Original article: LINK
By Victoria Purcell-Gates, Nell K. Duke, Joseph A. Martineau
Research indicates that teaching students about specific text structures can improve their understanding and ability to write those types of texts [LINK]. In Australia, a genre-based approach to teaching writing, influenced by Hallidayan linguistic theory, has long been popular. This method makes the ‘typical’ features of different genres explicit to children by reading as writers [LINK]. Proponents of genre-based teaching argue that students need explicit instruction to understand different genres, as relying on ‘luck’ alone is not enough. However, the approach has faced criticism for being too rigid and for ignoring cultural differences [LINK].
Despite disagreements, there’s a consensus that authentic class writing projects are essential for learning about the different purposes for writing [LINK]. Authentic writing class projects mean engaging with texts in real-life contexts rather than undertaking artificial scheme-assigned tasks.
Purcell-Gates, Duke & Martineau’s research study explored the impact of explicit instruction of genre features within the context of authentic class writing projects.
They aimed to answer two main questions:
- How does explicit teaching of genre features in science texts affect children’s ability to read and write these texts? [LINK]
- How is the authenticity of class writing projects related to children’s growth in reading and writing these texts? [LINK]
In essence, the study wanted to explore how to best teach writing by combining explicit instruction with real-world reading and writing experiences.
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We can draw several important conclusions from their study:
- Authentic class writing projects: Engaging children in real-life writing projects significantly helps them improve their understanding and writing of texts. This finding supports the idea that children learn language better when they use it in real, meaningful contexts rather than just through formal instruction [LINK].
- Developmental considerations: The study suggests that explicit teaching of genre craft moves might not align well with the cognitive and linguistic abilities of very young children [LINK]. However, as children grow older and more experienced, explicit teaching might become more effective.
- Combination of strategies: The study hints that combining explicit teaching of genre craft moves with explicit reading as writers strategies could be incredibly effective.