STRATEGIES FOR READING

FACTUAL TEXTS
 Strategies for reading factual texts
August 1997

© 1997 New South Wales Department of School Education

Curriculum Directorate

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to the principals, staff and students of:

Chifley Public School

Daceyville Public School
South Coogee Public School
Vaucluse Public School

ISBN: 073130859X

SCIS: 913828

2
CONTENTS

How to use this book 5

Background 6

Context 7

Organisation 8

Building field knowledge

Brainstorming 12
Categorising 14
Predicting 16
Developing a visual text outline 20
Introducing key words 21

Interacting with texts

Reading for a purpose 24
Directed silent reading 27
Using key words 28
Comparing written text and visual text 29

Responding to texts
Cloze 32
Note-making 34
Ordering information 39
Retelling 40
Recognising the writer’s viewpoint 42

3
4
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

This book outlines the work of a number of teachers involved in teaching students
about how to read factual texts. It offers practical strategies developed by teachers and
designed to support students as they learn to read these texts.

The book is organised into the following sections:

Background

• explains the links between this book and the Department of School Education’s
State Literacy Strategy, in particular Teaching Reading: A K-6 Framework

Context

• explains the way in which the strategies have been grouped

Organisation

• demonstrates ways in which the strategies were actually used in classrooms, the
processes followed, the teachers’ reflections and student work samples.

Using this book

The strategies detailed in this book can be incorporated into a classroom literacy
session particularly in modelled reading, guided reading and reading activities. They
can also be introduced when students are learning how to read and write in all key
learning areas.

The book can be used for teachers’ personal reading and reflection and as a basis for
grade or collegial group discussions and staff development.

5
 BACKGROUND
The Department of School Education’s State Literacy Strategy highlights the need
to provide students with explicit instruction and opportunities to develop the
skills, knowledge and strategies that will enable them to read and write
successfully for a variety of purposes. The Literacy Strategy stresses the need for
classroom reading programs to reflect a balance of activities that encourage
students in both learning to read and reading to learn at all stages of schooling.

It is with these principles in mind that this book has been assembled. The book is
a result of the recent work of a group of classroom teachers K-6 who were
concerned with the need to teach their students how to read and write factual
texts across all learning areas. This book maps the attempts of these teachers to
model and guide students’ reading experiences through an exploration of the
structures and features of a range of factual text types that required students to
use, analyse and respond to text.

The strategies in this book are intended to assist with developing students’
reading skills, including their understanding of the concepts of the text. The texts
that were used to generate the work samples were matched to students’
instructional levels.

Teaching Reading: A K-6 Framework details in its pathway of reading development

(pp 14-15) the observable markers that teachers should expect to see in their
students as they grow in reading competence. This pathway indicates that
students should be exhibiting evidence about their understanding of the
differences, purposes, patterns and organisational features of factual texts right
from the early years of school. It also strongly suggests the need for teachers to
actively and explicitly model and guide their students towards a range of
understandings about factual texts from an early age. These understandings
include the knowledge that:

There are different kinds of

factual texts

There are different patterns and

organisational structures in different
Factual texts are different from
types of factual texts
literary texts

Factual texts Factual texts are constructed by

people about real phenomena
Factual texts are written for specific
purposes e.g. to inform, instruct,
explain Factual texts should be evaluated in
relation to the effects of audience,
context and purpose

Factual texts convey meanings

6
CONTEXT
When using the strategies, teachers need to be aware of two important
considerations.

Firstly, the strategies are intended to support the stages of a generic

teaching and learning cycle in which the teacher:

• models strategies appropriate to text and purpose

• highlights issues related to particular texts
• jointly works with students to assist their mastery of the strategies
• assists students to use the strategies independently.

Secondly, although the strategies in the book are presented without the
documented support of other teaching and learning activities, each strategy was
taught as an integral part of a unit of work. As well, it is intended that each
strategy can be further used and adapted to meet the needs of students at
different stages of reading development.

An insight into the context in which some of the strategies were used can be
found at the beginning of each strategy outline under the heading: How I used this
strategy with my class. Here the teacher describes the context of the strategy and
also the student group involved. The teacher reflects on the use of the strategy
under the heading: My thoughts on the strategy.

