Specific text type skills
By 'specific skills', I wish to define the kind of approach required for each text type, and the kind of language expected. These can be seen as 'transfer goals' - the term used in the IB's unit plan templates to refer to skills and concepts which may be transferred valuably to situations outside the classroom. In other words, the Really Useful Teaching Points.
To illustrate, students will very probably not have to write a set of instructions in English in their future lives. However, they will certainly have to handle tasks which require similar careful analysis of a process and methodical explanation of key steps - so the skill of careful and methodical thinking is what they are really learning.
Considering transfer goals is a very useful way to define exactly what we aim to teach. This is particularly valuable in the teaching of writing, since we should be clear about what transferable skills of organisation and expression may be learnt from the practice of each of the text types. That is what this page sets out to present...
The core text type list
Here are the text types required for Paper 1 Writing exams, listed alphabetically. Click on each text type in the list in order to jump to the relevant entry. Each entry contains the specific transfer goals, or target skills, which I suggest for each text type.
Email / informal letter ... formal letter
Opinion column / letter to the editor
Personal statement / cover letter
Set of instructions, guidelines
Social media posting / online forums
Target skills for text types
Note that the list of text types above has been re-organised in the list of skills below in order to suggest an ascending rank order of difficulty - easiest first, most challenging last. This is intended to indicate a possible sequence by which the text types could be introduced in the course. This progression of difficulty has been further indicated by three groups comprised of types of roughly similar difficulty.
These three groups are:
Group 1 - simple & direct
Group 2 - difficulty variable, according to task
Group 3 - intrinsically challenging
All of the entries are designed to complete the stem 'An ability to...', which would form an appropriate entry in the 'transfer goals' section of IB unit plan templates.
Group 1 - simple & direct
The common feature of this group of text types is that they are 'everyday' - most students will have some experience of actually writing them (apart from the news report, of course). They also mainly involve the student using personal experience, and their own usual thinking procedures, so they can be seen as 'natural' forms of expression. Which is not to say that the students necessarily handle them as well as they could...
E-mail / informal letter
establish a personal relationship with the reader through writing
be entertaining and express emotions
tell anecdotes clearly, arousing interest
use informal, colloquial language which remains easily understandable
Social media posting / online forums
express opinions concisely yet clearly
respond succinctly to other points of views
use colloquial language - but use it clearly
Blog
develop a personal 'voice' expressing experiences and opinions
engage the audience with stimulating points of view
explore opinions and arguments using critical thinking
express points of view clearly and cogently
Set of instructions, guidelines
analyse systems and processes in order to extract key points
organise and explain key points methodically and with focused purpose
express ideas clearly and concisely
adapt explanations appropriately to the target audience
News report
analyse an event in order to extract key information
express key information concisely and clearly
organise the sequence of explanation in order to communicate clearly and efficiently
select information appropriately to suit the target audience
Diary (private) / journal
recount events and select details effectively, with relevance and focus
reflect on personal experience and develop insight
express emotions with appropriate language, carefully and precisely
Group 2 - difficulty variable, according to task
The text types in this group are probably reasonably familiar to the students, in that they are common typical writing tasks in language classes. For instance, the students are likely to have experience of writing a talk, or classroom presentation. However, such experience may well have been at a simple level, with little thought for sophisticated elements of the text type. Such sophistication needs to be developed for Diploma level students.
In addition, these text types can be made more accessible or more challenging by varying the precise requirements of the task. For instance, a 'review' can be set as a simple expression of opinion - or as a complex assessment, having studied the approach and style of professional reviews. Accordingly, these text types could be placed in either Group 1 above, or Group 3 below, according to the approach taken.
Speech, talk, presentation
choose a clear approach to, or 'angle' on, the topic or issue
organise explanation and argument to form a lucid and convincing case
link ideas together effectively and explicitly
engage the audience through direct address and rhetorical effects
Brochure, leaflet, pamphlet
focus coherently on a selected subject area
analyse an audience's likely interests and responses
choose and develop a persuasive approach
organise ideas methodically, and express them in appropriate language
Personal statement / cover letter
focus the text very carefully on the precise requirements of context and audience
express ideas in clear and interesting ways
use language concisely yet precisely
Article
analyse and extract the key elements of a subject area
identify an approach to, or 'angle' on, the subject area
engage the audience with an interesting introduction
combine clear explanation and/or argument with vivid supporting detail
organise the sequence of ideas clearly and methodically
express ideas lucidly in language appropriate to both subject and audience
Review
analyse key elements of the subject of the review
identify an interesting and stimulating approach to, or 'angle' on, the subject
engage the audience with an interesting introduction
support subjective opinions with objective evidence
organise the sequence of ideas clearly and methodically
express ideas lucidly in language appropriate to both subject and audience
Group 3 - intrinsically challenging
The text types in this group are considered 'intrinsically challenging' because they involve one or more of the following complexities:
complicated conventional forms and format (e.g. formal letter, official report)
carefully planned and developed ideas, linked clearly and effectively, for specific purpose (e.g. essay, proposal)
specific use of language, largely formal and/or sophisticated (e.g. essay, interview)
In order to handle these text types effectively, students need to be exposed to suitable models, which they should analyse and reflect on in some depth.
Formal letter
establish an impersonal but businesslike relationship with the reader through writing
focus consistently on the purpose of the letter
express ideas clearly, and relate them efficiently to the purpose of the letter
use formal language economically and with precision
Opinion column / letter to the editor
express ideas concisely (letter to the editor); or vividly (opinion column)
choose a clear approach to, or 'angle' on, a specific topic or issue
organise explanation and argument to form a lucid and convincing case
Essay
identify the central issue(s) to be discussed
decide on a consistent approach e.g. analysing objectively or arguing a case
define significant terms as the basis for the argument
organise a methodical structure of argument
use counter-argument for rebuttal purposes
select an appropriate register, and express it in consistently-chosen language
Official report
decide what the target audience needs to know, and why
present explanations methodically, in a logical sequence
use structure and cohesive devices to present the ideas clearly
handle, as appropriate, formal and impersonal language
Proposal
decide on key concepts, and distinguish which are more or less acceptable
present ideas persuasively, bearing in mind the target audience's likely attitudes
develop explanations methodically, in a logical sequence
use structure and cohesive devices to present the ideas clearly
handle, as appropriate, formal and impersonal language
Interview (embedded)
choose as significant key ideas drawn from the interview
describe context and explain background
insert quotations effectively to support a lucid flow of ideas
combine direct language for explanation with colloquial language in the quotations