ELA100: English, Language and Literacy in Education 1

Weeks 4 and 5: Discourse & Grammar

Intro
A: Genre and text cohesion
B: Clauses and parts of speech
C: Adjectival and Adverbial phrases
Key Vocab: ensure you have both a DECLARATIVE and a PROCEDURAL knowledge of these
terms
Ie what it is and how to do it
Discourse
Cataphora
Adjective
Discourse analysis
exophora
Noun
Genre
Conjunction (co-ordinating
Verb
Cohesion
and sub-ordinating)
Adverb
Reference
Orientation
Subject
Substitution
Complication
Ellipsis
Clause
Anaphora
Phrase

Discourse
Summary of Chapter 5 of the set text: Emmitt, M., Zbaracki, M., Komesaroff, L., & Pollock, J.
(2015). Discourse analysis/text linguistics. In M. Emmitt, M. Zbaracki, L. Komesaroff, & J.
Pollock. Language and Learning: An introduction to teaching. Melbourne: Oxford.

Language is much more than isolated sounds/letters, words or sentence. Sentences are organised into texts or
discourses. Discourse is "a group of sentences related in some sequential manner." (Emmitt, Zbaracki,
Komesaroff & Pollock, 2015, p. 322)

Discourse analysis relates to "the study or analysis of the structure of discourse." (Emmitt, Zbaracki,
Komesaroff & Pollock, 2015, p. 322)

Writing is more than a string of sentences and how we often need the surrounding sentences to make meaning.
That is, they are more easily read when embedded in connected discourse.

Genre refers to different text types. The most common uses genres in primary schools include narrative,
recount, procedure or instructional, explanation, information report, and argument or persuasive exposition
(Derewianka, 1991). This chapter includes some examples of a range of text types from primary school
students. There are similarities and differences in purpose and structure and particular details of a range of
genres or text types. It is important to recognise the different ways these genres are written and be able to
select the appropriate genre for your purpose. This short clip simply examines the elements of some common
genre types you might meet in primary school - Understanding text types https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=TzMMJkD6xGw

Genre: describes a type of written, spoken or visual text, used

for particular purposes and in particular contexts
Key Genres in Primary School Writing: Literary (to entertain) and Expository (to
inform)
How many can you think of? Which ones would be engaging and meaningful to do with
your students?
What genres (or text types) are you most familiar with?
Recount: to retell something thats happened

Orientation: when and where it happened and who was there

Sequence of Events: tells about what happened in the order they happened

Ending: tells how the experience ended and gives a personal opinion of events
In a personal recount there is the use of verbs, describing events and sentence joining words like after, then, next
and that.
Narrative: to tell a story of a real or imagined event

Orientation

Complication

Resolution
Procedure

Goal

Materials

Steps
Information Report

Introduction

Body broken down into categories with sub-headings

Conclusion
Persuasion

State position

Give reasons and examples

Re-state position and offer recommendation

Text cohesion
refers to how the text 'hangs together'. View this clip on how to write with coherence and cohesion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43AlGwz1Aq0

There are five

types of cohesive ties: reference, substitution, ellipsis,

conjunction, and lexical cohesion (see page 153). As teachers, we need to know about the
various structures and features of different texts. We must ensure that our students are exposed to a range of
texts and have opportunity to discuss and experiment with them.

Reference:
Anaphora:
backward reference to something thats been mentioned before: My sisters on the phone.
She says she needs the drill that she lent us.
Cataphora:
forward reference to something that will be mentioned: Send your reply to the following
address.
Exophora:
in group reference to a shared context outside of the text: The principal is going to Darwin
tomorrow.
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Ellipsis:
Omission of words on the assumption the listener/reader will supply them:
Id rather talk to someone on the phone than send them an email. Wouldnt you? (rather talk
to someone on the phone . . . )

Conjunctions
(used to show how ideas are connected as well as to do GRAMMATICAL work joining
clauses)
Co-ordinating conjunctions : connect two main/independent clauses. There are 7!
F or
A nd
N or
B but
Or
Y et
So

e.g.
Al did poorly on her bike test so she had to book a re-test.
Al did poorly on her bike test but she was expecting it.

Sub-ordinating conjunctions/dependent marker word: connects a

subordinate/dependent clause to a main/independent clause.
after
although
as
because
before
even if
even though
if
in order that

once
provided that
rather than
since
so that
than
that
though
unless

until
When
whenever
where
whereas
wherever
whether
while
why

e.g.
After LaToya sneezed all over the tuna salad,
Juanita made some soup.
He is always quite sleepy until he has his first
cup of coffee.

Independent Marker Word: a connecting word used at the beginning of an independent

clause.
also
Consequently
Furthermore
However
Moreover
Nevertheless
therefore

Jane studied at home for the Language quiz. However, it was hard to concentrate because
of the interruptions.

Task: Analyse the examples of student writing below. Using the table (p 136-137 or Emmitt et al) determine the genre
and different structural features of the samples. Look out for cohesive ties

Shared Understandings
Reading 2: 'Cognitive linguistics and discourse analysis', Chapter 11 (pp. 170-182) from Lee, David
2001, Cognitive

linguistics: An introduction, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

This reading discusses an interesting example of miscommunication between different generations within the same
family. Read para 3 p 171, Terms involving . . .; then from para 3p172 onwards The central couple . . . to 175.
As you read this, you might consider whether this sort of miscommunication is any different than that between people
from different cultures, or indeed whether one might want to think of different generations as having their own
cultures.
Note that this reading uses the word frames to refer to the sort of shared understandings discussed in the previous
topic

Adjusting your language for others: Can you give an example of exactly how you
adjusted the wording of something you said or wrote to make it easier for someone to
understand?
What kinds of shared understandings need to be created in a classroom to ensure
miscommunication is avoided?
Can you think of times at LACEC when shared understandings have not been
established (have perhaps been taken for granted

Organising Sentences: Grammar

Basics
Grammar is the set of structural rules that govern how we compose clauses,
phrases and words in a language
What do you know about grammar?
What are you worried about with grammar?
How best do you think students (adult or school age) best learn about grammar
Reading 1: Winch, G, and Blaxell, G, Primary Grammar Handbook, 2007, VIC: Oxford
UP.

