skeleton frameworks for writing

Skeleton Frameworks for Writing

Discussion Text

***

***

Discussion textDiscussion text

* presents arguments and information from different viewpoints

* “for and against”

Discussion organisation 1Discussion organisation 1

IntroductionStatement of issue

to be discussed

ConclusionSummary + (perhaps)

recommendation

for against

* point + elaboration

* “

* “

* point + elaboration

* “

* “

Discussion organisation 2Discussion organisation 2

Introduction

Arguments for:

*

*

* etc

Arguments against:

*

*

* etc

Conclusion

When you have made your grid skeleton, write the introduction.

Then write one paragraph ‘for’ (or one paragraph per point ‘for’) and one paragraph ‘against’ (or one paragraph per point ‘against’).

Then write the conclusion

Introduction

Point 1: for

against

Conclusion

Discussion organisation 3Discussion organisation 3

Point 2: for

against

Point 3: for

against

(including outline of points

to be discussed)

etc., etc

When you have made your grid skeleton, write the introduction.

Then write a paragraph about point one, a paragraph about point two, etc.

Then write your conclusion

Discussion language featuresDiscussion language features* present tense

* abstract nouns

* third person

* logical connectives* discussion conventions (see page 9)* complex sentences

Things that you cannot see or touch

e.gtruthtruth

answeranswerpossibilitpossibilit

yytrusttrust

welfarwelfaree

beliefbelief

justicejustice

concerconcernn

hopehope

reasonreason

despaidespairr

Discussion Discussion conventionsconventions

* Don’t take sides –

say what “people” think

* Keep it balanced, e.g

On the one hand…

On the other hand…

* Don’t be too definite – use conditionals

Some people say…

Others argue…

Smokers would claim that…

Non-smokers reply…

It could be claimed…

This might mean…

possibly perhaps

Discussion textDiscussion text

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

For/against speech For/against speech bubblesbubbles

Text

Against zoos For zoos

*

*

*

*

*

Don’t need anymore

originally for people to see animals

now have TV, video

Cruel

catch, transport, cage

zoochosis

just for entertainment

TV not as good as real life

Conservation

Not cruel

zoos educational

increase people’s interest in animals

endangered species breed in zoos

scientists can research in zoos

well planned enclosures

Explanation Text

Explanation textExplanation text

* explains how or why something happens

* cause and effect

* often in time order

(sequential)

Explanation organisation 1Explanation organisation 1

Simple explanation: a series of logical steps

Probably… labelled

diagram(s)

leading to

leading to

leading to

possibly---other causes or effects at each stage

When you have made your flow-chart skeleton, each section of the flow chart can become one paragraph or section of writing.

Explanation language featuresExplanation language features

* present tense (except historical explanations)* causal language* sequential connectives

* impersonal language (see page 8)

* technical vocabulary

whenwhen

becausebecause

The reason The reason thatthat

soso

If…then…If…then…

This results in…This results in…

This This causes…causes…

ThereforeTherefore

impersonal languageimpersonal language

* third person

* passive voice

* usually formal vocabulary

* formal connectives

The motor is The motor is operated by…operated by…

This is known as…This is known as…

The stick The stick was placed was placed in…in…

The sides The sides are covered are covered in…in…

(e.g “placed” as opp “put”, “known as” as opp. “called”)

(e.g Furthermore, However, Therefore, Consequently)

Explanation textExplanation text

CycleCycle

Back to original

Newborn

3 months

6 months

1 year

3½ kg 6 kg 53 cm 60 cm 8 kg 68 cm 72 cm 9½ kg

All different

sizes suck milk

no teeth

can’t chew

tummy stronger

milk + mushy food

sits up, plays

some teeth

some hard food + mush + milk

stands teeth

cut up food

Text

Breathe in air

Breathe out CO

²

O²

capillaries

Air sacs

LUNGS

capillaries

Air sacs

²CO

HEART

capillaries

capillaries

cells

cells

BODY

²

²

²

O

CO

Vein

Vein

Artery

Artery

Contains oxygen (O )

AIR

Instruction Text

Instruction textInstruction text

tells how to do or make something

in time order (sequential/chronological)

Instruction organisationInstruction organisation

Title:what’s to

be achievedMaybe……

labelled diagrams

What you need•------------------•------------------•------------------•------------------

What to do, one step at a time

Instruction language featuresInstruction language featuresMix the flour..

Press button A..

Cut along the line..

Always use the correct

equipment

Feed and exercise your dog..

•Simple clear language

•Imperative verbsSee also third person instructions

•Second person (usually)See also third person instructions

•Necessary detail only

•Number and/or time connectives

Firstly mix the flour……

Next press button A…..

7. Cut along the line …..

Before you start choose the correct equipment

Finally, feed and exercise your dog……

Third person instructionsThird person instructions

When more than one person involved, e.g. a game

third personthird person

present tensepresent tense

provide names or provide names or labels labels

Player APlayer A takes a card…

Team 1Team 1 tries to score

points…

Team 2Team 2 tries to stop them…

The batting side…The batting side…

The fielding side…The fielding side…

*

*

*

Writing InstructionsWriting Instructions

*DoDo the activity ( or act it out).

Make brief notesnotes as you go

*Make *listlist of “What you need”

*flow chartflow chart of what to do

*diagramsdiagrams if necessary

*Turn flow chart into written written instructionsinstructions.

What to do, one step at a timeWhat to do, one step at a time

Persuasion Text

Persuasion textPersuasion text

• makes a case for a particular point of view

• one or more points, perhaps with elaboration

***

Persuasion organisation 1Persuasion organisation 1

point

point

point

elaboration

elaboration

elaboration

…and so on……….

