TEXT TYPES

P-12
Loddon Mallee Region

1
 Session Outline

• Literacy Elements
• Gradual Release of Responsibility
• Breakthrough Framework
• Text Categories
• Text Types
• Deconstruction and Reconstruction of Texts
• Writing in a Multimodal World
 LITERACY ELEMENTS

• Read Aloud
SPEAKING &
LISTENING • Write Aloud

• Shared Reading • Shared Writing

• Guided Reading • Guided Writing

OBSERVATION

• Independent Reading
&
ASSESSMENT • Independent Writing
 GRADUAL RELEASE OF
RESPONSIBILITY
Role of the
teacher

MODELLING SHARING GUIDING APPLYING

The teacher The teacher continues The teacher provides The teacher offers
demonstrates and to demonstrate the scaffolds for students support and
explains the literacy literacy focus, to use the literacy encouragement when
focus being taught. encouraging students focus. Teacher necessary
DEGREE OF CONTROL

This is achieved by to contribute ideas provides feedback

thinking aloud the and information
mental processes and
modelling the reading,
The student works
writing, speaking and
independently to
listening
Students work with apply the use of
help from the teacher literacy focus
Students contribute and peers to practise
ideas and begin to the use of the literacy 4
The student practise the use of the focus
participates by literacy focus in
actively attending to whole class situations
the demonstrations

Role of the Pearson & Gallagher

student
‘Breakthrough
Framework’
 Text Categories
Texts are grouped and defined in particular categories. It is important to note
that any such classifications are arbitrary and that there is always likely to be
overlap between ways of grouping texts and defining text types.

LITERARY TEXTS Categories of Texts FACTUAL TEXTS

The categories of texts indicated above can be further subdivided
into different Text Types.
Text Types
LITERARY FACTUAL
Literary texts are written to re-create, create, shape and Factual texts are written about real phenomena.
explore human experience. Literary texts can be based on Factual Description
fiction or fact and includes written and spoken texts. e.g. Information Report
picture storybooks, traditional stories, speeches, novels, short
Procedure
stories, plays, poetry, translated works, non-print texts and
non-fiction works such as biographies. (VELS) Procedural Recount
Narrative – in story, drama and poetic format Factual Recount
Literary Recount Explanation
Observation Exposition
Literary Description Discussion
Personal Response
Review
 Text Type Quiz
TASK 1:
In your envelope are the 9 key Text Types, their
Purposes, their Structures and their Language
Features.

You Will Need:

Text Type template (insert colour you have used)
TEXT TYPE quiz envelope contents

In pairs put the grid together.

Check against the completed grid (Hand Out) –
Text Type Grid
 The 9 Key Text Types

1. Description (factual or literary)*This text type is often embedded within other texts
2. Report (factual)
3. Recount (factual or literary)
4. Narrative (literary)
5. Procedure (factual)
6. Explanation (factual or literary)
7. Exposition (factual)
8. Discussion (factual)
9. Response (factual or literary)

Page
number8
 Text Types - Described

• These are the texts that need to be explicitly

taught and are crucial to students learning.

• They provide the basic entry point for student

learning and access to effective participation in
the community.
 Text Types - Description Continued

• They are idealised for teaching purposes.

• In real life we find ‘mixed texts’. Examples of
‘mixed texts’ (hybrids) are:
• An ‘Information Report’ may contain an
‘Explanation’
• A ‘Narrative’ may contain ‘Descriptions’ of people
places and events.
• A scientific ‘Procedure’ may conclude with an
‘Explanation’ of a scientific principle.
Hybrid Text - Example

Information
Report

Explanation

Science World
Procedure 7 Macmillan 3rd
Edition.
 Text Types as Starting Points
When students understand that:
• Different types of texts exist
• Texts have different purposes
• Texts have particular structures
• Texts have characteristic language features including
particular grammatical patterns and
• Texts have particular language conventions (spelling,
punctuation, font variations and page layout), they are in a
better position to manipulate and combine different Text
Types in purposeful ways for a particular audience. We
see this daily in different text formats.
 Text Formats or Forms for Real
Purposes
There are 8 key ‘Purposes for Writing’
To:
• Entertain
• Recount
• Socialise
• Inquire
• Describe
• Persuade
• Explain
• Instruct Reference: Annandale K et.al.(2004)

(Hand Out) - ‘Text Forms’ table - based on Purposes

 Teaching Text Types
What do they provide?

