Ideas Communicated in Writing: Scaffolding Learning From Level 6
Indicators of Progress
Each of these types of written texts shows the following features in their communication of ideas in writing.
- Texts identify clearly both: (1) the key question they target and their intended purpose; and (2) the main ideas they are using.
- Texts use content such as supporting details and examples that are relevant to the topic or theme, the readership or audience and the intended purpose of the text.
- Texts use a range of resources, when appropriate, to support the development of the topic.
- Texts develop for factual and persuasive texts a thorough, balanced, in-depth explanation or exploration of the topic and the focus question, analyse this and develop aspects of the explanation or arguments in an objective and reasonable way.
- Texts develop the topic or theme in a systematic way; they: (1) provide an effective introduction that engages the audience in the topic and that indicates the direction or orientation of the text; (2) provide a body that develops the topic or plot in a systematic way with the main ideas sequenced effectively and supporting details or sub-plots clearly located; and (3) provide a conclusion that reviews and draws together the topic and reaches a resolution if appropriate.
- Texts express ideas in sentences that enhance their clarity and meaning by: (1) using a range of structures; (2) varying their beginnings (words phrases or clauses, prepositions, adverbs, participles) and lengths. Ideas are linked within and across sentences by coordinating and subordinating conjunctions, repetition and key phrases.
Teaching Strategies
The learning and teaching approach for writing is illustrated for students responding within the context of The Great Barrier Reef.
Composing phase
Identifying and writing for a specific audience
Students can recognise and take account of audience needs through the content they include and the choices of language they make, for example they can decide:
- How would I write a letter to a newspaper about the need to protect the Reef from human activity?
- Would the exposition describe the danger to the Reef to my peers if I included pictures and graphs?
- Would the report be more interesting if I wrote it as a story about some colonies of coral gradually being killed by the people who loved it and had the coral 'talk for themselves' about how they were being endangered?
Identifying the complexities of writing good exposition
The students identify what they have learnt about writing an exposition, for example:
When I write an exposition I need to:
- introduce the topic of the argument or the problem to be examined and the writer’s position on it
- be accurate in how I write, give correct facts and details and provide enough detail to lead readers to understand and accept my position
- use factual, scientific language when it is appropriate
- use vocabulary, terms and language that are relevant to the particular topic
- develop each argument in turn, present the alternative point of view and restate my point of view
- finish the report with a ‘wrap up’ that may include my comments and what I think about the topic.
I also need to decide:
- how I help readers to picture what happens in their mind
- how I will use long and short sentences.
- how much I will tell the readers at any time.
The learning and teaching approach for writing is illustrated for students responding within the context of The Great Barrier Reef.
Learning consolidation phase
Reviewing the learning
Students review and discuss the writing strategies they used to write an exposition and the values and purpose of each, for example, for planning, while writing, editing and revising and how they take account of the readers when they write.
They can collate the actions they used to produce an exposition on a list of Things I do when I am writing an exposition, for example:
When I am writing an exposition I can:
- put together each key idea and an alternative point of view on it
- decide the question that each key idea answers
- say ideas in scientific, factual or technical ways
- check each argument to make sure my point of view is clear
- check I have made clear links between the causes and effects.
Teachers have students use the list as a self-instructional strategy.