Resource+2

=Resource 2: Interactive Website =

Resource Reference: Eather, J. (2010). Writing fun. Retrieved September 30, 2010, from [] Resource 3 is an interactive website designed to support primary school students in writing a variety of text types using text organisers. The site outlines ten different text types, in parallel to those specified in the NSW English K-6 Modules (Board of Studies, 1998). Everyday texts, including email, invitation, letter and news, are additional text types described on the site. Students can select an organiser that best suits their purpose for writing, or combine stylistic aspects of more than one text type to create a more complex text. For each genre of text, Eather provides a definition, a blank text organiser, six examples of the text used in context and style tips. This website can be used as a resource in the classroom to support students in achieving the outcome WS2.10; Produces texts clearly, effectively and accurately using the sentence structure, grammatical feature and punctuation conventions of the text type (Board of Studies NSW, 2007, p. 19). In classifying texts by recognisable characteristics, this resource adopts a genre approach to the context of writing, which has been used in the field of education since the 1980s when it was first applied to literacy (Ljungdahl & March, 2006, p. 336). This approach views texts as defined by their social purposes, and the characteristic features used to achieve this purpose. Thus explicit teaching of a text type involves examining the function, structure, organisation and grammatical patterns of the particular genre (Ljungdahl & March, 2006, p. 336), which are outlined in this resource. The examples of student work on the site can also be used as a basis for a discussion on how effectively they use the text features to fulfil a particular purpose, and finally, on a more critical analytical level, the teacher can introduce students to thinking about how all written text is governed by its purpose, target audience and socio-cultural context. The function of an advertisement, to persuade an audience, is in congruent with that of an exposition text. By using the ‘Writing Fun’ website to explore how language can be used to achieve this purpose, students gain experience that will scaffold the use of persuasive language in the rich multi-modal task. In addition, viewing a variety of examples of expository writing, such as those on the ‘Writing Fun’ website, will enable students to see how the text type connects with learning in other areas of the curriculum. There are links to content matter in HSIE (for example in the text ‘Australia needs more national parks’) and PDHPE (for example in the text ‘Stay safe in the sun’). In addition, the Tips box on the right-hand-side of each example lists the language features at work in an exposition, such as ‘simple present tense’ ‘emotive words’ and ‘words that link arguments.’ By scrolling the cursor over each point, examples in the text are highlighted. This helps students to build up a metalanguage for talking about a text, which is a necessary tool for students in order to reflect on their own and others’ speaking and writing (Droga & Humphrey, 2003, p. 12). Furthermore, the option for students to type their own text directly into the blank graphic organiser on the website allows them to refer to these ‘tips’ (on the right-hand side of the text organiser) during the writing process so that they become a frame of reference against which students can check the effectiveness of their developing text. In this way, the website design provides students with explicit criteria, models for reference and a text organiser to effectively scaffold their writing. References Board of Studies NSW. (1998). English K-6 Modules. Sydney: Board of Studies NSW. Board of Studies NSW. (2007). English K-6 Syllabus. Sydney: Board of Studies NSW. Ljungdahl, L. & March, P. (2006). Teaching writing in the classroom. In Winch, G., Johnston, R. R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L. & Holliday, M. (Eds), Literacy: reading, writing and children’s literature (pp. 335-362). South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press. Droga, L. & Humphrey, S. (2003). Grammar and meaning: an introduction for primary teachers. Berry, NSW: Target Texts