• Text Types provide links to literacy development as a

social practice.
• Text Types provide for the literacy development across
and within:
Domains and Dimensions,
VCE, VCAL and VET subjects
• Text Types provide students with shared
understandings about how to effectively communicate
in each area of study.
 What should our focus be?
• We need to focus on those that are most relevant to the
content of the program.

• We need to focus on those suggested in the Focus

Statements in VELS and VCE subjects.

• We need to explicitly teach and reteach particular text

types and adapt formats to match the nature and level of
content deemed as essential learning.
 What should our focus be? Continued

• Data driven teaching using classroom sources of

information. Responding to assessment through
observations, conversations and previous products
created. Data gathered from teachers moderating
together.

• Data driven using external sources of information e.g.

English Online (Prep to Year 2) On Demand Testing
(Linear and Adaptive) and NAPLAN (Years 3,5,7 & 9).
 Text Types
To learn about texts we need to have a working knowledge of each under the
following headings.
TEXT TYPES PURPOSES STRUCTURAL / LANGUAGE FEATURES
ORGANISATIONAL
FEATURES
9 Key Text Types 8 Key Purposes How the text is What special language
Which of the 9 are What is the purpose/s organised and features have been used to
being used individually of the writing and who structured from: make it appropriate for the
or in combination – is the audience? word, to purpose and intended
hybrid format? sentence, to audience? What
paragraph to grammatical features are
whole text level? evident that influence the
understanding of the writing.
CONVENTIONS of Language that are common to all Text Types and hybrid formats
Spelling – including topic specific terminology
Punctuation – all punctuations marks used e.g. capital letters, full stops, question marks etc
Grammar – the structural rules that govern words, phrases and sentences in a given language.
Page Layout – spatial organisation of the text on the page or screen
Font Variations – e.g. bold, italics, CAPITALS, underline, COLOUR and size
Use of Visuals – e.g. graphics, maps, tables, pictures etc.
Hand Writing and Computer Generated text – legible handwriting or electronic typing
 Predicting From Text Beginnings
The heart is the most important organ of the circulatory
system. It allows oxygenated blood to be pumped around the
body. The heart has parts.
Report

Last week Dad took me to the football to watch my favourite

team.
Factual Recount

The wolf crept out from behind the tree, crouched low and
was ready to pounce. The children would fall into the trap just
like the others had.
Narrative
Predicting From Text Beginnings - continued

The following is the instructions of how to set up your mobile phone.

Procedure
The ear provides audio information to the brain. It works by
collecting the sounds in the outer ear. The sound vibration causes
movement of the ear drum and the tiny bones connected to it.
Explanation.

There are many ways to overcome poor eyesight now and one way
is to have eye surgery. Before a decision is made however patients
need to consider many factors such as their state of health, cost and
risks associated.
Discussion
Predicting From Text Beginnings - continued
Mobile phones should not be used while being served
in a retail outlet.
Exposition

Billy is a teenage boy. He is of medium height with

golden brown hair.
Description

The movie ‘Twilight’ a most compelling film and is set in

deepest, darkest heart of America. It has romance,
action and plot twists woven around the two central
characters.
Response
 Modelling Text Types

In order for students to be able to create and

manipulate various texts types effectively, they must be
able to deconstruct idealised and hybrid examples .

Deconstruction allows the students to familiarise

themselves with the text before them and analyse its:
– Purpose,
– Structural / Organisational features ,
– Language features and
– Conventions
 Deconstructing a Narrative
Hand Out
Read the Narrative
‘The
Invasion’.
1 per person

Source – www.writingfun.com
 Deconstructing a NARRATIVE
SAMPLE TEXT
The Invasion

IDEAS AND INFORMATION

Who
the invaders – the mosquitoes, cockroaches and beetles
What
they moved through the city into gardens, on pavements, walls
and they sucked the blood of people
When
on a hot steamy summer night
Where
in a city somewhere
 ORGANISATION /STRUCTURE
ORIENTATION
1st paragraph
sets time and setting

COMPLICATION followed by a series of events

2nd paragraph
The many legged invasion begins

3rd paragraph
Describing the what the invaders did

4th paragraph
Further description of what the invaders did e.g. suck human blood

5th paragraph
Humans sleeping on unaware of the invasion

CONCLUSION
6th paragraph
Just another night of fun for the invaders
 LANGUAGE FEATURES
WORD LEVEL
• Noun groups e.g. streets, houses, ceilings, walls, people,
invaders
• Verbs e.g. quivered, entered, walked, asleep
• Adjectives e.g. many-legged
• Topic specific terminology e.g. cockroaches, beetles

