When teaching students how to write non-fiction texts, you need to cover the precise conventions of the form as well as helping them to understand purpose and audience. You'll find step-by-step resources to introduce KS3 students to the fundamentals of writing feature articles, information leaflets, persuasive speeches, essays or letters, as well as targeted exam practice resources for year 11s.
Exam practice and support for year 11s with writing non-fiction texts
Revising non-fiction text types is perfect for current year 11s, and covers the basics of all five text types for AQA GCSE English Language, and AQA English Language Paper 2 language tasks combines a speech and newspaper or magazine article task on a theme close to students' hearts – whether music helps when studying.
Similarly, Transactional writing exam practice covers the text types in the Edexcel GCSE English Language specification, with a helpful paragraph planning structure students could use again and again. Non-fiction dice game is also useful for revision and helps students to consider their intended audience. All these resources include exam-style tasks which could easily be adapted for any exam spec, and are perfect for revision lesson planning.
Writing a letter
Recipe for a formal letter gives a useful outline of all the key elements in a letter, while A formal letter of complaint helps English students to think about the most appropriate language choices.
Should we use slang? is a discussion activity with a formal letter writing task – a complete oracy lesson with targeted exam practice, and provides a useful opportunity to discuss appropriate register and vocabulary choices with students.
Rat 'o burger is a fun letter writing task based on a 'There's a rat in my burger!' complaint. Students read and annotate a model letter of complaint, and then plan and write a placatory, persuasive response from the restaurant. Perfect for younger students or as a cover lesson.
Writing a speech
With KS3 students, you might like to try a new worksheet, Speech analysis practice: Greta Thunberg, which uses a helpful acronym to guide students through the key persuasive and rhetorical features of the text. Comparing persuasive speeches explores the persuasive devices in speeches by former President Barack Obama and Smithy from Gavin and Stacey, with surprising similarities between the two speakers!
How to write and deliver a speech, does exactly what it says it will, with detailed advice and a checklist for students.
Writing an article, leaflet or essay
Writing a feature article is a popular planning resource for newspaper articles, while Writing tasks: letters and leaflets AQA GCSE Paper 2 revision is useful for exam preparation. For KS3, Producing an information leaflet walks learners through the key steps for their own writing.
How to build an essay is useful introduction to planning a formal essay and the writing process, focused on AQA English Language GCSE English Language Paper 2, question 5, and uses a sample essay question on gender and equality.
And if you are looking for more resources, try our Writing non-fiction collection for hundreds of classroom-ready resources and lesson ideas. For fiction writing and creative writing skills, try our Writing fiction collection.
This article was first published as an Editor's pick newsletter in March 2022.
