Resource+L4

Table of Contents << Resources << Lesson 4 of 10

**__ Resource: __** NSW Department of Health. (2010). //Tobacco and health fact sheet//. Sydney: Author 

**__ Relevance to the KLA outcomes: __**

Discusses the factors influencing personal health choices. || While the purpose of the written text is to support information report writing, the topic of the text is tobacco, which provides information for discussion about health choices. || Makes positive contributions in group activities.
 * **__PDHPE__** ||
 * PHS2.12:
 * INS2.3:

DMS2.2: Makes decisions as an individual and as a group member. || The written texts provides a scaffold for groups to use when making individual and group decisions for their information report. ||
 * **__ENGLISH__** ||
 * TS2.1: Communicates in informal and formal classroom activities in school and social situations for an increasing range of purposes on a variety of topics across the curriculum. || The written text will provide information within English and PDHPE learning areas. It provides interesting facts within the context of an information report and therefore provides material to support students discussions. ||
 * WS2.10: Produces texts clearly, effectively and accurately using the sentence structure, grammatical features and punctuation conventions of the text type. || This resource provides scaffolding for students to write a clear and effective information report. By providing an example of sentence structure, grammatical features and punctuation of an information report which deals with a topic students are required to write about it makes clear what students are expected to produce. ||

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**__ A __****__ spects of literacy explored: __**

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Written texts require planning and organisation, especially in longer texts where information needs to be organised into paragraphs. It is extremely important for the writer to provide signals to the audience about where the text is headed and how information will be organised (Droga & Humphrey, 2003, p. 85). Texts are different depending on the purpose we want them to fulfill in society. Text type and genre create differences between texts and these differences have evolved because they help a text achieve its purpose (Winch, Johnston, March, Ljungdahl & Holliday, 2008, p. 44). Therefore, Lesson 4 focuses on the development of topic sentences or clauses and emphasis of Theme to achieve structure and organisation of paragraphs within an information report. The Tobacco Fact-sheet was chosen as it is written as an information report and provides a scaffold for students to see these grammatical features at work and guide for writing their own work. Small sections of the fact-sheet are used within the lesson to avoid overload for students. As the topic is Drug Use and this subject matter has associated difficult knowledge, it is essential to use objective, factual information and consequently this resource was chosen as it is an up to date and reliable source of information. The development of this grammatical knowledge is essential for students to develop their literacy ability which is a main focus of the unit. By having a sound understanding of text types, students will become proficient readers of texts as they will know what to expect while reading a text and they will develop understanding of the interrelationship between text structure and its purpose (Winch et al, 2008, p. 50). The focus of topic sentences is to develop students’ grammatical knowledge that, paragraphs are "bundles" of information, which organise the text and the topic sentences organise the information within the paragraph (Winch et al, 2008, p. 50). These topic sentences or paragraph “previews” are part of the higher organisational structure called Theme (Droga & Humphrey, 2003, p. 89). Theme plays a vital role in organising text and orienting the reader or listener to how the topic will be developed. Knowledge of these grammatical features will develop cohesion in student’s writing, an essential part of text-level grammar as it creates links between different items.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">The resource chosen to support this lesson effectively demonstrates the focus of grammatical features and therefore the resource plays an important role in enhancing student learning of the English outcomes. As the topic of the written text is tobacco, it also enhances their understanding of PDHPE content knowledge. The central idea of the lesson is for students is to write effective and meaningful topic sentences, which will be useful to improve the overall quality of their writing. The final writing task allows students to integrate their English and PDHPE knowledge and understanding to write well organised and accurate paragraphs for their information report. This information report will be used in their final presentation. Promotion of such intellectual quality supports the development of the quality learning environment and significance of learning to ensure quality teaching practices are implemented in the classroom. Students have a explicit criteria for the lesson, there is opportunity for student self regulation and direction in the group activities which provide knowledge integration between English and PDHPE. This allows students to demonstrate profound and meaningful understanding of the central ideas of the unit (NSW DET, 2003).

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**__ Pros: __** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">-From a reliable source and provides factual, up to date information.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**__ Cons: __** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">-High lexical density and long (use in small sections/re word (if necessary) to ensure that the text is age and skill appropriate)

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**References:**

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 80%;">Droga, L. & Humphrey, S. (2003). //Grammar and Meaning: An Introduction for Primary Teachers.// Berry (NSW): Target Texts <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 80%;">NSW Department of Education and Training. (2003). //Quality Teaching in NSW public schools: Discussion paper.// Sydney: DET Professional Support and Curriculum Directorate <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 80%;">Winch, G., Johnston, R. R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L. & Holliday, M. (2008). //Literacy: Reading, Writing and Children’s Literature.// New York: Oxford University Press.