7
 ORGANISATION
The strategies contained within the book have been grouped around the three major
concepts of building field knowledge, interacting with texts and responding to texts.

Building field knowledge

brainstorming, categorising, predicting, developing a visual text outline
and introducing key words

Interacting with texts

reading for a purpose, directed silent reading, using key
words and comparing written text and visual text.

Responding to texts
cloze, note-making, ordering information, retelling
and recognising the writer’s viewpoint.

Building field knowledge

This group of strategies includes:

• brainstorming
• categorising
• predicting
• developing a visual text outline
• introducing key words.

Although these strategies can be used at any stage throughout the learning cycle or at
any time during a unit of work, they are particularly valuable in providing support for
students early in a learning sequence as they encourage students to:

• recall and draw upon their existing knowledge about information contained within
a text or a text type being studied
• use their background knowledge to predict the meaning of the text
• examine other aspects of the text that will assist understanding i.e. key words, visual
representations, titles.

8
Interacting with texts

This group of strategies includes:

• reading for a purpose

• directed silent reading
• using key words
• comparing written text and visual text.

These strategies are used to engage students in negotiating the meaning of the text.
They require students to:

• read with specific intention

• identify the purposes contained within texts.

Responding to texts

This group of strategies includes:

• cloze
• note-making
• ordering information
• retelling
• recognising the writer’s viewpoint.

These strategies direct students towards making meaningful responses to the factual
texts read. When involved in these activities students are required to:

• synthesise understandings gained

• consider texts from different perspectives
• retell the meanings of texts from their own perspectives
• demonstrate overall understandings of the sequence and meaning of texts.

For the purposes of this book, the word strategy is used to describe the process through
which teachers and students work to make the factual texts they are reading more
accessible and hence more meaningful.

9
 Following is an example of how the strategies with work samples are set out.

Name of strategy Comparing written text and visual text

In factual texts information can be conveyed in the written text and in the visual text.
Looking closely at the visual text and comparing it to what is written on the page
Information about
the strategy allows students full access to all information included by the author. It also allows
students to make judgements about the suitability of the visual text used and
connections between the visual and written texts.

Comparing written and visual text Stage 3

Stage the strategy
was used with
How I used this strategy with my class
I used this strategy with my class to reinforce with students the concept that the visual
information provided in texts is linked to written text and carries meaning vital to
understanding.

With a copy of a visual from a text, students worked in pairs to:

• discuss the content of the visual
• list understandings about the information contained in the visuals.
Class teacher’s The class then:
comments • combined understandings gained on a jointly constructed class chart or overhead
transparency
• listened as the text was read aloud
• cross-referenced information gained from visual and written text forms.

My thoughts on the strategy

This strategy worked well and encouraged students to apply these comparisons in their
own written texts to enhance their work.

Work sample

The teacher’s reflection will provide an opportunity for teachers using the strategies to
consider the insights offered and the ways in which they might use or adapt each one
to meet the needs of their students.

Similarly, students’ work samples have been included to give an indication

of the way in which some students have worked through or responded to
the suggested worksheets provided throughout the book.

10
BUILDING
FIELD
KNOWLEDGE

11
 Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a means of activating and recording information about current

knowledge, range of vocabulary and perceptions of a given topic. This information can
include vocabulary, questions, known facts, predictions, links and ideas.

Brainstorming can be done individually or in groups by listing all that is known about
a particular topic or idea. You can act as the scribe to assist in listing all contributions
quickly and accurately. It is important to list all contributions offered without making
comments, judgements or expressing opinions about any contribution. You can return
to the lists at a later time to make judgements on the suitability of the information
gained.

Brainstorming can be recorded on chalkboards, overhead transparencies, whiteboards

or butcher’s paper, or individually, using post-it notes or cards (refer to categorising).

Brainstorming in small groups allows for all students to participate.

12
Floorstorming

One way of brainstorming is the technique known as floorstorming. In this technique

the teacher needs to prepare a collage of pictures related to a topic to be studied e.g. the
Great Barrier Reef: pictures of islands, sea life, leisure activities, flora, fauna.

Place blank A3 paper and stimulus pictures on the floor. Have groups of children look
at the pictures and, on the blank paper, record words or phrases that describe
something in the pictures. Note that each group does not have to have the same
pictures. A variety of pictures on the same topic can often elicit broader responses.

