Essential Writing Genres Every Student Should Master

Learn the 7 writing genres students need to know and the specific elements that characterize them.

For years, I have seen students struggle with how to begin writing assignments and watched them stare aimlessly at the ceiling waiting for divine inspiration from above in order to respond to dreaded "writing prompts." Year after year, the same tired story starters were used to try to elicit a decent, coherent paragraph, but all we could squeeze out of them were some half-hearted run-on sentences with a fragment or two thrown in. From elementary to middle grades, the results were the same, and I thought there had to be a better way, especially for Title 1 students who so often struggle with basic skills. I knew I had to figure out a way to systematically teach the parts of writing so they could be replicated at any grade level and skill set. Whether you are in a brick and mortar setting, figuring out how to fine-tune your virtual/blended instruction, or a homeschool parent looking for help teaching writing, look no further!

Essential Writing Genres Students Should Master

Writing genres go far beyond the simple fiction and nonfiction categories. Knowing the specific criteria of various genres and sub-genres helps students understand how to write them correctly.

The writing genres that are most important for students to master appear in standards that are repeated from elementary through high school. These genres are static throughout the grade levels, but the required responses increase in degree and complexity based on grade and skill level. The writing genre that students are asked to write early on is the Personal Narrative. This may be the easiest genre to begin with because it is all about the author and meaningful experiences that they have had. Children as young as first or second grade are asked to tell about their favorite place, a happy memory, or what they did over the summer. As students grow older, they are asked to fully explain their experiences and include sensory details, descriptive vocabulary, and figurative language to make the narrative more robust. This is also true of other genres that start out with minimal requirements for very young children and add more complex elements in higher grade levels. The other genres that remain constant throughout the grade levels are explanatory (informational) and persuasive/argumentative. Although the standards may be limited to a few genres that are staples of the writing diet, there are others that students should know and practice in order to become better writers with well-rounded skills. Below are 7 of the most critical writing genres that students should know with the elements that characterize them.

7 Genres with Characterizing Elements

Personal Narrative - True stories about the author's life and experiences.

• Events in which the author changes or learns something

• Can be about memorable events or important places in the author’s life

• Must have descriptive sensory details (highlight the 5 senses - what you see, hear, feel, taste, and/or smell during the experience)

• Creates “voice” by adding words and sentences that show the author’s personality or unique writing

• Can be about early memories, challenging experiences, family members, or before and after a significant life event

Fiction - Stories are make believe utilizing characters AND/OR action (events) that are made up

• Main character has a conflict/problem that gets solved by the end of the story - Something happens (plot) to someone (characters) somewhere in time (setting)

• Things the characters do and things that happen to them drive the plot

• The action follows the 5 parts of plot (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution)

• Can be realistic (plot elements could happen in real life)

• Can be fantasy (plot elements CANNOT happen in real life)

  - Fantasy elements should be based in reality

• Can have elements of science fiction (space, time travel, technology, robots, aliens, mad scientists, etc.)

• Dialogue can be used to enhance character interaction and reveal character or plot information

• Intriguing words and phrases can be used to add humor or interest

• Elements of suspense can be used to make the story exciting

     - Unanswered questions

  - Hints and clues to make the reader think (suggestions)

  - Several possible answers/outcomes (mini mystery)

• Use transition words and phrases to make writing flow and the sequence of events and ideas seamless

• Use strong openings to grab reader attention and strong closings to effectively wrap up plot endings

Expository Nonfiction - Explanation of real topics infused with facts supported by research

• Table of contents (topics covered in the piece)

• Paragraphs that fully explain each of the topics in the table of contents

• Pictures with captions in each section (should be relevant to the topic)

• Text features that visually enhance the information and clarify concepts (headings, sidebars, charts, graphs, maps, diagrams, bold print, etc.)

• Glossary of key or technical terms used in the piece that the reader may be unfamiliar with. These words will be in bold print throughout the piece.

• Bibliography/Reference page to list all the sources where information and facts were obtained

Persuasive - Personal opinions about various topics with facts and details to support opinions

• Generate claims in the form of opinions

• Take notes and organize information

• Add facts and details in the form of reasons to support opinions

• No counterclaim or citations are needed

Argumentative - Essays that support specific claims with reasons and relevant evidence. Counterclaims are addressed along with strong openings that introduce claims and strong conclusions that restate claims and wrap up the essay.

