YEAR 8

ENGLISH
Semester 1 2023

CREATING TEXT
RECOUNT WRITING
TASK: ASSESSMENT TYPE: Recount Writing Task

DRAFT DUE DATE: Week 3 FINAL DUE DATE: Week 4

WORD COUNT: Narrative (500 – 600) GRADED ON: See rubric below.

ACHIEVEMENT STANDARDS

PRODUCTIVE MODES (SPEAKING, WRITING AND CREATING)

Students show how the selection of language features can achieve precision and stylistic effect.
They develop their own style by experimenting with language features, stylistic devices, text structures and images.
They demonstrate understanding of grammar, vary vocabulary choices for impact, and accurately use spelling and
punctuation when creating and editing texts.

General Capabilities and Cross-Curriculum Priorities (Highlight relevant sections):

Critical and
General IC Ethical Personal Intercultural
Literacy Numeracy Creative
Capability T Understanding and Social Understanding
Thinking
Cross- Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Asia and Australia’s
Curriculum Islander Histories and Sustainability
engagement with Asia
Priority Cultures

PURPOSE:

Demonstrate your understanding of writing a detailed, but entertaining personal (first person), factual, or imaginative
(third person) recount. You are to use the suggested recount structure (orientation, events, re-orientation/conclusion)
and figurative language (POPSMARS) to interest your audience.

TASK DESCRIPTION:

This task requires you to use different literary devices and descriptive language (show don’t tell) to write an
interesting recount about an interesting event/moment of your life where you learnt something about yourself,
someone else or life in general.

Choose one of the following topics and write a descriptive recount that enables the reader to feel like they are there.

 Write about your most embarrassing time.
 Write about your funniest event.
 Write about your favorite birthday.
 Write about a time that you did something special
with your family.
 Write about a time that you did something special
with your friends.
 Write about a time that you excelled/did something
really well.
 Write about your pet—from the time you got them
until now.
 Write a recount about getting lost.
 Write a recount about meeting somebody
interesting.
 Write about the most difficult choice you ever had
to make.
 Write about the most frightening moment you have
ever experienced.
 Write about the strangest thing that ever happened
to you.
 Write a recount about your proudest moment.
 Write about a time you were completely surprised.
 Write about your favorite memory.
 Write about an unbelievable event you witnessed.
KEY INFORMATION

TIPS FOR WRTING A RECOUNT

 Recounts must be written in past tense (i.e. went, saw, was etc)
 Events should be told in chronological order (the order they happened), using words that show that time is passing
(i.e. firstly, later, eventually, finally etc)
 Use paragraphs to separate events
 Try to make your writing interesting – be descriptive (show don’t tell)
 Vary the beginnings of your sentences (refer to Writer’s Toolbox)
 Use quotation marks for quoted speech (i.e. “Come over here,” she said)
 Use correct spelling and punctuation
 Give you recount an interesting title

SHOW DON’T TELL

Use figurative language such as POPSMARS to describe the setting and create an image in the reader’s mind. This
includes using the FIVE SENSES.

RECOUNT STRUCTURE/PLANNING

ORIENTATION:
The orientation is the introduction, it sets the scene by telling the reader who, what, when, where and why (Five W’s).
Try to begin your recount by asking the reader a question or beginning with the action, before giving them the backfill
of the five W’s.

Suggested word count: 100-150 words

EVENTS:
The events are what happened. They are described in chronological order (i.e. the order that they happened). Try to
write down the 3 to 5 most important moments of the event you are recounting. Keep them short and only focus on the
interesting parts within each chosen event. Try to focus use each of the five senses (touch, taste, smell, hearing, sight).
You can include “dialogue”.

Suggested word count: 100-150 words per event (aim for 3-4 events)

RE-ORIENTATION/CONCLUSION
This is where you provide a final comment of explanation to finish the recount. Try to share with the reader what you,
the author of the recount, thought, felt and learnt from the experience.

Suggested word Count: 100-150 words