After groups have listed everything that they want, ask them to examine the words
and challenge words and ideas, cross out similar words and ideas, and classify the
words into broad terms.

Asking one child to scribe the group’s response allows for the free flow of ideas.

13
 Categorising

Categorising, also referred to as classifying, is a means of organising items of

information by grouping or linking them according to attribute, category, theme or
other common feature.

Information could be derived from brainstorming sessions, individual or group

reading or research, surveys, lists provided by the teacher or viewing activities.

One method is to use the post-it notes or cards from a brainstorming session. After
categorising, the students can be encouraged to give grouped items of information a
heading or descriptor.

Students are encouraged to give headings to their grouped information.

One way of organising the information collected is to prepare a concept map.

A concept map allows students to record and organise their existing knowledge about a topic.

14
Concept map Stage 2

How I used this strategy with my class

Prior to this session, the students and I jointly constructed a concept map. This led to
the students organising and recording their own concept maps to show their existing
knowledge about a topic before engaging in further reading and research.

In pairs or small groups the students:

• brainstormed their knowledge about types of natural disasters

• chose one of the disasters and recorded their knowledge about it in the form of a
concept map
• were allowed to add to their concept map throughout the unit.

While students were working, I continually directed and extended the students’
thinking through questioning.

My thoughts on the strategy

I found that constructing concept maps allowed the students to activate their
background knowledge and link it to the new information that they were finding
through their research. It also gave them a purpose for reading and promoted an
enthusiasm for more focussed reading.

15
 Predicting

Predicting involves readers or viewers considering what they expect a text to contain
or what might happen next in a text. The stimulus for predicting could be a title, a
picture or reading or viewing part of the text.

Prediction activities involve students in activating prior knowledge, motivating interest

and enthusiasm and recognising a purpose for reading.

Before they read or view a text, tell students the title and ask them to predict what the
text might be about. Then show students the cover and, through discussion, encourage
them to confirm or revise their predictions. If using a book, ask students to predict the
subject matter before referring them to the contents and index pages to confirm or
revise their predictions.

Teaching explicitly about prediction encourages students to understand that they

already have valuable information in their heads about the ideas to be found in texts
and that bringing these understandings to the surface will assist their search for
meaning.

Predicting is a valuable strategy for providing opportunities for students to evaluate

whether the text fulfilled their expectations.

Predicting Stage 3

How I used this strategy with my class

I used this strategy with a Stage 3 class. The activity I chose involved the students
making predictions about what was going to be presented as newsworthy on “Behind
the News”, a media text.

The students, in pairs:

• discussed and listed during the week what they thought would be in the program,
using field knowledge that they had gained in previous lessons and from
experiences outside school
• decided what news items were the most “newsworthy” and therefore likely to be
in the program
• chose one news item and discussed how it might be presented e.g. inclusion of live
footage, use of maps, interviewing the people involved, etc.
• watched the program, listening for and checking off any similarities.

My thoughts on the strategy

The activity was enjoyable for students and encouraged awareness of news issues and
involvement in the “Behind the news” program. It resulted in active discussion about
the way in which some of the news items were handled. I felt it made them more
critical about the presentation of the program and showed them the myriad decisions
that need to be made during the production of a current affairs program.

Predicting before viewing helped the students to listen for and identify headlines and
key points. It also led into other lessons involving questioning and questionnaire-type
responses.

16
17
 Predicting Stage 2

How I used this strategy with my class

I used a work sheet with my class before reading them a book on natural disasters. In
an effort to activate their existing field knowledge, I asked students to predict what
the book might be about.

In groups the students:

• discussed their expectations

• recorded their expectation of the topics covered in the book, using the title and
front cover as a reference
• compared their expectations with information in the text by skimming the text.

My thoughts on the strategy

I found that asking students to predict was effective as it allowed the students to share
information and build on their existing field knowledge before referring to the book.
Reading the book to confirm their predictions gave them a specific purpose for
reading.

They were highly motivated when they found that information in the text matched
their predictions.

18
Predicting Stage 3

How I used this strategy with my class

I used this work sheet with my class when they were studying different written and
visual texts. The work sheet is a pre-reading activity to establish the field knowledge
and to allow for future text comparison.

