Text types

Text types

In senior high school, when you learn English, you will find many texts which some of them may make you confused. (Notice this! I am pretty sure that some of you are still confused when your teacher asks you to write explanation, exposition, or recount text. True story…). So you will need to know how to identify and write different text types.

            Each of text types has different purpose, generic structures, and language features. For you who are still not familiar with these term, let me help you! 

Purpose is the reason for the text is made.

Generic structure is the way in which a text is constructed to suit its purpose. For example, an informal letter is different in construction to that of an official report.

Language features is simply grammars you can find in the certain text.

Now let’s begin to learn the text type!

Report

Reports classify or describe something. Reports begin with a general statement which introduces the topic. In the description, facts (parts, qualities, habits and behaviors of the subject) may be described. When writing reports you will need to:

• use technical terms, for example: comb, threshing, drum

• write in simple present tense, for example: harvest, cuts.

This text is an example of a report.  It is labeled to show you the structure and language features of a report text.

Recount

Recounts tell the reader what happened. They retell a past event. Recounts begin by telling the reader who was involved, what happened, where this event took place and when it happened. This is called the orientation. The sequence of events is then described in some sort of order, for example: time. There may be a reorientation at the end which summarizes the event. When writing recounts you should:

• focus on individual people, for example: use the words, I or we
• use words which indicate when ( for example: after lunch) and where the events     took place (eg in the shed)
• write in the past tense, for example: had, visited
• use action words , for example: helped, crutched.

The following is an example of a recount. The labels show you the rtructure and language features of a recount text.

Procedure

Procedures help us do a task or make something. They can be a set of instructions or directions, for example step by step method to germinate seeds. The text below is an example of a procedure. The labels show the structure and language features of procedure text. Procedures begin by outlining an aim or goal. Sometimes there is a list of the materials and equipment needed.  The steps are then listed in order.

When writing procedures you should:

• use present tense, for example: spray
• include technical terms when you need to for example:  friable
• use words that tell the reader how, when and where to perform the task for example: fill, firmly.

Explanation

Explanation texts explain how or why things happen for example: how acid soil affects farm productivity.

Explanation begins by identifying the phenomenon (thing) that will be explained. (Phenomenon identification.) Then there is an explanation sequence which explains how things work.When writing explanations use:

• general nouns, for example:  nutrients.
• technical terms (often used), for example:  pH, acid
• present tense, for example: provide
• • words that show cause and effect, for example:  if.

An example of an explanation is shown here.

Exposition

There are two kinds of exposition we know: analytical exposition and hortatory exposition.  Here we try to learn analytical exposition. Exposition argues on a point of view. Expositions can be in the form of an essay or a letter to the editor. An exposition begins with a thesis. There is a statement of position and a preview of the arguments. Each argument to support your point of view is outlined. The thesis is reinforced in the final paragraph, the reiteration. When writing an exposition you should:

• focus on groups not individuals , for example:  pests
• use present tense, for example:  affects
• use words to link arguments, for example:  lastly.

Below is an example of analytical exposition.

Well students, I will give you other texts on the next post, ok? If you have something to ask, I'll be at school from 6.60 to 15.30. ;-)
See you around!

I am a teacher, and I am proud of it!

An Ideal Teacher

Prophet Muhammad is the examples of those great teachers who changed the world and still, their teachings are affecting people throughout the world. Of course, he was not easily accepted in their society in the beginning. It took years for him to struggle. Yet he succeeded to survive and able to enlighten people with what he shared: knowledge. This acknowledges us that to be a teacher is in fact a great responsibility and he should try to possess the qualities of such great people though he knows, it is not an easy job to do.
Besides having fabulous and fine knowledge at least in his discipline, which is in my opinion this is a core provision a teacher must have, he also must have great moral values because he is one being followed by the students. He must not make himself to stay with his lectures and study stuff only but he must also play a vital role in students’ counseling. He must make his personality friendly and polite so that students do not give another thought to the idea of sharing something regarding studies or daily life problems. For instance, providing constant care and being a good listener for the students’ concern are the keys.
A teacher should be able to communicate well. Good mastery in knowledge will mean nothing without good delivery. Many college teachers can be taken as examples for this matter, and this goes to the fact that their students get nothing from him. Only a few college teachers, that so far I only met one, who are eager to take care of the students, pay attention to the students’ concern, be fully tolerable, and even, which I am remarkably amazed, eager to take notes in the student’s seminar only for the student’s interest.
There are so many small and big things that must be considered while being a great teacher as a great teacher gets too much love and respect by whole society. However, that illustration above is just the ideal characteristics of a good teacher. For me, what is more important is that a teacher must have something special. That something which differs him from other good teachers, something that will motivate and encourage his students to be distinctive and acquire more character.
The fact is, many of Indonesian teachers only know how to teach. They never think of other things beyond their responsibility to teach. In fact, being a good example for the students is a part of education as well. To my opinion, being a good, distinctive teacher is how to get myself to write well.


