Text Types Today

Overview

In this lesson (Lesson 10 of 30) in the unit “Mastering Reading Skills in EAL”, students practise identifying whether a text is narrative or non-fiction and using that knowledge to understand key information and overall meaning. They will compare text features, then apply strategies to interpret and evaluate unfamiliar vocabulary in context.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify key features of narrative and non-fiction texts.
• WALT read short texts to locate main ideas and supporting details.
• WALT compare how purpose and structure differ between narrative and non-fiction texts.
• WALT justify their classification using evidence from the text (e.g., time markers, characters, facts, headings, and topic sentences).

Success criteria

• I can tell whether a text is narrative or non-fiction and explain why using 2–3 features.
• I can find the main idea and at least two supporting details.
• I can explain how the text’s purpose affects its structure (what it focuses on and how it presents information).
• I can use context clues to understand at least 5 new or tricky words.

Curriculum links

• Learning languages: reading and understanding key information in short, simple texts containing high-frequency everyday language about regularly encountered familiar matters, including short narratives.
• Learning languages: teachers guide students to comprehend and produce simple, connected text across all modes on topics of personal interest, spanning the past, present, and future.
• Communication strands (NZC Learning Languages, language learning focus): students engage with written texts to extract meaning, compare language choices, and discuss ideas using evidence.
• Thinking and reading skills: students use strategies to make meaning, interpret text structure, and support responses with textual evidence.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Starter: Sort-By-Hint. Teacher displays four “mystery sentence starters” on the board (e.g., “Yesterday, …”, “Did you know that…”, “In 2019, …”, “Once upon a time, …”). Students quickly decide which text type they connect to (narrative/non-fiction) and explain with one word (e.g., “story”, “facts”).

2. 5–15 min · Mini-teach: Features and Purpose. Teacher models a quick compare/contrast using a class chart titled “Narrative vs Non-fiction”. Students help complete it:

• Narrative: people/characters, a sequence of events, time words, emotions/actions, often in past tense.
• Non-fiction: topic/theme, factual information, headings or bullet points, definitions/explanations, often present tense. Teacher emphasises that both can appear on similar topics, so evidence matters more than assumptions.

3. 15–25 min · Guided reading 1: Find the clues. Teacher gives Text A (short narrative) and a two-column evidence sheet: “Feature I see” / “Where I see it”. Students read silently first, then in pairs underline 3 clues that show it is narrative (e.g., time marker, character name, event verbs). Teacher circulates, prompting with sentence frames:

• “This is narrative because I can see ___.”
• “The time word ___ suggests past events.”

4. 25–35 min · Guided reading 2: Key info in non-fiction. Students read Text B (short non-fiction, such as a school-related “did you know” page). They complete a “Main idea + details” box:

• Main idea (one sentence)
• Two supporting details (from the text) Teacher teaches a simple strategy: “Look for repeats, headings, and the sentence that answers ‘What is this mainly about?’”.

5. 35–45 min · Compare and contrast task (pairs). Students choose a comparison focus and fill a Venn diagram with evidence (minimum of 2 items in each circle, 2 in the overlap). Prompts:

• How do they start?
• What is the purpose (entertain / inform)?
• What words help the reader (time words vs topic words)? Students must add at least one quoted phrase (short excerpt) as proof.

6. 45–55 min · Language focus: Meaning from context. Teacher selects 6 tricky words across both texts and displays them without translation (e.g., “discover”, “eventually”, “source”, “result”, “however”, “protect”). In small groups, students use a “context clue ladder”:

• What is the word near?
• Does it describe an action, idea, or fact?
• Can I guess a meaning that fits the sentence? Students record one best-guess meaning and one reason.

7. 55–60 min · Exit ticket: Justify a classification. Teacher hands out one very short mixed paragraph (8–10 lines). Students write:

• “This is narrative/non-fiction.”
• “I know because…” (two pieces of evidence).
• “Main idea / key message is…” (one sentence).

Resources

• Narrative Text A (1 page or printed half-page, EAL-friendly language level)
• Non-fiction Text B (1 page or printed half-page, headings or short paragraphs)
• Narrative vs Non-fiction feature chart (teacher-made or shared slide)
• Evidence sheet (Feature I see / Where I see it)
• Main idea + details sheet
• Venn diagram (narrative/non-fiction/overlap)
• Context clue ladder handout
• Exit ticket slips
• Coloured highlighters or pencils for underlining evidence

Assessment

• Teacher observations during pair work: checking students use visible evidence, not only opinions.
• Collect evidence sheets and main idea boxes: verify main idea accuracy and supporting detail selection.
• Exit ticket: assess ability to classify text type with two justified reasons and a clear key message.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters for justification (“I can see… which shows…”) and a word bank of common text clues (time words, headings, characters, facts).
• Support: allow highlighting with colour codes (narrative clues in one colour; non-fiction clues in another).
• Challenge: add an extra requirement for high-progress students—identify one language feature (tense choice, linking words, or how sentences are structured) and link it to purpose.
• EAL/SEN: offer a pre-highlighted version for students who need it, then gradually reduce scaffolding across the 30-lesson unit.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters for justification (“I can see… which shows…”) and a word bank of common text clues (time words, headings, characters, facts).
• Support: allow highlighting with colour codes (narrative clues in one colour; non-fiction clues in another).
• Challenge: add an extra requirement for high-progress students—identify one language feature (tense choice, linking words, or how sentences are structured) and link it to purpose.
• EAL/SEN: offer a pre-highlighted version for students who need it, then gradually reduce scaffolding across the 30-lesson unit.