Stasha Andrews & Chloe Rushton, Room 11 & 12 – Literacy Learning Plan

Unit Topic: Persuasive Texts (Written and Oral Language), Term 1 2020 – Week 3-7
What is the big idea or topic focus?
Topic Focus: Australian Bushfires – Should Australia Use Indigenous Burning Practices?
1. Setting the Context/Building the Field 2. Modelling/Deconstruction
What shared and prior knowledge or understandings of the topic the class has, and consequently what needs to be How will the model text be examined? What specific language features need to be taught?
explored or researched to build further knowledge of the topic? During this stage the teacher guides students in exploring how the text makes meaning through the examination of a
Activities for building the field can vary according the topic but usually move from the more experimental/everyday field model text (the type and standard of text students will be asked to produce at the end of the cycle). The social purpose,
knowledge to more abstract/technical field knowledge. This stage of the cycle can be revisited especially if learners are structure and language features of the model text are examined during this stage.
exposed to new content as they move through the stages of the teaching and learning cycle.
Examples: brainstorming, discussions, concept maps, note taking, excursions, hands on experiences etc.
 Gather students prior knowledge using ‘mind mapping’  Read the model text, discuss the purpose and intended audience
 Students read and discuss news articles and clips relating to the issue of the Australian Bushfires and Indigenous  Examine the model text to identify the text structure and language features.
Burning Practices, (for example: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/01/australia/australia-fires-explainer-intl-hnk-  Teach specific language features required:
scli/index.html, https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/it-s-miraculous-owners-say-cultural-burning-saved-their- a. Text structure – title, introduction states position, series of arguments, conclusion restates position
property-20200103-p53okc.html, https://coolaustralia.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Benefitsofcoolburns1.pdf, b. Text and paragraph/sentence openers – text connectives, topic sentences, evidence to support arguments
https://www.coolaustralia.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Howcanindigenouspeopleusefire1.pdf). c. Sentence structure – simple sentences with more elaboration, varied length and structure, compound sentences
 Students’ topic related vocabulary is extended through targeted and explicit learning tasks – Create words lists and with linking conjunctions and complex sentences with binding conjunctions
word wall of new vocabulary from the text, define/find synonyms for each word and understand each word in the d. Processes
context of the text e. Opinion and point of view
 Students collate all new information and add it to their concepts maps/notes f. Topic vocabulary
 Read model text “Should Australia use Indigenous burning practices?” g. Modality
 Link text to aspects of Aboriginal cultural perspectives h. Nominalisation
 Students participate in Daily 5/Book Club/Guided Reading (LLI) with a group of students of a similar reading ability,
engaging in discussion about text themes, text structures and language features
3. Joint Construction 4. Independent Construction
How will the writing process be modelled to students? How will students be supported to move into the independent construction stage? Is there any further knowledge of
In this stage, the teacher guides students to jointly construct a text or parts of a text. The teacher guides this process by their topic that they require before they can write their independent construction?
asking questions, making suggestions and modelling the editing process where necessary. Students should be Once students have successfully participated in a joint construction they should be ready to move into the independent
encouraged to take an active role in the joint construction using what they have learned about the structure and construction stage. Students may need to build up knowledge of their specific topic before they can write their
language features of the genre. independent construction (i.e. research koalas for an information report). This may be independent, group or class
Examples: research depending on the students’ skills and abilities. At this stage, students should be provided with the assessment
 The teacher acts as scribe while students contribute to the construction of a text or part of a text. criteria/rubric based on the language features taught during the modelling/deconstruction stage. For emergent and
 Students work in small groups to construct parts of the text, the teacher then works with the class to put the text developing writers it is expected that this stage of the cycle will be adapted.
together, editing writing for cohesion and grammatical errors.
 The teacher works collaboratively with the students to create an assessment criteria based on what was taught  Using the planning proforma provided, students independently plan, draft and edit their own persuasive text
