author's purpose strand teks talk image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Author's purpose and craft: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student uses critical inquiry to analyze the authors' choices and how they influence and communicate meaning within a variety of texts. The student analyzes and applies author's craft purposefully in order to develop his or her own products and performances.

Use a checklist or anecdotal notes during small-group discussion, one-on-one conferences, or learning-center time to keep track of whether the student discusses the characteristics of literary nonfiction. While reading a literary nonfiction text, listen for students’ ability to converse about the characteristics of this type of text. Consider using prompts to assist students.

Examples of adult prompts:

  • This book seems like it is trying to tell us about a real person or event. Do you know what type of text does that?
  • What type of text do you think you are reading? How do you know?
  • What is the purpose of this text? How do you know?
  • What parts of the story make you think it is literary nonfiction? Why?

An observational rubric can be used with the above option.

Sample rubric:
1) The student does not discuss the characteristics of literary nonfiction, even with adult assistance.
2) The student inconsistently discusses the characteristics of literary nonfiction, with adult assistance.
3) The student consistently discusses the characteristics of literary nonfiction, with adult assistance.

Author's purpose is the author’s primary goal in a piece of writing, such as to narrate, argue, review, explain, examine, entertain, persuade, etc.