• Take notes and organize information into categories (paraphrase)

• Generate claim, counterclaim, reasons, and evidence

• Research topic using credible sources to find evidence

• Evaluate credibility of sources

• Facts, examples, and quotations to support claims

• Formal tone and style should be maintained

• Citation of sources (in-text and reference/bibliography page)

Poetry - A type of literature, or artistic writing, that attempts to stir a reader's imagination or emotions. The poet does this by carefully choosing and arranging language for its meaning, sound, and rhythm. Types of poems can include:

• Acrostic - Name poem that tells about the word. It uses the letters of the word for the first letter of each line

• Haiku - Traditional Japanese poem consisting of 3 unrhymed lines about nature utilizing specific syllabication of five, seven, and five syllables

• Limerick -  A short humorous poem consisting of five lines. Lines 1, 2, and 5 of a Limerick have seven to ten syllables and rhyme with one another; Lines 3 and 4 have five to seven syllables and also rhyme with each other

• Rhymes - Poems that repeat the same or similar sounds at the end of two or more words most often at the ends of lines

• Free Verse - A form of poetry composed of either rhymed or unrhymed lines that have no set fixed metrical pattern.

• Ode - A lyrical, inspirational verse written in praise of, or dedicated to, someone or something which captures the poet's interest

Functional Writing - A type of nonfiction to inform or explain how something is done using step-by-step directions/instructions. It can also be used to help people with daily living through the creation of various lists, labels, menus, and schedules. Examples include:

• How-to booklets

• Directions for games, projects, reports, and/or assignments

• Recipes and menus

• Assembling/building products

• Signs and Diagrams

• Must have a good grasp of coordinating conjunctions, such as and, but, and or, as well as correlating conjunctions, such as either/or and both

• Must also have a good grasp of modal auxiliaries, such as can, may, and must

So, How Do You Get Kids to Write All Of This? Chunk it!

A key ingredient in teaching each genre is "chunking." Chunking is defined as breaking down difficult concepts into small bite-size chunks to ensure that students are able to digest the instruction and practice replicating the skills in their own writing. These mini skills can be practiced in Quick Writes that take no more than 5-10 minutes. Using great examples of well written pieces as models, students can complete brief writing tasks based on specific skills. For reluctant writers, use a timer to increase writing stamina by starting with 3 minutes for each quick write topic at least 3 days per week. Move to 5 minutes of uninterrupted writing time 3 times per week, and increase time in increments of 3-5 minutes every week with a goal of 30-45 minutes of uninterrupted writing in one sitting. Use good judgment to set age appropriate time goals (the goal for my 6th graders is 30 minutes by mid-year). After students compile several quick writes, they can select one of their "story starters" to take all the way to publication. (Be sure to stress that the steps of the writing process should always be followed to create good writing habits.) This eliminates the blank stare into space as students try to think of what to write because they will have a pool of their own ideas to choose from. Labeling and categorizing each quick write by skill in a writer's notebook is a great way for students to have their ideas at hand, and they can review their quick writes, drafts, and revisions to monitor their growth as writers.

Remember: The 5 Steps of the Writing Process should be observed throughout every genre

Steps of the Writing Process free download.pdf

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The Secret to Success? RUBRICS!

Rubrics are one of the most important ways to help students stay on track when it comes to following the structure of writing genres. A checklist of skills/elements for each genre along with the degree to which they have been completed makes writers aware of the "success criteria" for the genre and is an excellent way for students to evaluate their own performance. If you're not familiar with using or making rubrics, there are several free programs that can help in creating them. Two of my favorites are Rubric Maker and Quick Rubric which are fantastic templates that also allow you to print and store a bank of all the rubrics you create. Rubrics can be used to guide student practice of each skill in addition to the final published product. I always make sure that students are completing quick writes, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing with their unit rubric handy so they can check to make sure they are including all of the required elements as they are working. The ability to constantly check the rubric as they are working increases their confidence level and ensures that they are not in the dark or guessing about what they are writing.

Get Inspired!

If students feel comfortable with the chunks, they will gain confidence in the genre. You can effectively teach the chunks by utilizing a systematic approach to break down the parts into easy-to-follow steps. You can do this!  Start with these easy to follow, complete lessons for Personal Narrative and Fiction genres. Elements that are foundational to every genre will become habitual as they gain mastery. Before long, students that struggled to write for 5 uninterrupted minutes will beg for more time when the timer goes off!

Check out these resources to get started!