during the deconstruction stage  Topic for independent construction:
 Using a template/writing proforma, the teacher will work with students to construct a plan for writing a persuasive - ‘Should Australia use Indigenous burning practices?’
text *Please note students will be required to write a number of persuasive texts on various topics throughout the
 The teacher will then split students into groups, each group will be responsible for constructing one section of the teaching and learning cycle.
text (i.e. introduction, first argument, second argument, third argument and conclusion)
 The teacher’s role is to work with students to elaborate on sequential arguments, using the specific language
features explicitly taught during the deconstruction stage
 The teacher and students then work together to jointly construct the text using each group’s writing – the teacher
works with students to edit the text for cohesion, grammar and spelling.
Assessment
How will the student’s writing be assessed?
The teacher can base their evaluation of the standard of student work against the ACE Literacy Levels. The teacher can also use their observations and reflections during the teaching and learning cycle. It is also important that students use the
assessment criteria/rubric constructed during the teaching and learning cycle to reflect on their own writing development. Teachers may also use peer feedback, writing conferences and other forms of explicit feedback.
 After completing the independent construction, students will use the assessment criteria to reflect their own writing
 Students will then work with a trusted peer to provided explicit feedback based on the assessment criteria
 The teacher will then conduct ‘writing conferences’ with small groups of students – providing students with explicit feedback and writing goals
 The writing sample will then be assessed against the ACE Literacy Levels
 Stasha Andrews & Chloe Rushton, Room 11 & 12 – Literacy Learning Plan
Unit Topic: Persuasive Texts (Written and Oral Language), Term 1 2020 – Week 3-7
Text Knowledge Grammar Knowledge Word Knowledge
What text knowledge do students need (cohesion and text structure)? What grammar knowledge do students need? What topic-specific vocabulary will the students need?
Complexity of the content covered will vary between genres and year Complexity of the content covered will vary between genres and year
levels. levels.
For example: text structure, text and paragraph openers, text connectives, For example: sentence structure, processes, circumstances, noun groups,
sentence openers, reference) nominalization
TEXT STRUCTURE Sentence Structure Topic Vocabulary – Road Safety
Title  Elaborating simple sentences  Create anchor chart/word wall of topic vocab, students create word
Introduction Using compound sentences with varying linking conjunctions (and, so, but, lists and include synonyms
 Defines topic or). Using complex sentences with varying binding conjunctions (when,
 States position because, while, before) and causal conjunctions (as a consequence of, as a For example: indigenous burning practices, cultural burning, flora, fauna,
 Previews arguments result of, because, caused by, consequently, hence, however, so, still, fire, bushfires, wildfires, scrub, fuel, extinguish, fire management, fire
Series of Arguments then, therefore, though, yet) brigades, vegetation, fire-sensitive, habitats, environmentalists etc.
 Organised into paragraphs with topic sentences and supporting  Increasing complexity of sentence structure through nominalisation
information (evidence and examples) (i.e prevention, management, reduction) Nominalisation
Conclusion Processing using Verb Groups  The process of turning verbs into nouns
 Restates position, sums up argument and makes a  Identifying the different verb groups (doing, sensing, saying, relating) For example:
recommendation/provides an alternative - doing: applying, implemented, extinguishing, evacuate, ignited, - prevent – prevention
monitored, protect etc. - manage – management
TEXT COHESION - sensing: need - reduce – reduction
Text and Paragraph Openers - saying:
 Topic sentences - relating: has, have, was, is, are
Text Connectives  Using present tense
 To begin, moreover, finally, furthermore, however, in addition etc. Opinion and Point of View
Sentence Openers  Using modality to express certainty
 Topic nouns, general participants  Rhetorical questions
Reference  Recommendations
 this, many, it, they, which  Emotive language
 Name _________________ Date ___________
Persusaive Writing Assessment Criteria
Did I include………….

TEXT KNOWLEDGE
Text Structure
o Title
o Introduction
o Series of Arguments
o Conclusion

Text and Paragraph Openers

o Topic Sentences
o Text Connectives

LANGUAGE FEATURES
 Topic vocabulary
 Text connectives
 Modality
 Emotive language
 Reference - this, many, it, they, which
 Rhetorical question

GRAMMAR KNOWLEDGE
o Elaborating simple sentences
o Compound sentences: linking conjunctions and, but
o Complex sentences: binding conjunctions because, as, when, until, if
A variety of Verb Groups
o Doing
o Relating
o Sensing
o Past tense