SENTENCE LEVEL
• Descriptive e.g. ‘climbed silently over carpets’
• Entertaining e.g. ‘need to feed on blood’
 LANGUAGE FEATURES continued

WHOLE TEXT LEVEL

• Figurative language (images created with clever use of

language) e.g. ‘antennae quivered’, ‘feed on human
blood’
• Adjectival modifiers e.g. ‘totally’ unaware
• Prepositions e.g. ‘over’, ‘under’, ‘on’, ‘in’ and ‘into’
• Past tense e.g. ‘It was’, ‘they took’, ‘were sound
asleep’.
 CONVENTIONS OR MECHANICS

• Spelling – Topic words e.g. cockroaches, beetles,

mosquitoes, antennae.
• Punctuation – Exclamation marks (double !!),
commas, capitals, full stops, hyphenated word.
• Grammar – Past tense, adjectival modifiers,
figurative language.
• Page layout – Heading, paragraph spacing, pictures
• Font variations – Larger text heading and BOLD
 Deconstruction Task
INSTRUCTIONS
Form a group of 8.
TASK 2:
Using the Text Type Pack (Hand Out) each person is
to choose a sample Text Type other than the Narrative and
using the Text Type template deconstruct the text.
Complete as per the Narrative previously demonstrated.
20 min.
Each person display your stimulus text, and
deconstruction details. Sharing with your table.
Discuss each in detail
20 min.
 Scaffolding Text Construction

TASK 3:
• Form into groups of 3

• Read the ‘Plasma Television’ article.

• Using the A3 Exposition Planning sheet and the

Text Type Grid to guide your group, plan an
argument for or against the issue.
• Compare arguments constructed that support or refute the
thesis with the group.
 Modes of Text Delivery
Text Modalities Language Visual Audio Gestural Spatial
used to make Elements of Elements of Elements Elements of Elements of
meaning by the Linguistic Design Visual of Audio Gestural Design. Spatial Design.
students. Delivery. Design. Design.

Is it in a: •Vocabulary and •Colours •Music •Behaviour •Ecosystem

LIVE, metaphor •Perspective •Sound •Bodily and
PRINT/PAPER or •Modality •Vectors effects physicality geographical
DIGITAL/ELECTR •Transivity •Fore - etc. •Gesture meaning.
ONIC format?
Adapted from •Nominalisation grounding •Sensuality •Architectonic
Anstey M and Bull of processes and back- •Feelings and meanings
G (2009) Using •Information grounding affect etc.
Multimodal Texts
and Digital Structure etc. •Kinesics
Resources in a •Local •Proxemics etc.
multiliterate coherence
classroom, e.lit,
Marrickville, relations etc.
Sydney
 Writing in the Multimodal World

• How will you assist students writing in the

‘multimodal’ and ‘digital world’?
• What ‘modes’ of meaning comprise
multimodal texts?
• Do we have the ‘metalanguage’ to talk
competently about multimodal texts?
• Do we have the teaching and learning
expertise to be able to assist students to write
quality multimodal texts?
 Scaffolding Writing through the
‘Gradual Release of Responsibility’ Model
Discussion: Using what you have learnt today how will
you implement or strengthen the teaching and learning
around ‘Text Types’ using the ‘Gradual Release of
Responsibility’ model?
Familiarising students with the text – How?
Modelling – How?
Sharing – How?
Guiding – How?
Independent – How?
 Writing as a learned Skill

Something to ponder -

Writing is a ‘learned’ skill and if

anything goes in writing everything
goes!
Anon
 References
• Anstey M and Bull G (2009) Using Multimodal Texts and
Digital Resources in a multiliterate classroom, e.lit,
Marrickville, Sydney
• www.writingfun.com (2010)

• Department of Education and Early Childhood Development

(DEECD), (2009) Key Characteristics of Effective Literacy.
Pub. Student Learning Division, Melbourne

• Standard P and Williamson K (2006), Science World 3rd

Edition – Student CD Macmillan, Melbourne.

• Annandale .et al (2004) First Steps Writing 2nd Edition, WA

Department of Education and training.