Structure Sleuthing

Overview

Lesson 4 builds on earlier work identifying text features in context by focusing on how structure and cohesion guide readers. Students analyse and categorise short texts from different genres, using an appropriate structure vocabulary and cohesion signals (including overviews and concluding paragraphs).

Learning intentions

Students will:

• Analyse how different text purposes shape text structure and language choices.
• Identify structure signals that help readers follow the text (such as overviews, topic sentences, and concluding paragraphs).
• Categorise texts by structure using consistent vocabulary.
• Explain, with evidence, how cohesion devices support the reader through the text.

Success criteria

Students can:

• Correctly identify an opening/overview, body sections, and a conclusion in a short text.
• Use structure vocabulary (e.g. overview, body, conclusion; topic sentence; text connectives) when describing how the text is organised.
• Categorise each text into a genre-appropriate structure pattern and justify the choice using at least two references to the text.
• Distinguish between structures that differ by purpose (for example: informative vs persuasive vs narrative).

Curriculum links

• English Language: cohesion of texts relies on devices that signal structure and guide readers, such as overviews and initial and concluding paragraphs.
• English Language: texts are structured differently depending on their purpose; language features vary across text types.
• Literacy: explain the structure of ideas such as taxonomies, cause and effect, and chronology where these patterns appear in the texts.
• Literature: identify and explain how characters, settings and events combine to create meaning in narratives when a narrative excerpt is included.

Lesson structure (70 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Hook and model. Teacher displays two short excerpts (one informative, one persuasive) and asks: “What do you notice first, and how does the ending feel?” Students write 2 quick observations in their books, then share one observation with a partner.

2. 8–18 min · Mini-lesson: structure vocabulary + cohesion signals. Teacher explicitly models a “structure map” using a simple template: Overview (opening), Body (main points/steps/events), Conclusion (wrap-up). Teacher highlights cohesion signals students should look for: topic sentence, sentence openers, text connectives (e.g. however, because, first, next), and concluding paragraphs that signal closure. Students complete a teacher-guided “spot the structure” on a short example excerpt.

3. 18–30 min · Guided practice: structure identification. In groups of 2–3 (or pairs in a 10-student class), students receive three short texts on cards (informative explanation, persuasive paragraph, and narrative snapshot). Teacher circulates and prompts with sentence starters:

• “The purpose seems to be… because…”
• “The overview is shown by…”
• “A conclusion/ending is signalled by…” Students label each text: opening/overview, body sections, and conclusion/ending, underlining one cohesion signal.

4. 30–52 min · Main task: categorise by structure. Students use a graphic organiser (three columns or a triangle map) to sort the texts into structure patterns: informative (e.g. explanation with cause/effect or steps), persuasive (claim then reasons then concluding judgement), narrative (chronology with characters/settings/events). Students must write:

• the genre/purpose label they think fits
• two structure evidence points (e.g. “topic sentence in the opening”, “connective ‘because’ linking reasons”, “final paragraph summarises/judges”) Teacher provides a checklist of structure vocabulary for reference.

5. 52–62 min · Compare and justify. Each group/individual shares one categorisation. Teacher prompts accuracy: “Does the ending confirm your label? Which cohesion device helped?” Students listen and add one “agree/disagree” comment using evidence.

6. 62–70 min · Exit ticket (formative). Students answer:

• “Name one cohesion signal that helps you read the structure.”
• “Circle the best match: Informative / Persuasive / Narrative, and give one reason.”

Resources

• Printed text cards (3 short excerpts: informative, persuasive, narrative)
• Graphic organiser: Structure Map (Overview / Body / Conclusion) and a categorisation table
• Highlighters or coloured pencils (optional)
• Sentence starters and vocabulary strip (overview, body, conclusion, topic sentence, connectives, closure)
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options:
• texts in 14–16 pt font, line spacing 1.5, sans-serif
• an alternative audio read-aloud option for the teacher or recorded version
• versions with reduced clutter (one paragraph per card)
• Teacher example model on the board or slide
• Exit ticket slips

Assessment

• Teacher observation during guided practice: accuracy of structure labels and use of cohesion evidence.
• Feedback on the categorisation table: whether students justify genre/purpose with at least two references to structure signals.
• Exit ticket: identifies one cohesion signal and matches structure to purpose accurately.

Differentiation

• Provide a graphic organiser with partially completed headings (Overview/Body/Conclusion) for students who need scaffolding.
• Offer sentence starters and a word bank for structure vocabulary and connectives.
• Dyslexia support: provide the dyslexia-friendly print version and allow audio access; offer reduced-length text cards if needed while keeping the same structure task.
• Extension for fast finishers: add a “Cohesion check” row—students identify one additional cohesion device (e.g. a connective or pronoun reference) and explain how it guides the reader.