Non-Fiction and Media (Unit 1) Year 11

Exam Skills One of the skills you will need to develop at GCSE level is working out different things about different texts. This will help you when you are reading and understanding different texts and constructing different texts in your writing. What 4 things do we need to think about when we construct a text?

Who is PALL? PURPOSE AUDIENCE LANGUAGE LAYOUT First of all, let’s think about why a text is constructed! What might be some of the reasons why you might choose to write something?

The Purpose = why a text is constructed! Purposes Formats of Texts To inform Newspapers/magazines/letters/leaflets/speeches To entertain To explain (why) To persuade To convince/argue To instruct Now spend 2 minutes writing down all the different types of audience in pairs!

Audience – this is who the text is aimed at: Young Old Mixed audience Adults Children/ teens How do you know what the audience is?

Language Language = the words and sentences and style that has been chosen and the effect on the audience these words/phrases have: Formal Informal/Chatty Complex/ serious Alliterative/ descriptive Emotive What might be some of the features of these different types of language? How would you recognise them?

Interesting... So the language chosen is deliberately chosen to appeal to the audience the writers want to appeal to! How else might they try to appeal to their audience?

What does Layout mean? Layout – this is the presentation – there is so much to comment – but remember always explain the effect on a reader. Why are the aspects of layout on the next slide deliberately chosen by writers when they construct texts? Who are they likely to appeal to and where would we typically find them?

Group Task – Why are these presentational devices used? WHAT EFFECT??? WHERE WILL BE FOUND? (Purposes, Audiences, Formats) Alliteration Bullet points Captions Colour Columns Different Fonts Graphs/ diagrams Headings Images Italics Logos Maps Paragraphs Pictures Underlining

The Effects of Different Presentational Techniques Alliteration – makes the text catchy – quick to read – grabs attention (varied, varied, newspaper/magazine articles) Bullet points – good way to organise a text (instruct, inform, varied audiences, leaflets are a good example) Captions can help readers understand a picture or even shape their understanding (texts including pictures) Colour – there are lots of connections and links – colours reinforce messages – blue= crisp/cold/clean. Red= passionate/dangerous/sex/roses (persuade, varied, adverts, promotional leaflets) Columns – a way of organising text – and helping the text to be clear to the reader. (inform, explain, varied, newspaper/magazines) Fonts – classic/ formal/ old-fashioned/ modern etc – Fonts are chosen to impact on different audiences - and to grab attention. (argue, persuade, varied, leaflets, magazine/newspaper articles) Graphs/ diagrams – help make difficult info easy to grasp (inform, explain, instruct, persuade, varied, newspapers, magazines, instruction booklets etc) Headings – important as a way to organise the text (varied, Images - Similes – like/as or metaphors – direct comparisons – these work to create images in words – so you can see the thing being described (persuade, entertain, inform, explain, varied) Italics – emphasises information (persuade, argue, varied, persuasive, informative texts) Logos – symbol of a company – represents things (varied, varied, letters/leaflets etc) Maps – helpful in giving people info – finding or showing a place (inform, explain, travel brochures,/magazine/newspapers letters, leaflets) Paragraphs – organising text – comment if they are small – short/ easier to read or longer and more detailed- this makes a difference to a text and to the reader – connects with AUDIENCE Pictures/ images bring the text to life and grab attention – they can also break up the text, which is useful. Underlining emphasises points made. (persuading, Always comment on the first impression the text has – what do you notice when you look at the text on the page? How might you use these? How can they vary? On what do they depend? Think about the purpose of your writing? Where are they most appropriate/effective?

A Flow Chart For Constructing Writing! What, Why and Who Decide what you are going to write (speech, magazine article). Decide what you want to achieve (why you are writing!) and who you want to/is going to be reading your work! Then think about HOW to do write it! How? Choose your words carefully and construct your sentences and paragraphs carefully so that your readers will understand your point. Make sure you plan to use appropriate presentational devices appropriate to your work How? Make sure your layout (including any pictures if appropriate) will appeal to the people who are going to be reading your work and enhance your work

Plan and write a magazine article on the topic of your choice! What? Why? Who? How? Plan and write a 200-words on any subject you want, for whatever reason you want, for the audience of your choice. Finish for homework and bring in on Monday!