ENGLISH 4-6

The Nature of Texts (Text Structure)

• The Nature and Elements of Narrative Texts

• Using Story Grammar and Graphic Organizers in

Understanding Narrative Texts
 OBJECTIVES
1. Explain the nature of text structure.

2. Identify the elements of narratives as found in story grammar.

3. Use story grammar in applying organizational and critical reading

skills.

4. Use graphic organizers appropriate for narratives as aid for and

assessment of comprehension.
 Text Structure

Gunning (2002) defines text structure as the way a piece

of writing is organized, either narration or exposition (more
recently termed as information or informative).

One way to improve students’ comprehension is to

raise their awareness of text structure because this will
serve as guide in processing information and focusing
their attention when reading.
 For narrative text, teachers can use
Story Grammar. This strategy requires
explicit instruction on the major elements of
story: protagonist, problem, response,
consequence, resolution, and theme.

 For expository text, top-level structure

may be applied. This strategy guides readers
to process the text from the superordinate
(main idea), coordinate (support idea), and
subordinate (support details).
Narrative Text Structure

Narration is a composition in
writing or speech that tells a story
or gives an account of something,
dealing with sequences of events
and experiences, though not
necessarily in strict order.
 Narrative Text

in general, it is a story, actual or

fictional, expressed orally or in writing.

(Harris and Hodges, eds, 1995)

 Narrative Text
has become associated with subjectivity and
chronological storytelling (Behrendt, 2003) as
opposed to objectivity and linear, rational
thinking associated with exposition.
 Examples of Narrative Text
 fables
 legends
 myths
 epics
 folktales
 fairytales
 novels
 short stories
 and even narrative poems
 Examples of Narrative Text
 fables - a folktale using animals as characters (Aesop’s
fables)
 legends - are stories that explain how things came to be,
why things are as they are
 myths - traditional stories in prose concerning details of
gods and demigods and the creation of the world and its
inhabitants
 epics – heroic narratives that narrate the adventures of
tribal heroes which embody in themselves the ideals and
values of the group
 folktales - prose narratives regarded as animal tale or
 Examples of Narrative Text
 fairytales – stories that range from those originating in folk
lore to more modern stories written by a single identifiable or
nonidentifiable author
 novels – relatively long piece of written narrative fiction,
normally in prose, and typically published as a book
 short stories – narratives with a fully developed theme and
plot but significantly shorter and less elaborate than a novel;
can be read in one sitting
 narrative poems – forms of poetry that tell a story, often
making the voices of a narrator and characters as well
 Narrative Text

One thread unites these various kinds of

narration—

the important elements that make up the

structure of narration are similar no matter
what the stories are called or labeled.
 Elements of Narrative Text
 An orientation in which the narrator tells the
audience about who is in the story, when the
story is taking place and where the action is
happening.

A complication that sets off a chain of events

that influences what will happen in the story.
 Elements of Narrative Text

 A sequence of events where the characters react to

the complication.
 A resolution in which the characters finally sort out the
complication.
 A coda which is an ending part that provides a
comment or moral based on what has been learned
from the story (an optional step).
 Important Elements of a Narrative Text
 Good readers remember stories better when they are
organized like other stories.

 Stein and Glenn (1977) identify six categories of information

in a narrative text (setting, initiating event, response,
attempt, consequence, and reaction)

 simplified by Ogle to help readers remember only the major

details so that readers can summarize the narrative text.
 Important Elements of a Narrative Text
The following major elements as suggested by Ogle should be
highlighted in the reading instruction using this text type:
1. PROTAGONIST - the most important character in the story
2. PROBLEM - the major conflict of the story
3. RESPONSE - the major action taken to solve the conflict
4. CONSEQUENCE - the outcome of the action taken
5. RESOLUTION - the ending of the story
6. THEME - the idea that the writer wants to convey using the story
 17

Read the following definition of kinds of

Narrative text. Choose the letter of the
correct answer. You were only given 1
minute to do each task. KEEP YOUR
NOTEBOOKS INSIDE YOUR BAG AND
RETURN TO YOUR SEATS.

GOODLUCK!!!
 18

1. A form of poetry that tell a story, often

making the voices of a narrator and
characters as well.

A. fairy tale
B. myth
C. narrative poem
D. legend
 19

2. A heroic narratives that narrate the

adventures of tribal heroes which embody
in themselves the ideals and values of the
group.

A. narrative poem
B. fairytale
C. epic
D. legend
 20

3. A stories that range from those originating

in folk lore to more modern stories written
by a single identifiable or nonidentifiable
author.

A. short story
B. myth
C. legend
D. fairytale
 21

4. A narratives with a fully developed theme

and plot but significantly shorter and less
elaborate than a novel; can be read in one
sitting.

A. legend
B. short story
C. epic
D. fairytale
 22

5. A traditional stories in prose concerning

details of gods and demigods and the
creation of the world and its inhabitants.

A. narrative poem
B. fairytale
C. legend
D. myth
 23

6. Are stories that explain how things

came to be, why things are as they are.