*

**

Persuasion organisation 2Persuasion organisation 2

What? Who? Where? When?Introduction

Point 1

Point 2

Point 3

ConclusionSumming up

When you have planned your

points, you can choose whether

to write one paragraph per point or group them together

*

*

*

Persuasion language featuresPersuasion language features

Present tense

Persuasive devices

Logical connectives

Connectives showing the move from one point to

another

because

consequently

As a result..however

If…then

nevertheless

First of all

secondlynext

finally

then

*

**

*

Elaborating a pointElaborating a pointMake your point clearly, in a sentence.

elaboration would it help to:

point give your reasons for

thinking that?

give examples e.g For example,… For instance,…?

add further detail to make it clear?

*

Persuasive devices Persuasive devices

emotive language

deliberate ambiguity

e.g ‘strong’ adjectives

e.g “probably the best”perhaps, maybe

“dare you to disagree!”

e.g Clearly,.. Surely,.. Obviously,..

Everyone knows that..

*

*

*

Rhetorical question “Are we expected to..?”

“How will..?”

Turning opinion into

truth“The fact is..”

“The real truth is..”

*

*

FACT or OPINION?

Always ask yourself – is it …

Persuasion organisationPersuasion organisation

***

Point + evidence chartPoint + evidence chartpoint evidence

***

Mary is trouble

she has betraye

d us

if plots succeed Spain

takes over

thrown out of Scotland

religious probs, war

forced to abdicate, imprisoned

given home, paid for

not paid back

constantly plotting

claims the crown. Supported by Phillip II

would be P’s puppet

England falls to Spain

Persuasion Text

Recount textRecount text

* retells events

* in time order

(chronological)

Recount organisationRecount organisation

events in time orderwhen? where

?

who?

what?

why was it significant?

introduction conclusion

what happened in the end?

neat last line

When you have made your time-line skeleton, use another colour to chop it into paragraphs.

Recount language featuresRecount language features* past tense

* named people, places, things

* first or third person

* time connectives

Next…Next…

MeanwhileMeanwhile……

Soon afterwards…Soon afterwards…

Within Within hours…hours…

Several weeks Several weeks later…later…

Then…Then…

After a while…After a while…

Finally…Finally…

Look out also for conjunctions like when, while, as, after.

Impersonal recountsImpersonal recounts

* newspaper report

* magazine article

* non-fiction book

* biography

AudienceAudience

general reader with some interest in the subject

PurposePurpose

to inform and entertain

* letter

* diary or journal

* write-up of a trip or activity

AudienceAudience

known reader or self (or posterity)

PurposePurpose

to record, reflect, entertain

Personal recountsPersonal recounts

Lively recount writingLively recount writing

Try using:

* powerful verbs

* quotations

Watch out for these and other recounts in the texts you read

* vary your- sentence length- sentence openings- sentence type(use occasional questions or exclamations)

* try to link your last line back to the introduction.

Recount textRecount text

Recount organisationRecount organisation

Flow chartFlow chart

Cards on a washing lineCards on a washing line

Recount Recount organisationorganisation

age

where she was

family

introduction

name born

St Mary’s Hospital

1 2 3 4 5 6

Baz born

started playgroup – met Hannah

chicken pox

started school – Mrs Robinson

Y1 – Mrs

Bennett

Y2 – Mr Long

Text

who

when

where

intro

what

8.00am

School

arrivebreakfast on journey

Exhibition centre

lunch

trip round

cooler biome

Video ‘Making of Eden’

Talk - cocoa, chocolate

car park

see biomes

trip round

tropical biomereturn journey

shop £2 3.30

home

rubber, bamboo, spices, coconuts, pineapple

oranges, lemons, grapes, olives

(personal)

(impersonal)

Intro

CornwallY5

Last Friday

Eden Project

long bus

journey

arrive at Eden Project

tropical

biome

warm temperate

and outside

afternoon

activities

journey home

lunch

Text

Report Text

Report textReport text

* describes what things are like (or were like)

* not in time order

(non-chronological)

Report organisation 1Report organisation 1

Whe

n?

What? Who?

Whe

re?

More detail if necessary

information organised in categories

Main points in category

Topic

simple reportsimple report

Report organisation 1Report organisation 1

IntroductionWho-What-Where-When

etc.

Paragraph

Section }1}2

Paragraph

Section

When you have made your “spidergram” skeleton, each spider leg gives you one paragraph (or subheaded section) in your writing

Report language featuresReport language features

* present tense (except historical reports)

* ‘general’ nouns (not particular people, animals, things)

* third person

* factual description

* technical words and phrases

* often formal, impersonal language

Planning report textPlanning report text

* BRAINSTORM what you know (and find out more if

necessary).

* ORGANISE it into categories.

* Make the SPIDERGRAM.

Write the topic in the middle, and one category on each leg.

Report textReport text

Our School

Intro

fieldplayground

hall

Lee Park Longton, near York

198 pupils 7 classes

built 1967

hopscotch

map

games

infants

quiet area

juniors

netballfootball

summer - play

winter

usually no play

snow - play

assembly, lessons

lunch

dramagym

packed lunch

back

school lunch

front-tables (cupboard)

Spidergram

Butterflies

definition

reproduction

characteristics

feeding

insect

Lepidoptera insect featureswings

scales/veins

don’t need much for short life span

proboscisnectar over-ripe fruit

lifecycle3,000 max eggs

leaves

male/female differences

1/100 survive

coiled proboscis

scaly body/wings