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Definition
Definition
The skill of unpacking the writing prompt contributes to a student’s ability to compose. Composing is the activity that occurs when students produce written, spoken or visual texts.
Composing typically involves:
the shaping and arrangement of textual elements to explore and express ideas, emotions and values
the processes of imagining, organising, analysing, drafting, appraising, synthesising, reflecting and refining
knowledge, understanding and use of the language forms, features and structures of texts
awareness of audience and purpose (English K-10 syllabus glossary)
Teaching and learning activities
Teaching and learning activities
The resources below provide targeted teaching strategies to support student improvement in this skill.
Each downloadable lesson activity includes:
learning intentions
a list of required resources
a step-by-step lesson sequence
printable classroom materials
Select the download all icon to download all available activities or select each activity separately.
Unpacking the writing prompt A series of activities which comprehensively explore the question, type of text, and text features required to respond to the writing prompt.
Creating a writing promptAn activity in which students create their own writing prompt, and explore holistic marking criteria.
Relevance to writing test marking
Relevance to writing test marking
The feedback for a Level 3 performance in the HSC minimum standard online writing test states:
Individuals performing at this level typically ‘sequence writing to produce cohesive texts and vary language to suit the audience and purpose, choose appropriate text type to communicate relevant information and/or ideas effectively and interrelates ideas and information and some support material when writing about familiar topic.’
Students’ ability in unpacking of the writing prompt contributes to the relevance of writing to the topic as they create texts appropriate for an intended audience and purpose, using the correct structure and engaging in the ideas or information articulated in the writing prompt.
Connections with ACSF Level 3 descriptors
Connections with ACSF Level 3 descriptors
The relevant Level 3 ACSF descriptors for writing are shown here to demonstrate how ideas are assessed in the HSC minimum standard online test. The performance features identified show what a student is able to do in order to achieve at this level and are provided to support teachers to understand what is required to achieve a Level 3 in this skill.
Writing Indicator.05: Communicates relationships between ideas in a style appropriate to audience and purpose
Focus area: Unpacking the writing prompt
Level 3 performance features:
Demonstrates the need to vary written language to meet the requirements of the audience and purpose
Chooses appropriate text type to communicate relevant information and/or ideas effectively
Interrelates ideas and information and some support material when writing about familiar topics
Demonstrates an understanding of a range of formal and informal registers.
Connections with National Literacy Learning Progressions
Connections with National Literacy Learning Progressions
The progressions describe a typical developmental sequence of literacy and numeracy learning. The literacy progression sub-elements, levels and indicators relevant to unpacking the writing prompt are provided here to assist teachers to identify students’ capabilities and needs to support targeted teaching.
Element: Writing
Sub-elements: Creating texts (CrT)
CRT7 — Crafting ideas
CRT7 — Crafting ideas
creates informative, imaginative and persuasive texts for a range of learning area purposes, such as to recount a sequence of events; to describe a person, thing or process; to explain a process; to argue with evidence or reasons; to express emotions
includes learnt ideas on a range of topics from learning areas
uses sources to support ideas (e.g. introduces ideas from a shared text to add detail and engage the reader)
CrT8 — Crafting ideas (imaginative, persuasive, informative)
CrT8 — Crafting ideas (imaginative, persuasive, informative)
Informative
Informative
creates informative texts for a broader range of learning area purposes (e.g. explains a life cycle of a butterfly, recounts a process, describes an artwork)
includes structural features appropriate to the type of text and task, such as opening statements to define the topic and at least two body paragraphs
includes ideas which are relevant to the topic and purpose of the text
Persuasive
Persuasive
creates persuasive texts for a broader range of learning area purposes (e.g. designs a healthy food campaign)
includes structural features appropriate to the type of text and task, such as an introduction with a statement of position, body paragraphs and a simple conclusion
presents a position and supports it with one or two simply stated arguments
includes arguments and ideas which are relevant to the purpose of the text
Imaginative
Imaginative
creates imaginative text for a broader range of learning area purposes (e.g. narrates a historical event)
includes structural features appropriate to the type of text, such as an orientation, complication and resolution
includes ideas which are relevant to the purpose of the text (e.g. includes ideas to develop the simple narrative theme of good and evil)
organises events into a sequence with a predictable ending
CrT8 — Text forms and features
CrT8 — Text forms and features
Imaginative
Imaginative
selects visual and audio features to expand ideas in written texts (e.g. diagrams, tables, images)
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