In pairs the students:

• were orientated to the idea of seeking information from a text about “Dangers to
wildlife”
• discussed the issue
• recorded their predictions
• read the text.

My thoughts on the strategy

When the students used the work sheet they tended to generalise. This then led them
to research the text for more specific details, to support or add to their generalisations.

It also allowed me to see what existing field knowledge individual students had. This
enabled me to structure future activities to cater for individual needs.

19
 Developing a visual text outline

A visual text outline is a representation of the visual aspects of a written text. These
visual aspects include diagrams, flow charts, illustrations, graphs, timelines, etc.

By focusing on the elements of the visual text, a visual text outline makes students
aware that information is contained not just in written text.

To complete a visual text outline, the reader starts at the beginning and works through
the book, making a list of the types of visual texts included and what they are about.
For example, a book about Anzac Day might have a visual text outline of the first few
pages that looks like this:

Page 5 Map Europe during World War 1

Page 6 Poster Conscription
Photograph Soldiers leaving Sydney
Page 7 Map The Middle East.

A completed visual text outline can be used as a summary of the text and as an easy
reference guide to locate information.

Teachers can ask questions about information contained in the visual text.

20
Introducing key words

To prepare students for reading or viewing it is necessary to familiarise them with any
words from the text that might hinder their understanding. These words may include
terms specific to the topic or grammatical features which are important in making links
between ideas e.g. “Later on ...” in recounting, “On the other hand...” in discussing, or
“Nevertheless...” in arguing.

When key words are introduced it is essential to ensure that they are presented in
meaningful contexts i.e. the meaning intended in the text. Students need to understand
not just the dictionary meaning of a word, but the concept it conveys within the text.

There are several ways of introducing key words. These include:

• Prior selection by the teacher of vocabulary which is treated separately through

examples and discussion to develop understanding of meaning.
• Identification of unfamiliar words by students by, for example, brainstorming,
skimming and scanning, discussion, viewing, etc. These words are then discussed or
placed within contexts which clarify their meaning.
• Cloze activities which provide opportunities to place key words in context.
• Vocabulary prediction, where students identify new or unfamiliar words in the text
and attempt to clarify their meaning from the surrounding text.
• Definition matching activities, where students match key words with given
definitions. This is most effective where words and definitions are written
separately on cards and can be physically manipulated by students.

Incorporating key words in class or individual spelling lists assists students to read and
use the words independently.

Working in small groups provides opportunities for discussion.

21
 Introducing key words Stage 3

How I used this strategy with my class

I introduced the work sheet to my class to encourage them to focus on words from a
text that they found new or difficult.

The students were asked to use the sheet to:

• scan the text to locate words whose meanings they were unsure of
• read the sentence containing the word, and sentences on either side of it if needed,
to see if the context gave clues to the word’s meanings
• attempt to write their own meaning
• locate the meanings in a dictionary.

My thoughts on the strategy

Many students found it difficult to make attempts at meanings from the word’s
context in a sentence. I have since spent time explicitly modelling this with small
groups of students.

22
INTERACTING
WITH
TEXT

23
 Reading for a purpose

Students need to have an understanding of the purpose for reading

and viewing particular texts before they commence. Teachers can assist
students to clarify the purpose of reading by asking the questions:

Why are you reading this text?

Are you reading for enjoyment, to retell, to answer questions, to gain information?

Once a purpose for reading is established, students can be directed about

which method of reading will best achieve that purpose. These
methods for reading include:

skimming: reading to gain an overall understanding of the content of the text

scanning: reading to locate specific information
re-reading: reading to confirm meanings and understandings, and to clarify details.

Having a purpose for reading will assist students to choose the most appropriate method of reading.

24
Reading for a purpose Stage 2

How I used this strategy with my class

Before I introduced this activity the students had brainstormed and therefore
identified what they already knew about the topic. I used this activity to promote
enthusiasm for active reading.

Individually or in small groups the students:

• were assisted to formulate questions about their topic by using such words as why,
how, who, where and what
• discussed and listed questions that needed answers
• read parts of the book to locate answers to their questions.

My thoughts on the strategy

I found that the questions raised during the strategy became the guide for further
research by students. The questions were displayed prominently on a classroom chart
for the students to refer and add to. It was interesting that some students offered
information that they knew to help answer other students’ questions and suggested
resources that they had come across.

