[English] suggestions needed for context teaching

[Jenny Gilbert]

Hi Everyone

I have a need for some help in leadership J I have an English teacher that
is being quite prescriptive ( she is quite presecriptive with most things)
with the writing forms 'expository, persuasive and imaginative'. She is not
dealing well with the combination of possible forms and voices in written
texts. She see them as three completely separate entities. Our teaching of
this area of study has evolved over time - and we now see the students as
having to 'create' as writers using what they know about the Context, text
and their understanding of the concepts in a given prompt. This means we
have moved away from strict structural controls for a 5 paragraph essay,
although we do teach it for those students who need something to hang their
work on as they cling to something of a model.  In yr 11 we do focus on the
three modes - in Unit one we focus on expository and persuasive, in Unit two
creative. (We used to try and do all 3 in semester 1 but it became a
workload nightmare) . In Units 3-4 students choose freely. 

When we first started with context there evolved an understanding of the
expository essay form and that wretched formula of third person formal style
with 50% use of the text, 25% world and 25% self as a guide for students to
structure their writing as informed by the ideas and issues of the set
Context and text. While I have not said do not do this I have encouraged the
flexibility and creativity of both students and teachers to see that the
limits here are on the boundaries of the text and context not the 'rules' of
a specific writing genre. I wonder if there are 'rules'. The way I see it
there are typical features of writing depending on purpose, audience and
form and we need to teach those over the years so that in Yr 12 students are
able to use this knowledge and their skills to write a response they feel
comfortable with. In expository writing students can explore ideas, look at
them from a number of angles, and draw conclusions. We are still
experiencing confusion with this - students explaining their work as
expository when it clearly argues a view, or vice versa, claiming they have
done a persuasive piece that in fact has not clear line of argument and is
even lacking a clear contention. The pick 'persuasive' simply because in the
end they express an opinion. 

Then there is that awful question - how much from outside the text has to be
included? It seems the struggle with the grey continues with that 50/25/25
formula. I have - after PD recognised this is not the way to encouraged good
creation of texts. Last years examiners report confirms this

On the other hand, it should be noted that:

. there still seems to be a dependence on formulaic responses, which
suggests that some students believe that

rote-learning is sufficient. The study of English is concerned with
developing students' understanding and

confidence in responding to the specific topics and prompts that are offered
in the examination. Active

engagement with texts enables students to develop language awareness,
articulate ideas and develop

communication skills

. some students did not fully engage with the actual elements of the topics
and prompts. Greater care needs to be

taken in analysing and recognising the specific expectations of each topic
or prompt - often this comes down

to a precise understanding of the words which comprise the task

In section B the commentary is quite clear

The most successful responses drew thoughtfully from the text; however, the
least successful only used a scene or a

feature of character in a superficial way or retold the plot of the text.
This approach was not always relevant to the

prompt. There can be no definitive advice on the success of relying on a
single text or employing both (or more). Some

students used the two texts expertly to demonstrate exceptions and
qualifications, while others did little more than use

the second text to add yet more of the same examples. While students writing
using an expository approach tended to

employ both texts, a number of students explored only one text. Students who
used more than one source to illustrate

their ideas often produced pieces with a strong sense of unity and purpose.
This cohesiveness was contrasted by pieces

where one idea followed the next as students went through their list of
examples. The product was more a plan for an

essay than a thoughtful, finished piece.

The transference of ideas from the texts is critical. Students who
understood and could convey sophisticated ideas from

their texts were the most successful, regardless of the approach to writing
selected.

 

 
<http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vcaa/vce/studies/english/englishassess/2010/engl
ish_assessrep_10.pdf>
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vcaa/vce/studies/english/englishassess/2010/engli
sh_assessrep_10.pdf

 

Our focus has been much more on the concepts and ideas in the prompt and
text than in writing to a specific formula.  Our returning prescriptive
teacher is more focussed on the required form and wanting rigorous specific
supplementary texts included in the study. I will refer her to this
examiners report and others have provided her with documentation from
inservices- but can anyone offer useful definitions of the 'three explicit'
forms because I can't. I prefer to paint the grey lines and encourage
students to create with the focus much more on the connection of the
concepts and texts. In this instance the labelling of expository, persuasive
or imaginative is squishing the potential to write from the heart and mind
if it is done as this teacher is suggesting. SO...

What suggestions do you have about what I should say to her other than to
send her on PD to meet the examiners -I have not yet marked this section so
I am at a bit of a loss and relying very much on my experience teaching it,
PD and examiners reports. 

Thanks

PS..to add to confusion some publications are now using the word exposition
for persuasive writing - how do we deal with that? 

 

Jenny Gilbert

 

English Coordinator, St Joseph's College Mildura

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