English and Media Department gcse writing Skills Objective: Writing to argue Resources

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  Focus pupils minds on information texts i.e. letters communicate information to people, articles might inform and entertain people, essays might express facts, opinions and ideas, travel writing informs readers about places, etc.
  

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  Give pupils the two information texts, taken from The Independent newspaper.
  
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  In pairs pupils should discuss the following questions:
  

1. 
   What do you learn from text A that you couldn’t really learn from text B?
   
2. 
   Which text is more entertaining to read?
   
3. 
   What are the advantages of presenting information in sentences and paragraphs, as in text A?
   
4. 
   What are the advantages of using lists as in text B?
   
5. 
   Why do you think the newspaper uses both types of text side-by-side?
   

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  Feedback responses.
  

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  Some texts need a chronological sequence – things being told in the order they take place e.g. recipes. Give them a list of other texts and ask them to grade them according to how they organise their material chronologically (1 least – 5 most).
  
  1. 
     An encyclopaedia article on eclipses
     
  2. 
     Chapter on WW1 in History textbook
     
  3. 
     Write-up of a school Science experiment
     
  4. 
     Personal diary entry
     
  5. 
     Newspaper column headed Yesterday in Parliament
     
  6. 
     Railway timetable booklet
     
  7. 
     Police report of a road accident
     
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  Look again at the newspaper article and get pairs/groups to come up with a time line of her life on a mini whiteboard.
  
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  As a class, identify the phrases which indicate a chronological order in the article (i.e. this week, In case, After a year of that, 33 years ago, In 1987, just).
  
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  Discussion: What are the advantages of using a chronological sequence in an information text? Are there any disadvantages? (e.g. in an biography, starting a different point in the person’s life may be more engaging).
  

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  Read the question carefully:
  

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  Brainstorm ideas to include. Teacher could record a ‘menu’ on generic ideas on a flipchart e.g. pictures.
  
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  Think about how it should be written – first, second of third person; active or passive voice; direct speech; adverbials; etc.
  

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  Pupils sequence their ideas in a way that will help make the article gripping.
  
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  Write down 5 discourse markers which show sequencing of writing which could be used in the article e.g. The first time…
  
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  N.B. Sequencing allows the writer to manipulate the order of a story. Placing part of a story out of chronological order to create an effect is a Higher Tier writing skill.
  

Your article should:

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  Write to inform
  
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  Inform about the interest
  
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  Inform about what makes it interesting
  

Using all the skills covered, pupils write their article informing people about a personal interest.

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  Pupils read their own work critically – Does it do what it’s meant to do? Is it interesting? Is the sequence effective? Have you used an appropriate tone and vocabulary? Etc. Make improvements as appropriate.
  

And/or

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  Share/swap work with a partner. Make constructive comments and make changes in the light of comments.
  

Goddess of the moment By David Lister
Kylie Minogue:	Kylie Ann Minogue was born 33 years ago in Melbourne, the firs child of Carol, a former ballet dancer, and Ron, and accountant. Kylie inherited her looks, blue eyes, wide smile and pop’s most photographed legs, from her Welsh mother. Both are exactly the same height, a millimetre or so above five feet. Between Kylie and her sister Dannii was a brother, Brendan, who also works in London, but for an Australian TV company. They grew up in the affluent eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Emulating her little sister was what drove the teenage Kylie to answer a press advert wanting young actors for a TV drama, The Henderson Kids. She had already had a couple of small parts on TV, but nothing to approach the fame of her younger sister Dannii, who was a national TV star in Australia. Even now one of Kylie’s websites – though perhaps these days with a hint of irony – is called ‘Dannii’s Sister.’ Dannii, too, was later to become a pop star in Britain, although over here her sister has ruled the roost. The TV director Chris Langman, who cast Kylie in The Henderson Kids, had recalled: ‘She was vulnerable and very shy, and it came across. At the time, Kylie was living in the shadow of her sister, Dannii. I think she found that hard, but it’s possible to be shy, yet driven, and that was Kylie …’ In 1987 Pete Waterman was approached by someone from Mushroom Records in Australia.	They had just signed Kylie Minogue and wanted Waterman to loan them an engineer to help them get Stock Aitken Waterman high-energy sound. Waterman sent Mike Duffy, who got Kylie to do a version of ‘The Locomotion.’ It went to number one, and Duffy advised Waterman to take the girl on full time. Waterman had never heard of Kylie Minogue. He had never watched Neighbours. He said he would take her on and then promptly forgot about it. A few weeks later he got a call from Mike Stock saying there was ‘a small Antipodean in reception expecting to do something with us now.’ Waterman retorted: ‘She should be so lucky’ – which Stock immediately thought sounded like a song. And he started writing the lyrics. Yes, it really does sound like one of ‘those’ pop stories. But the parties concerned maintain it is true. ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ became Kylie’s first British number one. The future Pop Idol judge began to realise he might have chanced on something special. Her debut album sold 14 million copies.

Writing to explain

Two descriptions of Internet (total Revision GCSE English)

Oetzi newspaper article (Literacy in Context)

Task sheet

• 
  On OHT, look at the two examples of texts explaining the Internet. Discuss the audience and purpose of each supporting ideas with evidence from the texts. (Text A is from a Government Information Society Initiative leaflet, informing the public who know nothing about the use of information technology and how they can find out more. Text B is from Internet Explorer 3 for Windows 95 for Dummies which is meant for people with some knowledge.)
  
