Teach students that different genres of writing serve different purposes and let them practice genre selection¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The guide defines a genre as "a form of writing with specific features that provides context and structure for a particular purpose and audience." Teachers explain how genre features serve the text's purpose (a short story's descriptions serve telling an interesting story; instructions' ordered steps serve informing), relate genres to real-world scenarios, and ask students to practice selecting a genre and composing text for a specific purpose. An example table links scenarios like convincing a school to offer art classes to purposes and effective genres.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Explicit explanation of how genre features serve purpose
• Practice activities in which students select a genre for a stated purpose

Constraints¶

Target Learners¶

• elementary school students

Target Learning Goals¶

• writing to describe, narrate, inform, persuade, or analyze
• matching genre to purpose and audience

Related Strategies¶

• Expand students' concept of audience by writing the same topic for different audiences
• Guide students to select, match, and adapt writing strategies to situations
• Direct Instruction: Genre-specific Writing Strategies
• Genre Study

Examples¶

-

Key Sources¶

• Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Olson, C. B., D'Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers: Instructional Tips Based on the Educator's Practice Guide. What Works Clearinghouse, NCEE 2012-4058. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuide/17