NarrativeText

Narrative Text

Page Content:

Definition
Purposes
Characteristics
Comprehending
Composing
Genres
Access to the Documents

Definition:

Narration is the act of telling a sequence of events, often, but not always, in chronological order. It is a story, whether in prose or verse, involving events, characters, and what the characters say and do. Narration can be fact or fiction. Some narrations report or are historical while others are creative and imaginative. Imaginary narratives typically impart some sort of truth to the reader. Whether factual or imaginary, the narrative can begin from the start and work its way to the conclusion, or it can begin in the middle of the action, then recount earlier events through the character�s dialogue, memories, or flashbacks. Poetry, which is categorized as a narrative genre, is an exception to the expected story form of narrative text.

Purposes:

Traditional Story Form:

To convey a plot
To impart universal truths
To tell a story
To give an account describing a sequence of events and experiences

Poetry:

To engage the reader in the poet�s emotional expression
To create mental/visual and sensory images
To engage the reader in thinking beyond the literal/superficial
To illuminate the art, mystery and novelty of language
To appreciate the sound of language
To understand self and world in new ways
To capture the essence of meaning in the sparest of language
To express thoughts and feelings through lyrical language
To engage the reader/listener in reflection
To focus attention on and reconsider an object, thought, observation or experience
To broaden or intensify the reader�s experiences and understandings

Characteristics:

Common Formats:

Picture book
Chapter book or novel
Illustrated chapter book
Short story
Play
Short text (e.g., article, essay, brochure, internet pieces, etc.)
Poetic structures (see additional information under the genre descriptions of poetry)

Most Common Features:

Story grammar or plot structure with beginning, middle, and end
Setting
Theme
Integrated plot and character development
Story�s turning point
Conflicts: person vs. self, another person, nature, or society
Points of view
Voice and style
Author�s tone
Figurative language (similes and metaphors)
Logical, coherent organization
Rich, precise vocabulary and word choice for building background knowledge and conveying the text�s message
Purpose and audience
Relevant details and specificity
Effective sentence, paragraph, plot and text structures
Specific genre structures, elements, and conventions
Imagery
Setting (time and place)
Effective dialogue
Effective leads, introductions, conclusions
Picture-word correspondence and detail of illustration for meaning-making through complimentary visuals
Mood/tone
Intended message

Best Practices and Teaching Opportunities for COMPREHENDING the Genre and Text of Narrative Pieces, K-8:

Opportunities to Teach:

Understanding the genre

Literary terminology
Features, characteristics, and elements
Understanding typical stylistic conventions (explicit to implicit) for conveying author�s message
Purpose and audience
Interpreting meanings through complimentary visuals
Conventional storylines or themes associated with specific genre types
Expected character types, roles and levels of development
Specific language conventions
Level of realism
Techniques (author�s artistry of language use)
Consider and compare elements, within and across texts

Understanding the text

Comprehension skills
Metacognitive strategies for reflection
Specific and purposeful use of literary devices
Intended message, universal truth, moral, or theme
Variations in plot or poetic structures
Character development
Concept development
Making personal, world-related, and text-to-text connections
Appreciating aesthetics of message and language
Before, during and after reading strategies
Concluding
Inferring
Summarizing and synthesizing
Literal, nuance, figurative and multiple meanings
Drawing parallels across time and culture
Predicting
Interpreting meanings through analysis and reflection of complimentary visuals
Viewing comprehension
Academic vocabulary and general vocabulary development
Fluency
Word study
Imagery
Exaggeration, overstatement, and understatement
Symbolism
Critical and creative thinking
Finding evidence and shaping opinions
Interpretation including personal meaning and response
Developing and explaining perspectives
Questioning the author and text
Constructing mental images
Representing ideas in text
Rereading when meaning breaks down
Understanding the use of figurative language
Listening to learn, comprehend, understand, and appreciate
Writing-to-learn strategies
Graphic and advanced organizers
Self-monitoring of strategy use for comprehending text
Effective discussion skills: asking questions, critiquing, comparing, contributing to collective knowledge, extending ideas, explaining and clarifying, acknowledging and appreciating others� views, requesting specific information from others, providing examples, consolidating thoughts, refining thinking, etc.
Using appropriate electronic technologies and resources