25
 Reading for a purpose Stage 3

How I used this strategy with my class

I designed this work sheet as an activity during reading. It followed an activity where
students predicted the content of the text.

In pairs the students:

• read the text to themselves

• referred to the work sheet
• discussed the text
• recorded the supporting points.

My thoughts on the strategy

During the activity the students could only generalise about the role of the
illustrations. A follow-up lesson could be to take the visual text in isolation and elicit
as much information from it as possible, and then refer this back to the written text.
(See Developing a visual text outline, p. 16).

26
Directed silent reading

Directed silent reading allows students to practise identifying and locating

important information in a text through questioning directed by the teacher.

Using a big book, or another form of shared text e.g. an overhead

transparency, a set of small books, or a video, you can direct attention to a
particular section of the text and ask a prepared question which focuses
on key information. The students read or view the section silently to locate the
answer.

Answers are clarified and shared through discussion with the teacher and
group members. This allows the teacher to observe and monitor students’
understandings before treating the next section of the text.

As this strategy requires a high level of concentration by students, it is

suggested that each session be limited to 10–12 minutes in duration.

If using a book, teachers can mask the surrounding text to

ensure that students focus on one section at a time.

27
 Using key words

Students can use key words to assist them to gain access to the meaning of a text. This
could involve scanning the text to locate the section where the key word is used or
re-reading these sections in order to clarify the meanings.

This strategy would be successful only where students had previously been introduced
to the key words (refer to Introducing key words, p. 17).

When they are reading, some students find it supportive to have available the key words
and definitions treated earlier so that they can easily refer to them if they need to.

28
Comparing written text and visual text

In factual texts information can be conveyed in the written text and in the visual text.
Looking closely at the visual text and comparing it to what is written on the page
allows students full access to all information included by the author. It also allows
students to make judgements about the suitability of the visual text used and
connections between the visual and written texts.

Comparing written and visual text Stage 3

How I used this strategy with my class

I used this strategy with my class to reinforce with students the concept that the visual
information provided in texts is linked to written text and carries meaning vital to
understanding.

With a copy of a visual from a text, students worked in pairs to:

• discuss the content of the visual
• list understandings about the information contained in the visuals.

The class then:

• combined understandings gained on a jointly constructed class chart or overhead
transparency
• listened as the text was read aloud
• cross-referenced information gained from visual and written text forms.

My thoughts on the strategy

This strategy worked well and encouraged students to apply these comparisons in
their own written texts to enhance their work.

29
30
RESPONDING
TO
TEXT

31
 Cloze

Cloze is an activity in which parts of the text are covered or deleted.

Students are required to complete the missing parts of the text, using clues which the
existing text provides. Cloze requires students to predict appropriate words which
maintain the text’s meanings. This may not necessarily be the exact words of the
original text.

When constructing a cloze it is useful to leave the first and last sentence
intact. This provides a context for students. Deletions might include technical terms,
grammatical items such as reference links, verbs (for tense and subject–verb
agreement) and structural features of texts, such as a step in a procedure. The deleted
words may be provided separately to assist those students requiring support.

Skills can be developed in students to assist them in completing cloze

activities successfully. These skills include:
• skimming to get an overall idea of the text
• scanning for clues to indicate meaning
• re-reading and reading on to check predictions, and
• a final re-reading to ensure meaning is consistent across the whole text.

Cloze Stage 1

How I used this strategy with my class

I designed this cloze activity to encourage readers to use a range of effective strategies
to construct meaning while reading. In our study of the solar system, students were
learning about the moon, so I chose an extract about moon facts from a longer piece of
text. The extract had already been read and discussed and the deletions were chosen
to encourage children to use semantic and grammatical clues to make the
replacements.

Students were:

• asked to complete the deletions and encouraged to read on, predict, re-read, and
use contextual clues to make meaningful substitutions
• encouraged to discuss and share their attempts and then re-read the whole text for
overall meaning.

My thoughts on the strategy

A careful choice of deletions was necessary to ensure that there were clues in the
remaining text that allowed the students to make meaningful substitutions.

I felt that the activity was successful because the piece of text chosen had been studied
and knowledge of the field had been adequately built up.

