Showing vs Telling

Overview

This 50-minute lesson is the fourth in a six-lesson unit titled "Exploring Character Depth," designed for Year 8 students. The focus is on developing students' understanding and application of “showing” character traits and emotions through actions instead of “telling.” This practice aligns directly with the National Curriculum for England’s expectations for developing writing skills and understanding characterisation in narrative texts.

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National Curriculum Links

English Program of Study: Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9)

• Writing: Composition

  • Pupils should be taught to:
    • Plan, draft, edit and proofread through sustained, focused writing (NC English Appendix 1, Writing – Composition).
    • Select appropriate grammar and vocabulary, understanding how such choices can change and enhance meaning (NC English Appendix 2, Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation).
  • Develop characters through action, dialogue, and description (NC English, Writing – Composition).

• Reading: Comprehension

  • Understand how writers use language to create effects and engage readers (NC English, Reading – Comprehension).
  • Analyse and evaluate how writers’ choices of vocabulary and action create characterisation.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Understand the difference between "showing" and "telling" in characterisation.
2. Analyse examples of "showing" through character actions in short text excerpts.
3. Experiment with transforming "telling" statements about characters into "showing" through actions in their own writing.
4. Develop awareness of how character actions reveal personality, feelings, and motives.

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Resources Needed

• Whiteboard and markers
• Projector or smartboard
• Handouts with example texts (including short excerpts that “tell” and “show” character traits)
• Student exercise sheets with rewriting prompts
• Pens and notebooks
• Character action phrase bank (prepared sheet with verbs and phrases that imply emotion/personality)

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Starter Activity:
  Write two sentences on the board describing a character:

  • Telling: “John was angry.”
  • Showing: “John slammed the book shut and stormed out of the room.”

• Ask students which sentence is more engaging and why.

• Brief discussion about "showing" vs "telling":

  • "Telling" directly states feelings/traits.
  • "Showing" uses actions, dialogue, and details to imply emotions and personality.

• Link this to how writers create deeper and more memorable characters.

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2. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

• Whole Class Reading:
  Provide an excerpt that conveys a character’s emotion or personality through showing action (e.g., short paragraph from a suitable novel or teacher-created text).

• Read aloud together and highlight phrases that show character traits without explicitly naming them.

• Annotate examples on the board/smartboard to reinforce how words create implied meaning.

• Group Work:
  In groups of 4-5, give each group a brief text that “tells” about a character (e.g., “Sophie was nervous.”).

• Task: Rewrite these sentences to “show” Sophie’s nervousness through action, dialogue, or body language.

• Share responses with the class.

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3. Independent Writing Activity (15 minutes)

• Provide students with three “telling” descriptions related to different characters or emotions (e.g., sad, excited, proud).
• Students rewrite each, focusing on showing through character action, using the character action phrase bank for support.
• Encourage students to consider the context to create believable and vivid actions.
• Teachers circulate to provide targeted support and prompt deeper thinking about word choice and implication.

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4. Plenary and Assessment (10 minutes)

• Peer Review:
  Students swap one rewritten sentence with a partner for feedback focused on clarity, creativity, and effectiveness of “showing.”

• Select a few examples to share aloud and discuss what made them successful.

• Self-Assessment:
  On their exercise sheet, students tick boxes indicating whether they:

  • Successfully changed telling to showing
  • Used specific actions to reveal character
  • Felt more confident about this writing technique.

• Informal assessment through observation, group sharing, and peer evaluations.

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Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence starters and a more detailed phrase bank for learners needing scaffolding.
• Challenge: Encourage higher ability students to include sensory details or internal thoughts alongside actions for richer characterisation.

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Extension/Homework (Optional)

• Choose a character from a book or film and write a short paragraph describing their emotions or personality using “showing” not “telling” techniques.
• Bring to the next lesson for peer review.

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Reflection for Next Lesson

• Based on observations and student feedback, plan to introduce showing through dialogue next to complement this lesson’s focus on actions.

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This lesson supports deep engagement with characterisation and hones descriptive writing skills, meeting the National Curriculum emphasis on purposeful language use and composition strategies. The hands-on and interactive nature aims to motivate Year 8 learners to write with more subtlety and creativity.