A. legend
B. fairytale
C. narrative poem
D. short story
 24

7. Relatively long piece of written narrative

fiction, normally in prose, and typically
published as a book.

A. novel
B. myth
C. narrative poem
D. short story
 25

8. A folktale using animals as characters.

A. novel
B. myth
C. epic
D. fable
 26

9. A traditional stories in prose concerning

details of gods and demigods and the
creation of the world and its inhabitants.

A. novel
B. myth
C. epic
D. fable
 27

10.It is a composition in writing or speech that

tells a story or gives an account of
something, dealing with sequences of events
and experiences, though not necessarily in
strict order.

A. character
B. myth
C. narration
D. narrative poem
 UNDERSTANDING NARRATIVES

Protagonist
• Theme
Antagonist
• Characters
Time
• Setting
• Problem/Conflict Place
• Reaction(s)/ Attempt(s)
• Consequence(s) Ended
• Resolution/ Ending Open-Ended
 Language Features of Narrative Texts

1.Past tense verbs

2.Many pronouns (usually third person)
3.Connecting words indicating temporal
relationships (e.g. after that, finally, the next
morning, etc)
4.Direct quotations
Teachers can use the story frame below for
comprehension instruction:
The story is about (protagonist) who is (important
description) with a (problem) so (response) .

Because of this, (consequence), and so in the end

(resolution).

The story implies that (theme).

 
 
 
 
 
Teachers can also present jumbled sentences that contain the major story elements before
reading, then let the students rearrange them to guess what they think the story is. Consider the
example below.
What’s the story? Arrange the sentences by numbering them from 1-5.

 
 
 
 
 Story Grammar
 A story grammar is the system of rules used for describing the
consistent features found in narrative texts (Mandler, 1984).
 A structural approach to facilitate reading comprehension

 A strategy which classifies the components of a story and

specifies relationships among its parts
 A strategy for cognitive literacy for young learners

 Aims to improve learner’s reading comprehension by giving them

a framework they can use when reading stories
 What Research Tells About Story Grammar

 Explicit instruction of story grammar can improve reading

comprehension of narrative texts.

 Effective readers have expectations about what they will encounter

when they read stories, personal letters or factual texts.

 They use their schemata and clues from the text in varying amounts as
they comprehend.

 There is evidence to show that using story grammar, to recall details in a

story, provides the basis for enhanced retrieval of information from a
story. (Amer, 1992)
 What Research Tells About Story Grammar

 Explicit instruction in story grammar involves helping students to learn

to recognize the elements of narrative text and use these elements
to improve their comprehension of the story.
 Asking questions that focus on the elements of the story (the story line)
leads to improved student comprehension of the story (Beck, 1984).
 A strategy teachers may use involves dividing the story into
meaningful episodes and developing comprehension questions
they will ask in guided silent reading and discussion.
Such questions will cause students to focus on the relevant elements
of the story.
 Most narratives contain the following elements:

Setting Information about the character(s), the location of the story

and the time the events occur
Initiating Event The event (problem) that occurs, involving the main
character(s)
Internal Response The reaction / response of the main character to the initiating
event
Attempt The action the main character(s) do, as a result of the
initiating event (problem)
Consequence The impact of the character’s attempt (the resolution)
Ending Suitable ending or closure of the story
Theme The central message or idea the story wants to convey
 36

STORY GRAMMAR
Some of the major reading skills developed or applied when
teachers use story grammar are the following:

1. Note-taking
2. Characterizing significant person in the story
3. Noting significant details
4. Ignoring irrelevant ideas
5. Getting main idea
6. Summarizing
7. Getting implied meaning
Necessarily, the teachers need to include a discussion or
facilitate activities that will help learners utilize the following
skills in understanding and appreciating the story:

1. Predicting
2. Understanding figurative language
3. Identifying point of view
4. Confirming one’s prediction
5. Revising/changing own prediction
6. Stating the theme of the story
7. Etc., depending on the story read
 Graphic Organizer
 One of the most effective visual learning strategies for
learners, especially in comprehending various
narratives
 Applied across the curriculum to enhance learning and
understanding of subject matter content
 A visual display that demonstrates relationships
between facts, concepts, or ideas
 Guides the learner’s thinking as they fill in and build
upon a visual map or diagram
 Challenges in Reading Narrative Texts

1. determining the theme of the story

2. seeing the connection of the events
3. distinguishing the narrated order of events
 Challenges in Reading Narrative Texts
4. knowing who is telling the story and what
relationship that person has to the events in the story
(point of view)

• first person – a participant who can be major or minor character (uses the
pronoun “I”)

• third person – someone who sees into the minds of all characters, someone who
sees into the minds of some characters, or someone who sees (uses the
pronouns he,she, it, they)
“As teachers, teaching the literary side of
English is practically a separate job and a
gargantuan task. It entails a lot of stimulation –
you have to ask questions, help learners ask
their own, activate their prior knowledge and
experiences, assist them in finding meaning in
the texts and guide them in achieving
comprehension. But most importantly, you have
to make your learners develop their love for
reading waiting to unfold.”

~ Denn Marc P. Alayon

 43

You’ve been a wonderful audience!