this material to help teachers and students to develop their understandings of genres and language, There is also PD available in South Australia, which provides teachers with an understanding of systemic functional linguistics, particularly the course Language and Literacy: Classroom applications of functional grammar. DECS CURRICULUM SERVICES, NUMERACY AND SCIENCES PORTFOLIO ~ including Senior Secondary Reform Version 1.1 November 2008, Page2 of 31Some Conmon Genres in Senior Secondary Schooling and their Purposes Genre click on links for more detail Purpose Recount (personal, historical, factual, imaginative) -to retell events in the past. Practical Report (6.9. write up of a practical experiment, field trip, investigation) -to explain how an experiment/practical was conducted, analyse the results and evaluate the outcomes, Directed Investigation Reports -to undertake a mathematical investigation, analyse results and evaluate the outcomes, Procedure -to explain how to undertake a task. Narrative -to tell a story in an entertaining way. Often such stories also aim to present specific values. Information Report -to inform about a topic. An information report-may be taxonomic or descriptive — taxonomic will answer the question "What kinds?” and descriptive will answer “What about?" Explanation (sequential or causal) -A sequential explanation explains how something occurs. A causal explanation explains how and why something occurs. Exposition (Analytical Argument) ~to provide one line of reasoning. The author presents one interpretation of an issue and uses supporting material to try to convince others of their point of view. The thesis that is put forward is built up throughout the text. Hortatory Exposition (Argument urging the audience to act) -to provide one point of view on an issue and to make the audience take action. Often these texts are very emotive. Some examples could include letters to the editor, speeches, articles and advertisements. Discus: -to present all arguments on a topic, as well as the supporting evidence for those arguments. The conclusion contains a recommendation based on the evidence for all sides that have been presented, Interpretation to interpret what a tex!(s) is presenting, providing evidence from the text(s) to support the interpretation. Interpretations are often similar to analytical arguments/expositions in that they present one argument/point of view. Personal Response -to present a personal response, Review -to describe and evaluate a text (eg film, book, painting, webpage) DECS CURRICULUM SERVICES, NUMERACY AND SCIENCES PORTFOLIO ~ including Senior Secondary Reform Version 1.1 November 2008 Page 3 of 31