Teacher as a Writer 
 
Everyone must be able to write. Although a person indirectly writes by dictating what he is thinking to another person, he is a real writer, because it is he who has the idea and pours it into the written form. It is not the person, who is dictated to write, is the real writer.
Everyone can write. What makes it different is only about the fact that he can make a good or bad writing. What makes an article good or bad is the way it is delivered. The method of delivery also varies according to the material /content of the writing, the intended reader group, and the era. The way of writing a literary work is, of course, different from a work on fish farming. How to write for young readers and for adult readers must also be different. The demands of the times demand different ways of delivery as well. Besides, each author must have a different way of writing.
Among writers, there is a teacher, lecturer and storyteller, which means, all writers are teachers. However, not all teachers are writers. Someone, who composes books, is a teacher for those who read it. The materials and the ideas he advances or ideas contained in the book that he writes is a lesson to its readers, no matter what the theme is. On the contrary, not all teachers can be writers because most teachers, especially in Indonesia, are only to convey what’s in the book, which is actually the work of others’, so that the real teacher for students is the author of the textbook while the teacher in the classroom just explains or convey what is in it.
A writer is someone who certainly has the hobby of reading, and that someone certainly has extensive knowledge and loves to seek new information. As a good writer, he would take more and more references to be included in a work, ro that it betters the quality of the work. The better the references the better the quality will be, he will think. More references make the work better, the high quantity of references can also bring the writer to look at a material from various directions and points of view, and of course this will create a work to be objective.
A good teacher is, of course, a good writer. Someone will be able to explain a work better than others when it is his own work, because he is an expert in that field and really understands the contents. Because he really understands the content of his work, then he will be good in front of his students. However, most teachers simply explain what they understand in a textbook without knowing the real meaning or purpose of the author. This is what will make the teacher lake of understanding and the make students more and more confused,
As an example, take the course of a junior high school history book, A study of early humans. This lesson explains that there was a man, similar to a monkey, who later evolved over millions of years and eventually became a human, like us today. Using evidences, such as fossils and scientific computations, evolutionary scientists argued that we were descended from apes. That theory had been believed by us until recently the theory is successfully refuted by scientists who argue that humans are not descended from apes. All theories about the evolution theory turns out to be “approximation” and even the originator of this theory, Charles Darwin, actually admitted that he was not so sure about this theory. One by one, fossil findings, reinforcing the theory of evolution, have been proven wrong, where most of the fossils are hoaxes and engineered by attaching a few bones of apes and pigs to cover the shortage of the fossils. Early human fossils found are actually just a type of ape fossils that has been extinct. the theory of evolution finally becomes the laughingstock of the whole world.
The fact that a book about ancient human history and the lessons are still taught in schools today remains there, however. If the teacher who teaches the history of this subject still discusses this, and he is not up to date with new knowledge, he will teach ancient humans blindly to his disciples, and this will cause new errors to the students. This is what I mean by not understanding about what is taught.
However, a teacher who is also a writer will understand if something goes wrong in what he teaches, because a teacher, who is also an author, has a lot of information, especially about what he’s learned and taught. A history teacher, who is also an author, has more information about the history than a history teacher who is not a writer. An English teacher who is also a writer in English will have a higher capacity than a teacher who just sticks on a book he uses to teach in the classroom.
By writing, a person will be required to have a lot of information about what he Teaches, because he will be prosecuted to the accountability of what he has written for any errors. By having a lot of information related to what he writes, the writer will be able to minimize the mistakes he makes in his writing. Thus, this author at least has owned a lot of information about what he writes and teaches.
The teacher who is also a writer will be able to explain many things related to what he teaches and is able to explain clearly to students from various points of view. Such teachers will be able to master the class and of course able to control the students. He will be able to explain with his own language, which is flexible and not rigid. Teachers will also be able to explain the material in with fun and certainly with different methods from the methods used by a teacher who is not a writer. Of course this way will be more effective in delivering lessons to students.

"God doesn't exist": Are You Sure?

Professor : You are a Christian, aren’t you, son ?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, you believe in GOD ?

Student : Absolutely, sir.

Professor : Is GOD good ?

Student : Sure.

Professor: Is GOD all powerful ?

Student : Yes.

Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to GOD to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn’t. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent.)

Professor: You can’t answer, can you ? Let’s start again, young fella. Is GOD good?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Is satan good ?

Student : No.

Professor: Where does satan come from ?

Student : From … GOD …

Professor: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?

Student : Yes.

Professor: So who created evil ?

(Student did not answer.)

Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don’t they?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, who created them ?

(Student had no answer.)

Professor: Science says you have 5 Senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen GOD?

Student : No, sir.

Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your GOD?

Student : No , sir.

Professor: Have you ever felt your GOD, tasted your GOD, smelt your GOD? Have you ever had any sensory perception of GOD for that matter?

Student : No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.

Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student : Yes.

Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.

Professor: Yes, faith. And that is the problem Science has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Professor: Yes.

Student : And is there such a thing as cold?

Professor: Yes.

Student : No, sir. There isn’t.

(The lecture theater became very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don’t have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There was pin-drop silence in the lecture theater.)

Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?

Student : You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light. But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it is, well you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?

Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man ?

Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Professor: Flawed ? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good GOD and a bad GOD. You are viewing the concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can’t even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.

Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going.)

Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor. Are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?

(The class was in uproar.)

Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?

(The class broke out into laughter. )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Professor: I guess you’ll have to take them on faith, son.

Student : That is it sir … Exactly ! The link between man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.

P.S.

I believe you have enjoyed the conversation. And if so, you’ll probably want your friends / colleagues to enjoy the same, won’t you?

Forward this to increase their knowledge … or FAITH.

By the way, that student was EINSTEIN.

Taken from: Facebook's post by Muhammad Sendi Siradj