Strategies for teaching information report writing

Below are three different approaches that can help guide students through the development of information reports.

Using factual texts to develop report writing — strategy 1

Immerse students in models of the report genre, Animals in the Wild - Monkey by Mary Hoffman, was the example used. Following several shared reading sessions the following strategies could be used to raise student's awareness of the framework for report writing.

·  Reconstruct a 'cut up' report noting headings, sub-headings and format.

·  Label the various parts of a report and consider the purpose of each part.

When students are familiar with the structure of a report, jointly construct a report focussing on the features of the text-type.

Students then work in guided writing groups to plan their own report using a planning proforma such as those outlined below.

REPORT PLAN

HEADINGS / KEY WORDS
Classification
What is it?
Opening statement
Description
What attributes does it have?
(size, shape, features)
Place/Time
Where is it? Habitat?
When is it?
Dynamics/Behaviour
What does it do?
Summarising comment


Students use their plan to write a report. Guided writing groups can be formed at any time during this stage to redirect, assist and support the students' writing.

Individual conferences and publication are an optional final stage.

An example of a completed report from a Grade 1/2 student.

Frogs

Frogs belong to a group of animals called amphibians. Amphibians have two stages in life; water and land.
Frogs have four legs and no tail. Some frogs have spots and stripes. Their colour helps to camouflage them. Frogs have wet skin and bulgy eyes.
Frogs live in damp places. The tree frog lives in trees. Other frogs live in ponds or creeks.
Frogs lay eggs in the water. Frogs come out at night. They make croaking noises. Frogs jump high. Some frogs climb trees.
Frogs eat insects and spiders. Some frogs eat other frogs.

Using factual texts to develop report writing — strategy 2

·  Read to students a variety of texts about a particular topic, eg pigs, and highlight features of the report genre.

·  Discuss with students what they already know about the topic and what they would like to find out.

·  Use the technique of webbing/concept mapping/brainstorm to connect the central topic to related facts. The concept map can be added to each time a different book is read and additional information is found. Eg:

·  Guide students to think about main headings/sub headings and to group information accordingly. Eg:

Appearance / Behaviour
thick pink or black hairy skin
short curly tail
trotters / roll in mud to keep clean
use nose to dig

·  Work with guided writing groups to write paragraphs (bundles of information) using the headings outlined in the previous session, ie appearance, behaviour.

Using factual texts to develop report writing — strategy 3

·  Discuss with students the features of reports.

·  Brainstorm or use concept mapping to identify headings for a report about a specific topic.

·  Write the selected headings on large sheets of paper and post them around the room.

·  Ask students to move around the room in small groups and add information under each heading on the 'graffiti board'.

·  Collate the information on a grid.

For example:

WHALES
Appearance / Habitat / Food / Enemies / Glossary
Reference:
Reference:
Reference:
Reference:

·  Work with guided writing groups to use the information from the grid to write a report.

Other ways of gathering, organising and presenting information in preparation for report writing include:

·  labelled diagrams;

·  flow charts;

·  fact files;

·  quiz questions; and

·  questions and answers.