Exploring the Purpose and Format of Writing

• Education
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)

Exploring the Purpose and Format of Writing

Learning Objective

Understand the different purposes and format features of writing, and practice writing in various formats.

What do you already know about different writing purposes and formats?

Writing Purposes

The four purposes are:

• to describe
• to persuade
• to instruct
• to inform

Which purpose focuses on convincing the audience?

1. Persuade
2. Entertain, inform, instruct

What is the first thing writers should consider for each writing purpose?

1. Grammar, punctuation, vocabulary
2. Audience, formality, tone

What are the four main writing purposes?

1. Inform, persuade, entertain, instruct
2. Explain, describe, argue, discuss

Format Features

Structure - how something is built

Style - how it looks

Organisation - how it all works together

Which of the following is an example of a format feature?

1. Using bullet points to list key points
2. Including a call-to-action at the end
3. Including an engaging introduction
4. Using descriptive language throughout

Audience and Formality

When you write, you have to think about who your audience is and how formal you need to be when you are talking to them.

When is a formal tone most appropriate in communication?

1. When trying to build a personal connection with the audience.
2. When seeking to appear casual and laid-back.
3. In professional or official settings.
4. When chatting with close friends.

Who would the audience be for a leaflet on training your dog?

1. Dentists
2. Children
3. People who want to train their dog
4. Dog owners

Why is it important to identify your target audience?

1. To ignore the audience and focus on the sender.
2. To communicate in a generic manner for all readers.
3. To use complex language to impress readers.
4. To tailor the message for specific audience needs.

Tone in Writing

The tone is expressing the writer's attitude towards the subject. Explore the impact of tone on the reader.

"You're coming home with me tonight". How could the person be feeling that said this?

Why is it important to consider tone in writing?

1. It confuses the reader.
2. It helps convey the intended message effectively.
3. It only matters in spoken language.
4. It is irrelevant to the writing process.

The phrase you looked at could have many different tones. How would these effect the reader?

1. It has no effect on the reader.
2. It influences the reader's perception and emotional response.
3. It only affects the writer.
4. It changes the storyline.

What does tone in writing express?

1. The reader's attitude towards the subject.
2. The plot of the story.
3. The writer's attitude towards the subject.
4. The setting of the narrative.

Practicing Different Formats

Choose one of these to write:

• a persuasive letter aimed at fifth years who might want to do catering at NRC.
• an informative article about the town where you live or the last place that you went to on holiday.

What is the primary focus when writing a creative story?

1. To persuade the reader to support a particular viewpoint.
2. To engage the reader's imagination and emotions.
3. To provide an overview of a specific topic.
4. To present factual information in a logical manner.

Which format is best suited for conveying unbiased information?

1. Informative article
2. Poetry
3. Persuasive letter
4. Creative story

What is the purpose of writing a persuasive letter?

1. To entertain the reader with a fictional story.
2. To convince the reader to take a specific action.
3. To provide unbiased information to the reader.
4. To describe a personal experience in detail.

Reflection and Feedback

Reflect on the lesson and provide feedback on the writing practice. Emphasize the importance of purpose and format.

Purpose and format are crucial aspects of writing.

Agree: They guide effective communication.

Disagree: Content matters more.

Agree: Essential for clarity and coherence.

Disagree: Creativity should not be limited.

Feedback on writing practice is essential for improvement.

Agree: Identifies areas for improvement.

Disagree: Self-review is sufficient.

Agree: Provides valuable insights.

Disagree: Hinders creativity.

Reflecting on the lesson helps with knowledge retention.

Agree: Reflection deepens understanding.

Disagree: Practice is more effective.

Agree: Helps with long-term memory.

Disagree: Repetition is more beneficial.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.