New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

Summarising a non-fiction text: 'a letter to my son' (the Guardian, 2014)

I can show understanding of a non-fiction text by summarising it, as well as exploring the writer’s use of direct address.

New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

Summarising a non-fiction text: 'a letter to my son' (the Guardian, 2014)

I can show understanding of a non-fiction text by summarising it, as well as exploring the writer’s use of direct address.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. An open letter is written to a particular person or group but published so that the public can read it.
  2. A summary captures the main ideas of a text in a short and clear format.
  3. When writing a summary of a text, it can be helpful to include short quotations.
  4. You can develop your summary by including inferences; inferences explore a text’s suggested ideas.
  5. Direct address sees a writer directly address their audience, often using pronouns like “you”, “we”, or “us”.

Common misconception

The pronoun "you" is the only example of direct address.

Direct address is any way in which a writer directly addresses their audience. This could be a title, name or term.

Keywords

  • Open letter - a letter written to a particular person or group but which is published in a newspaper or journal so the public can read it

  • Discourse marker - a word or phrase which helps structure writing or talk, for example: first, then, finally

  • Infer - in relation to a text, to come to understand a text’s suggested ideas

  • Suggest - to hint, or imply

  • Direct address - when a writer directly addresses their audience, often using pronouns like “you”, “we”, or “us”

The second learning cycle will take the most time as it sees pupils write a developed summary of the open letter. Consider how long your pupils will need for this task, and work out the rest of the lesson's timings from there.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need access to a copy of 'A letter to...My son, who is a drug addict', an anonymous letter published in the Guardian in 2014. There is a link to this letter in the slide deck/additional materials.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of mental health issues

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these text types are examples of non-fiction? (Non-fiction: crime and punishment)
novels
Correct answer: letters
Correct answer: newspaper articles
Correct answer: reviews
Correct answer: adverts
Q2.
Match each word to its definition. (Non-fiction: crime and punishment)
Correct Answer:inferring,to come to understand a text’s suggested ideas

to come to understand a text’s suggested ideas

Correct Answer:analysing,to comment on a writer’s methods

to comment on a writer’s methods

Correct Answer:summarising,to express a text’s main ideas

to express a text’s main ideas

Q3.
Which of these words and phrases are examples of discourse markers? (Non-fiction: crime and punishment)
Correct answer: Then
Correct answer: However
Correct answer: In addition
I infer
The quotation suggests
Q4.
Which of these are synonyms for infer? (Non-fiction: crime and punishment)
Correct answer: deduce
Correct answer: figure out
analyse
summarise
read
Q5.
Match each of these words to their definitions. (Non-fiction: crime and punishment)
Correct Answer:vivid,very clear

very clear

Correct Answer:turbulence,violent or unsteady movement in air or water

violent or unsteady movement in air or water

Correct Answer:jaded,bored, lacking in enthusiasm

bored, lacking in enthusiasm

Correct Answer:embraced,hugged

hugged

Correct Answer:gaunt,extremely thin

extremely thin

Q6.
Which of these sentences uses the word turbulence, or its forms, correctly? (Non-fiction: crime and punishment)
The ferry crossing was completely calm, with turbulence throughout.
Correct answer: We had quite a turbulent relationship, not always getting on and often fighting.
The plane turbulented all the way to America.
The constant turbulence made the flight very relaxing.
Correct answer: The country has quite a turbulent history, with periods of violence.

6 Questions

Q1.
Match each word to its definition. (Non-fiction: crime and punishment)
Correct Answer:article,a piece of writing, often included in a newspaper

a piece of writing, often included in a newspaper

Correct Answer:open letter ,written to a person/group but published so the public can read it

written to a person/group but published so the public can read it

Correct Answer:biography,an account of someone’s life written by someone else

an account of someone’s life written by someone else

Correct Answer:non-fiction ,writing that is factual

writing that is factual

Correct Answer:extract ,a short section of a longer bit of text

a short section of a longer bit of text

Q2.
What is true of an open letter? (Non-fiction: crime and punishment)
They are intended for a private audience.
They are a synonym for an article.
Correct answer: They are addressed to a person or group.
Correct answer: They are intended for a public audience.
Correct answer: They are published with the writer’s consent.
Q3.
is when a writer speaks to or acknowledges their audience, often using pronouns like “you”, “we”, or “us” (Non-fiction: crime and punishment).
Correct Answer: direct address
Q4.
An is a letter written to a particular person or group but which is published in a newspaper or journal so the public can read it (Non-fiction: crime and punishment).
Correct Answer: open letter
Q5.
Which of these are examples of direct address? (Non-fiction: crime and punishment)
Correct answer: We need you to join our company!
Please help my son.
Correct answer: Darling daughter, we are so proud of you.
Correct answer: I need one person here to help me today.
I can’t wait to meet her!
Q6.
Which of these sentences uses the word jaded correctly? (Non-fiction: crime and punishment)
Correct answer: Sometimes, after reading the newspaper, I have a jaded worldview.
I woke up feeling excited and jaded about the new day.
She jaded me, so I didn’t get to see the football match.
I ate so much jaded food for lunch; it was disgusting.
Correct answer: After being a plumber, she felt pretty jaded about the leaks in her own home.

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