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  Brainstorm other examples of explanation texts e.g. recipes, leaflets, reports, etc.
  
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  What features might you find in an explanation text? Produce a class list.
  

Features of an explanation text:

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  general opening statement
  
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  chronological order
  
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  might use bullet points rather than sentences and paragraphs
  
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  might use tables, diagrams, pictures
  
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  might use imperative verbs (commands) e.g. lift the tin
  
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  connectives used to relate to the order of things e.g. first, next, then
  
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  not much description, unless it helps the reader
  

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  Imagine you are explaining how to use a new type of MP3 or DVD player. How would you present the information differently for:
  
  • 
    someone who has used MP3s/DVDs for several years?
    
  • 
    someone who has never owned a video or personal stereo?
    
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  Feedback.
  
• 
  Option: Individuals or pairs write up these brief explanations.
  

The most common error in explanatory writing is to assume your reader knows and understands all that you do. Be careful!

Put class into pairs/small groups to study this article. Read the newspaper article together as a class (or choose another from a current newspaper).

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  Look at the photograph which accompanies the article. What part does it play in the article? (e.g. attracts reader, adds interest, provides extra information).
  

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  What’s the headline’s function in the article? How? (e.g. attract attention, gives key facts, emotive/dramatic language, etc.)
  

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  Its aim is to gain reader’s attention and then keep it. Must provide reader with important information – who, what, where, when.
  
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  How is this done in the article’s lead paragraph?
  

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  Article is divided into paragraphs (1 or more sentences linked together by one main idea or subject).
  
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  Look at article – come up with a topic heading for each paragraph.
  
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  Compare with someone else’s list. Are they different? If so, why?
  

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  Journalists structure their articles using knowledge that only half the readers will read the whole article. Look at the newspaper article, has the writer used the pyramid? If so, how?
  

Lead 70% of readers

Rest 50% of readers




Writing Task:
Imagine you are a journalist who has interviewed someone about his capture by a Bigfoot. Use the notes that you have taken during the interview to write a tabloid newspaper article.
N.B. You may need to recap the style of a tabloid.

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  Pupils should be given time in class or as homework to plan, draft and complete the article.
  

The Internet (or Net) is like a huge telephone system linking computers from all over the world. This means that you can make contact with anyone else, anywhere, who is also on the Net. With the right equipment, home computers can connect to the Internet on a normal phone line, often to a local number.

1. 
   Ostman – 64 year old retired lumberman from British Columbia
   
2. 
   Was on camping trip near Vancouver Island
   
3. 
   Found that something had disturbed his supplies and food on two nights in a row
   
4. 
   One night was shaken awake to find himself being carried away inside his sleeping bag
   
5. 
   The opening of the sleeping bag was held shut – Ostman dragged along the forest ground for maybe 25 miles, nearly suffocating – journey took 3 hours
   
6. 
   He was thrown to the ground in a heap, and emerged to find himself in the company of four sasquatches (Bigfeet)
   
7. 
   A family: father, mother and a pair of offspring – one male, one female
   
8. 
   Adult male over eight feet tall and powerfully built, covered in dark hair all over
   
9. 
   The children, though smaller, were still about seven feet tall
   
10. 
    The sasquatches chattered amongst themselves in a seemingly intelligent language
    
11. 
    Did not hurt or threaten him, but were determined not to let him leave
    
12. 
    Their lair inside a small valley enclose by cliffs – adult male stood guard at the only apparent exit
    
13. 
    Ostman may have been selected as a prospective mate for the young female
    
14. 
    Held captive for six days – formed bond with the younger male, who became fond of sampling Ostman’s snuff
    
15. 
    Ostman’s escape: he offered his snuff to the adult male, which dumped the entire container in his mouth – then writhed on the ground in great discomfort. Ostman ran off.
    

Writing to describe

4 examples of descriptive texts (AQA Student Book)

Sample exam answer (AQA Student Book)

Task sheet

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  Pupils look at the 4 texts which use descriptive writing.
  
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  Pupils work out the text type of each (e.g. fiction, non-fiction, essay, etc.)
  
• 
  Which are the most and least descriptive?
  
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  Which are the most and least personal?
  
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  Divide class into four assigning each quarter a different text. In pairs, pupils rewrite the text using no description. Report back. Which words did they delete? Why?
  

• 
  Pupils brainstorm in pairs/groups, then feedback to teacher as a whole class. This agreed list should be displayed and/or given to individual pupils.
  
• 
  Teachers may want to give other examples of descriptive writing to pupils to help them.
  

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  Use as many senses as possible.
  
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  Use specific details to help the reader visualise the scene – names of products, exact colours, similes, etc.
  
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  Use a wide range of adjectives and adverbs.
  
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  Well chosen verbs and adverbs.
  
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  Appeal to the reader’s emotions to convey a point.
  
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  It may be objective (describing a dog as large, brown, furry) or subjective (as beautiful, friendly, adorable).
  
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  As a writer you may be involved or detached.