How to teach: English - Chris Curtis 2019
Purpose – facts
How to teach non-fiction
I have mentioned how reductive it can be to narrow texts down according to a single purpose. Every text, to a greater or lesser extent, is persuasive in intent. There might also be shades of advice, explanation and instruction. I find text types and purpose definitions too simplistic. Even gravestones are persuasive texts: they persuade you to consider the person lost.
Learning the difference between fact and opinion is especially important now, given the questionable nature of much of the news we receive. An ability to distinguish between these two elements is one that will reward students in life; consequently, we need to go back to it again and again. They need to be taught how to interrogate facts and opinion and see when writers blend the two or dress the latter as the former. I find teaching the purpose of facts useful. Non-fiction texts often have swathes of facts and spotting these isn’t massively helpful, but spotting their purpose is.
✵ Facts can support or validate the main argument.
✵ Facts can challenge the reader’s opinion.
✵ Facts can be included to shock.
✵ Facts can be included to impress.
✵ Facts can be emotive and create a desired emotion.
In fact, facts (sorry) are rather more versatile than we might immediately imagine and this gives us lots of scope for exploration. Facts are easily visible to students, they often form the backbone of non-fiction texts and their order can be structured for an exact purpose. Why do so many non-fiction texts start with an evocative fact or one designed to shock? It is to provoke a specific reaction from the reader by challenging their assumption of a topic, supporting their way of seeing things or introducing a new way of looking at it.
Each fact can have a different and specific purpose. A fact that challenges a reader’s assumptions is intended to cause conflict and antagonism.
Migrant workers pay more tax than the average UK resident.4
Nothing causes more antagonism than taxes. Add to that the idea that you are possibly not paying enough tax and you have put red flag to bull.
A fact that supports the reader’s view of the world is intended to build a relationship with and connection to the writer. A place of safety, comfort and trust.
Parents now spend less time with their children on average than they did ten years ago.5
Most parents, depending on the child, feel guilty about not spending enough time with their offspring. More so if you are a teacher. But a fact like this connects with the reader because it evokes a shared feeling. A feeling common among parents. This fact reassures that they are not alone. They have a friend.
Facts are clear, transparent, structural and, occasionally, emotive. That’s why non-fiction writers often leave one fact for the very end. A simple highlighter can help you spot the facts. It helps to remind students that a fact or opinion can be conveyed in just a single word or phrase. They don’t just come in little blocks or sentences. They are often blended in to the writing.
From here, students can see the development of the use of facts. Does the text start with a fact? Does it end with one? Facts rarely work on their own. One supports the other. They build on each other to leave the reader with a clear picture or idea. Explore the interconnectivity of the facts and you get to the real purpose of the text.