I had to continually encourage the students to re-read and then make a substitution
that made sense, ensuring that a better, more appropriate word was not available.

32
33
 Note-making

Note-making involves extracting and recording the main ideas of a written or media
text in an organised and systematic way. Its purpose could be to assist understanding,
to identify key concepts, to plan speaking or writing, to assist recall of information or
to express ideas clearly and succinctly.

Teachers can develop students’ note-making skills by:

• providing opportunities for students to practise skimming, scanning and identifying
key words
• posing key questions prior to reading and viewing
• providing a scaffold or work sheet for the notes
• modelling the process of extracting information and recording ideas in clear and
succinct language.

Note-making Stage 1

How I used this strategy with my class

I designed this activity sheet for a Year 2 class. Its purpose was to assist students to
examine a text in order to locate specific information.

The text was examined briefly, as students had to skim the text to get a general
understanding of the content. General discussion took place about the ideas contained
in the text, with clarification of the main focus of each section of the text.

To develop scanning skills, specific questions were posed for the students to answer.
Students located words and phrases that gave a short answer to the question and
recorded them. The next day the sheets were returned to the students and they were
asked to write a sentence which answered the question, using the words and phrases
from their short answer.

The students:

• examined the text briefly by skimming the content

• discussed ideas in the text and clarified the main focus of each section
• scanned the text to locate and record short answers to questions posed
• wrote a sentence which answered the question.

My thoughts on the strategy

The activity sheet for guiding note-making was effective in helping my students:

• confirm or refute ideas gained from skimming

• locate the short answer to questions posed
• locate, identify and record the answers to questions requiring longer, more detailed
answers.

34
35
 Note-making Stage 3

How I used this strategy with my class

Over a period of three to four weeks I had deconstructed a number of information

reports with my students. We looked at the general structure and the main language
features.

Jointly we constructed a framework for them to write their own information report on
an animal of their choosing.

The students:

• located texts that contained information on their animal

• used the framework to record main words and phrases
• wrote a first draft from their notes
• jointly edited their draft and published their report.

My thoughts on the strategy

An understanding of the structure of information reports was invaluable in showing

the students how they could locate and record information in a logical, organised way.
It focussed their reading and gave them the structure for taking notes.

I can see that I can extend this to taking notes for other text types e.g. historical
recounts.

Unedited notes taken using structural headings as a guide

36
First draft, written from notes

37
 Note-making Stage 2

How I used this strategy with my class

I chose this note-making framework to help my students identify and extract relevant
information from the text.

As they were reading, I helped students to summarise and record ideas through the
use of guiding questions that focussed their research.

Individually or in pairs students:

• skimmed the text looking for the main words identified to help answer the guiding
questions
• recorded ideas both visually and in note form as they read.

My thoughts on the strategy

The framework was helpful as students used the guiding questions to focus on the
parts of the text that contained specific information related to their question. This
encouraged them to skim the text to locate words related to the question.

38
Ordering information

Ordering information involves:

• anticipating the structure of the text by using knowledge of the text type e.g. if it is a
recount, information is likely to be ordered chronologically, with key words being
time words and phrases and dates
• identifying key points e.g. events, facts, opinions or steps, pertinent to the reader’s
needs
• sequencing these points in order to enhance understanding of text content.

Ordering information Stage 2

How I used this strategy with my class

Students were shown a video on Dame Nellie Melba after having had various texts
about her read to them.

The purpose of the strategy was for students to pick out key events of her life from the
text and list them in point form on a timeline. The students then placed these on a grid
in chronological order with the facts written in sentences.

My thoughts on the strategy

Some students needed support to locate the relevant information and to develop the
concept of chronological order. Previous experience in note taking helped the students
formulate the information into short points.

The value of the activity became apparent when students wrote their own
biographical recount on a famous Australian. Many used both the timeline and the
grid to support their writing.

39
 Retelling

Retelling involves either viewing or reading and then recalling the significant parts of
the text in a logical way.

Retelling can be:

• written e.g. a book review
• spoken e.g. an oral report on a video
• visual e.g. drawing a series of visuals to show the sequence of an explanation
• performance e.g. miming the life-cycle of a butterfly.

It is important that students revisit the original text to confirm or modify their
retellings.