Best Practices and Teaching Opportunities for COMPOSING the Genre and Text of Narrative Pieces, K-8:

Opportunities to Teach:

Composing the genre

Student, class, and expert created rubrics
Setting purpose
Choosing an appropriate genre type
Applying knowledge of genre conventions
Self assessing the quality, accuracy and relevance of work
Writing from personal experience
Writing from genre-specific prompts
Using the writing process
Using effective plot and text structures
Understanding author�s styles and patterns and replicating them
Using defining characteristics (patterned language, character�s roles, etc.) of a specific genre type to compose own work

Composing the text

Using the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, publishing, presenting
Choosing, analyzing and replicating models
Peer editing with questions
Effective strategies for composing dialogues
Descriptive language, strong vivid verbs, precise nouns, interesting adjective choices, using sharp and memorable details, and specificity of word choice
Alliteration and other types of �sound devices�
Writing with emotion and passion
Purposeful and varied sentence beginnings
Specific and purposeful use of literary devices
Sentence variety, fluency and rhythm
Establishing moods and tones
Playing with figurative language
Trying out and conveying different points of view and perspectives, and imitating authentic voice
Satisfying conclusions
Sequencing, pacing and transitioning
Using models, themes, concepts, purposes and titles to drive writing
Linking conclusions to introductions
Understanding and using grammar, punctuation and terminology to effectively develop and convey ideas
Analyzing problems and posing solutions
Developing leads, introductions, or thesis statements that �hook� the reader
Defining and considering the audience
Structuring and organizing ideas to thread the meaning
Replicating author�s styles and patterns
Applying a variety of strategies to generate text at the whole text, paragraph, and sentence level
Illustrating
Level of formality
Use of first and third person
Developing the narrator
Determining gaps and adding needed information
Writing to help the reader infer the intended message
Determining/developing main versus supporting ideas
Coherence of plot
Word study and origins including specific vocabulary and concepts
Exhibiting and developing a singular style and voice that enhances the written message through effective word choices, punctuation and grammar
Accurately using simple and compound sentences, humor, element of surprise, direct and indirect objects, prepositional phrases, adjectives, common and proper nouns as subjects and objects, pronouns as antecedents, regular and irregular verbs
Slowing down and speeding up the text
Conventions and when, how and why to break them
Using appropriate resources, critical standards and rubrics, and grade level checklists to proofread and edit
Doing substantial writing on their own
Using appropriate electronic technologies and resources

Genres:

The Narrative Genre Definitions Pages are arranged alphabetically. The first section of each of the genre entries gives a multi-grade definition as well as describes the elements of each genre type. Meaningful grade level teaching points aligned to the GLCE have also been identified within the second section of each genre entry. This second section presents grade level tables of bulleted instructional points, skills and processes for reading and writing the specific genre type for each of the levels at which the genre appears in the GLCE. Other points listed represent exemplary instructional points extracted from research on the genre. Educators might choose to address these as they develop related curriculum, assessment, and instruction.

The format for this descriptive section includes specific information organized by the following subheadings:

Definition
Purposes
Characteristics
Grade Level Instructional Scope for Reading (Comprehending)
Grade Level Instructional Scope for Writing (Composing)

Readers should also note that the �characteristics� are subdivided into theme, characters, setting, plot, and author�s craft. In a few cases where the expected pattern (e.g., poetry) did not hold, subheadings needed to be changed or eliminated.

These Genre Pages are designed to deepen our knowledge base and serve as a resource for each genre without prescribing a course of study. Knowing about genre will help English language arts educators align curriculum, instruction and assessment related to genre-related learning and comprehension expectations.

Typical characteristics from across narrative text types have been identified. These suggest best practices for Narrative Genre Study that may not be provided in the specific genre description pages that follow. These genre generalizations should be chosen and differentiated to meet the needs of students. They are designed to be used in conjunction with each of the definitional pages provided for specific text types that follow.

This document provides a reference tool for teachers, who should assess the readiness, maturity, interests and reading levels of students when determining how to teach the genre to groups and individuals. Teachers might consider the strengths as well as the weaknesses of their students when presenting this work or in determining an ideal match between texts and readers or writers.

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