Have a go at using SQ3R for this text. Some questions to look out for answers are . . .

What is a sentence? And what is the difference between a simple, compound and complex sentence?

What is a clause?

What is a phrase?

A clause usually has a single main verb and a subject that does the verb. A sentence is made up of one or more clauses. A simple sentence is a
sentence that contains just one clause, for example 'I washed the car.'

Noun/Adjectival phrases tell 'who' or 'what'. In the example in chapter 11, 'The teacher gave the little girl a lovely present', there are three noun
phrases (1) 'the teacher' tells who gave the present, (2) 'the little girl' tells who received it, and (3) 'a lovely present' tells what was given.
The subject is the noun phrase that tells 'who' or 'what' does the action of the verb. In the example above, the subject is the teacher as the teacher
is doing the giving.
Adverbial phrases and clauses answer questions such as 'when', 'where', 'how', 'why' and so on. They always describe a verb, an adjective or
another adverb. They are often adjectives with ly added to them, but they are also words like yes, no, maybe, how, why, there, and then, which
tell more about what is happening.

The parts of a clause:

Before we worry too much at a word level, lets look at the job group of words do in a sentence

Who or what?

Here is an example
night.

Doing what?

Doing it when, where, why or how?

Those two big dogs from next door were barking loudly last
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First divide it up like this: Those two big dogs from next door / were barking / loudly / last night.
Then fill in the following table, like this:
Group type

Actual group

Question answered

noun group

Those two big dogs from next door

What?

verb group

were barking

Doing what?

adverbial

loudly

How?

adverbial

last night

When?

1.

Tomorrow morning my mother arrives by plane.

Constituent type

Actual constituent

Question answered

adverbial 1
noun group
verb group

Does what?

adverbial 2

2.

The new blanket is now on the bed in the guest room.

Constituent type

Actual constituent

Question answered

noun group
verb group

Does what?

adverbial 1
adverbial 2

3.

Suddenly my poor friend could see the serious error in his ways.

Constituent type

Actual constituent

Question answered

adverbial
noun group 1
verb group

Do what?

noun group 2

4.

Quickly she hid the money in the cookie jar that was sitting on the counter.

Constituent type

Actual constituent

Question answered

adverbial 1
noun group 1
verb group

Did what?

noun group 2
adverbial 2

Now have a go at this Adverbial Phrases and Clauses Quiz:

http://www.mcwdn.org/adverb/adverbclausesquiz/adverbclausesquiz.html
Remember a
A

phrase is a group of words that has no finite verb: by the lake, to have a rest

clause is a group of words that has a subject and a finite verb:

a finite verb has to have a subject and shows the tense

grass grows

Non finite verbs

Verbs used as nouns (gerunds, usually ing without an auxiliary verb is or

has)
Infinitives (preceded by to)
Verbs used as adjectives (participles, often ing or ed endings the rising
sun/the risen sun)

He likes painting and wants to paint the painted

fence
Painting: a gerund (note ing ending)
To paint: infinitive
Painted: adjective telling us about the fence
Likes/wants: the finite verbs here

Heres a quiz that breaks the complex sentence up for you already,
then asks you to identify the Subordinate Clause:
Remember that a good way to identify a subordinate clause is to see if it begins with a
subordinating conjuction . . .
http://www.softschools.com/quizzes/grammar/identifying_subordinate_dependent_clauses/quiz
3637.html

Teaching Grammar in Primary Schools:

Additional readings: Pick one of these practical readings on teaching grammar in primary
school.

Which one did you pick and why?

How did you pick?
How might you use it in your thinking about learning about language and teaching it?

Reading 3:
Robinson-Kooi, S. (2013). Essential knowledge and practical activities for teaching grammar in the
Australian Curriculum: English. Practically Primary 18(3), 12-16.
http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.cdu.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=200140;res=AEIPT
Reading 4
Herbert, B. (2012). Grammar games: A practical guide to teaching grammar in context. Practically Primary, 17(1),
21-24. http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.cdu.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=796455965199850;res=IELHSS
Reading 5:
Daniels, M. (2010). Word-painting: The colouring of grammar. Practically Primary, 15(3), 3841. http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.cdu.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=184147;res=AEIPT
Reading 6:
Exley, B. & Wilson, G. (2012). Knowing about the English language: A wrinkle in time. Practically Primary, 17(1), 48. http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.cdu.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=796288268458526;res=IELHSS

Assignment 1: Quiz 2:
Review your work on Discourse and Intro to Grammar: Do grammar exercises from school/online quizzes
about the grammar topics covered if you feel you need more practice

Assignment 2: Preparation
Revisit the video clip youre using for your assignment. What can you add to your report.

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Can you write a paragraph on shared understandings? Or on the types of word groups that are used in the
interaction youre examining?
Do you have any reflections on your own currently language use and future goals to add to that section of
your report?

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