Retelling Stage 2

How I used this strategy with my class

I used this strategy with my class, who were in the middle of a unit of work on natural
disasters and showed an interest in a report about volcanic activity in Iceland.

The work sheet was designed to allow them to gain information from a newspaper
article on the topic.

The students in pairs:

• anticipated the content of the article

• discussed the structure of the text
• scanned for key words and underlined these
• read the text
• visually recorded information from the text.

My thoughts on the strategy

Though the students had existing field knowledge about the topic, they found it
difficult to translate their knowledge into other forms. A teaching point could be to
take the visual text only and elicit as much information as possible about it, and then
refer this back to the written text.

40
41
 Recognising the writer’s viewpoint

Recognising the writer’s viewpoint is a way of assisting students to determine how the
writer’s attitudes and values are reflected in the text and how these attitudes and
values might influence them as readers or viewers.

Recognising the writer’s viewpoint involves identifying opinion, bias and point of
view in a text.

In written texts these can be revealed through examining:

• the choice of words used

• the visuals that accompany the words
• the information included
• the information not included, and
• the tone used by the writer.

In media texts these can be revealed through examining the use of lighting, camera
angles, music, editing choices, dialogue and methods of acting and directing.

Recognising the writer’s viewpoint Stage 1

How I used this strategy with my class

I used a series of questions to prompt discussion in the classroom about an

advertisement aimed at children e.g. fast food, games or toys. The questions were
framed to get students to try to identify the purpose of the text and how its particular
features assist in achieving this purpose.

After reading and discussing the advertisement, particularly looking at visual

features, such as use of animation and colour, the following questions were discussed:

1. Who do you think the advertisement is written for?

2. Why do you think so?
3. What does the advertisement tell you about the product?

My thoughts on the strategy

My intention was for the students to begin looking at how the advertiser uses things
which would appeal to children to persuade them to buy or use a product. Most
students were easily able to identify the features which would appeal to them.
However, establishing what the advertisement actually told about a product needed
careful questioning to elicit answers.

With an older Stage 1 class I transcribed their responses and students were able to
discuss why they thought the advertisement told only particular things about a
product and perhaps omitted other information.

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Recognising the writer’s viewpoint Stage 3

How I used this strategy with my class

I used this work sheet with my class to allow students to begin identifying who would
write this factual text and the purpose for writing it. It allowed students to explore
issues of audience.

The work sheet also asks students to take the text and improvise, with attention to
audience and point of view.

In pairs, students:

• discussed the work sheet points

• wrote to the points (i) and (ii).

In pairs, or as individuals, students:

• wrote the improvised paragraph

• shared the works aloud.

My thoughts on the strategy

I found that some students needed assistance with the expository writing. I did a joint
construction with this group.

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 Recognising the writer’s viewpoint Stage 3

How I used this strategy with my class

Prior to the lesson we discussed what constitutes fact or opinion. Students were given
sentences to sort into fact or opinion categories. They were then asked to make up a
sentence stating a fact and then, using the same sentence content, rewrite it as an
opinion.

I decided to show the class a video on government in early Australia. The lesson
began by brainstorming what the program might be about. We then watched the
program in its entirety. After a brief discussion of the main points students watched
the program again and took notes of “important” information. Students then worked
in groups to amalgamate their notes.

Students worked in pairs with the work sheet to:

• jot down the main points

• decide on whether each point was a fact or an opinion
• record any other topic information that they had, either from their own experiences
or previous lessons.

Pairs joined into groups of four and discussed:

• why they decided if the point was a fact or an opinion

• what clues in the program supported these decisions
• why they thought some information was included and other information was left
out.

My thoughts on the strategy

This strategy raised an awareness that we cannot take everything on face value. When
the students wrote their own fact or opinion sentences, an issue arose in relation to
what the difference is between opinion and fiction. Most students thought that if it
wasn’t a fact then it must be made up. It required a lot of discussion to arrive at
definitions of fact, opinion and fiction.

From the information that students wrote as not being included in the program it
became obvious that the field building activities completed earlier in the unit were
worthwhile. However, whilst students could identify that the program was one
person’s point of view, many found it difficult to identify specifically why certain
information was omitted.

It was interesting to note that in ensuing discussions on current affairs topics, students
spontaneously questioned other students on whether what they were saying was fact
or opinion.

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