Organising Non-Narrative Work

Overview

Duration: 45 minutes
Class size: 1 student
Unit: Exploring Language and Literature (Lesson 13 of 18)
Age group: Year 13 (17–18 years old)
Curriculum link: National Curriculum for England - English Programmes of Study - Key Stage 5

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National Curriculum Links

This lesson addresses the development of writing skills for non-narrative texts as set out in the National Curriculum for England’s Key Stage 5 English Literature and Language aims, in particular:

• Writing (Spoken Language and Writing - GCSE and Post-16):
  • Develop a sustained and assured level of writing for different purposes and audiences.
  • Organise material clearly and effectively using appropriate structural and organisational devices for different forms, including non-narrative writing.
  • Use cohesive devices effectively to guide the reader through the text.
• Language (Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation):
  • Use standard English confidently in written and spoken forms.
  • Manipulate organisational features such as headings and sub-headings to structure information clearly.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Understand the role and importance of headings and sub-headings in non-narrative texts.
2. Apply a clear structure using effective headings and sub-headings in their own non-narrative writing.
3. Evaluate and improve structure in sample non-narrative texts to enhance clarity and reader engagement.

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Success Criteria

• Can identify effective use of headings and sub-headings in exemplar texts.
• Confidently applies appropriate headings and sub-headings relevant to the content and audience.
• Demonstrates increased clarity and coherence when structuring non-narrative writing.

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Resources

• Printed examples of non-narrative texts with varying use of headings/sub-headings (e.g., reports, articles, essays).
• Student’s current draft of a non-narrative piece or a selected prompt for writing practice.
• Paper, pens, or digital document for writing activities.
• Whiteboard (digital or physical) for modelling.

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Lesson Structure

1. Engagement and Introduction (5 minutes)

• Begin by discussing the importance of structure in writing, especially non-narrative types where clarity and logical flow are crucial.
• Pose questions: "Have you noticed how newspapers and essays signal key ideas? Why might headings and sub-headings help readers?"
• Briefly review the day’s objectives and how they connect to the larger unit on language and literature.

2. Exploration & Analysis (10 minutes)

• Present two contrasting non-narrative texts: one with well-organised headings/sub-headings, one without or with poor organisation.
• Read excerpts together and analyse:
  • How do headings signal content and support reader understanding?
  • Does the lack of headings make the text confusing or difficult to follow?
  • What impact do sub-headings have on paragraph coherence?
• Encourage the student to annotate texts, highlighting effective or ineffective use of headings and sub-headings.

3. Modelling (7 minutes)

• Using the whiteboard or digital document, model how to organise content using headings and sub-headings.
• Start with a disorganised paragraph or bulleted ideas. Demonstrate grouping information logically and creating meaningful headings/sub-headings.
• Showcase different levels of headings (main headings in bold, sub-headings indented or italicised, etc.), addressing accessibility and style appropriate for their audience.

4. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

• Provide the student with a piece of raw content (e.g., disorganised notes or an unstructured draft for a report/article).
• Task: Create a clear structure by dividing the text into sections with appropriate headings and sub-headings.
• Support and prompt the student to think critically about overall flow, logical grouping of ideas and audience-friendly labelling.

5. Independent Application (5 minutes)

• Have the student write a short, structured piece (approx. 150-200 words) on a given non-narrative topic (e.g., technological innovation, environmental policy summary), applying headings/sub-headings explicitly.
• Encourage the use of clear and concise language in headings for maximum clarity.

6. Plenary and Assessment (3 minutes)

• Review the student’s structured text together, providing feedback based on the learning objectives.
• Discuss:
  • Did the headings/sub-headings help organise information clearly?
  • How might the organisation affect a reader’s understanding and engagement?
• Set a brief target for the next lesson: further refine use of structure tools (e.g., bullet points, lists, paragraphs) alongside headings/sub-headings.

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Differentiation and Extension

• For stretch: Challenge the student to explore using sub-sub-headings or numbered headings to create a hierarchical structure in longer texts.
• Additional support: Provide sentence starters or templates for headings to scaffold their writing.

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Assessment & Feedback

• Formative assessment through live evaluation of student’s text organisation task and independent writing.
• Use questioning to check understanding and encourage justification of organisational choices.
• Provide constructive, targeted feedback referencing structural clarity and audience appropriateness aligned with National Curriculum expectations.

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Reflection and Next Steps

• Encourage the student to reflect on how structured organisation impacts reader comprehension.
• Suggest keeping a checklist of organisational tools (headings, sub-headings, paragraphs) for future non-narrative writing tasks.
• Preview next lesson focus: exploring the use of tone and style within non-narrative texts to complement structure.

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This lesson plan not only meets National Curriculum requirements but also ensures personalised, high-impact teaching for one student, utilising active analysis, modelling, and creation to deepen mastery of organising non-narrative work effectively.