What is non-fiction?Non-fiction is writing about REAL: - People e.g. President Aquino or Mr. Hardiman - Places e.g. Manila or Tipunan Hall - Ideas e.g. worship or knowledge - Experiences e.g. transition or performing in a concert Non-fiction is classified into three main types of writing: Argumentative, Informational, and Narrative. ArgumentativeArgumentative writing attempts to convince the reader to think about or act on something, or accept a writer’s opinion using evidence for support. InformationalInformational writing presents facts, discusses ideas, or explains a process. e.g. an explanation of cows; how sound waves work; a recipe. NarrativeNarrative writing conveys a real experience. e.g. travel writing. It is important that you engage with non-fiction, and understand how to read and write each type, because it is probable that 80% of your reading outside of school will be non-fiction. Here are some resources that might pique your curiosity or opinion. For the mentor texts we have used for Quick Writes, go to this page. I strongly suggest using a browser extension like clearly or print and pdf to strip away the adverts and other unnecessary additions to the page. The resources below include articles, blogs, essays, images, interviews, letters, reviews, speeches, videos.
One of my favourite sites for thoughtful articles from a biblical worldview is http://thegospelcoalition.org/. www.denizenmag.com is a rich source of material written by TCKs covering all kinds of material. I regularly read a blog by an adult TCK http://communicatingacrossboundariesblog.com/ Email me any other resources that interest you - they may interest someone else too. Let me know if any of the links do not work.
I am categorising the texts in a similar way to this list on the NY Times site. You can also check out the archive page for past articles. ArticlesArticles are fairly short in length (unless they are feature articles), focus on facts, but are written from the bias - or point of view - of the author. Traditionally, they have been found in newspapers, journals or magazines, and encyclopedias. The articles below are from digital sources. Arts, including Media, Literature and WritingNews coverage of the abducted girls in Nigeria Shakespeare's nod to the establishment The relateability of the theatre The stars offer their top ten tips Laura Ingalls Wilder reveals truth behind Little House on the Prairie What saying "I" a lot says about you Ban on Ten Boom's Hiding Place Nearly three quarters of young people prefer print books Deaths at South Korean concert Adorkable words in new Collins dictionary EducationWhy schools are selling their iPads how family games night helps thinking Black children worried about their job prospects Students stage protest over changes to AP curriculum Shelling affects the start of school History, Culture and PoliticsThe importance of doing nothing Why caring about nothing is only for the young 10 theories about how uptalk originated the swimming pool with the long queue 15 myths about the Middle Ages Young Indians and Pakistanis rewrite their history What an ALS family thinks of the bucket challenge Welcome to the billion man slum Prisoners' children "forgotten victims" How Ebola affected Liberia's handshake The country with one people and 1,200 sausages Thousands of under-18s caught drink-driving Truck Drivers talk about crossing the border Modern Day Slavery: the chocolate trade Queen visits ceramic poppy war memorial Deaths on Himalayas continues to rise Why Chinese couples are having their pre-wedding photos in London Puffer Fish Poisons 11 in Brazil More people trafficked for labour Target's response to criticism of its children's clothing Bedroom of WW1 soldier left the way it was in France The people who want their language to disappear Still Paying WW1 debt, 100 years later Are We Raising A Generation of Helpless Kids? Youth Parliament Meeting in House of Commons NumbersReligionWhy the church needs more troublemakers Religious stories and imagination A letter to my church about Islam Satirical knock on Creationists Houston Pastors asked To Turn Over Sermons to Mayor BBC Songs of Praise Changes Format Midweek service attendance up as people too busy for Sundays ScienceLast creator of Navajo WW2 code dies Doctors urge later start times for schools Where does the difference in American and British accents come from? 10 myths about space from Hollywood New invention creates solar energy and fresh water The 20 year old who wants to rid the sea of plastic How sleep affects everything for teens The beach where lego keeps washing up Space Plane Mystery Assignment 100 year old notebook from Scott's expedition found in Antarctic ice SportsHow soccer has helped the homeless in Denmark Qatari women's basketball team banned from games for wearing headscarves Do the NFL's problems start in college? British-Iranian woman sentenced for attending volleyball match Is Winning 100 caps still a big deal? Technology and Social MediaSupermarket mistakenly puts poster meant for staff lounge in shop window Google VP sets new skydive record BlogsBlogs are a relatively new type of writing. While somewhat based on the traditional journal, blogs are intentionally written for a wide public audience. They are a personal expression of the author and can combine all three types of writing. The problem with little white girls (and boys) Taking a Sabbath is not for productivity Dear World: Stop Giving Our Crap To The Poor EssaysEssays are usually medium in length. They are a reflection by the author on a topic they care about (except, perhaps, those ones you are assigned!). They usually reveal something about the author's background or attitudes. Source of essays written by your peers - I cannot vouch for the content.
So You Think You've Met a TCK? ImagesIt's important to understand that images can be "read". The person framing the image (or author) is trying to convey a message or produce a specific response. The saying "a picture is worth a 1000 words" reflects the power of images in achieving this effect. Images have often influenced the public's perception of key historical moments. brain rules 01
InterviewsInterviews are often about the subject's (the person being interviewed) background or knowledge of an area. It is important to notice what tone and attitude the interviewer is using as it can influence they way we read the subject. They may also deliberately influence the subject through emotive language or the way questions are framed. LettersLetters are personal and often reflective. They are addressed to a specific reader (even open letters, but these also have a wider audience in mind), about specific concerns. ReviewsA review is an analysis or appreciation of the quality of something experienced by the author. This might be a film, a book, a restaurant, or an event. The context (where it is published) determines how formal and detailed it is. www.rottentomatoes.com is a great source of myriads of reviews on the same film. http://www.pluggedin.com/ is the Focus on the Family review site. Review of TKAM (recent) SpeechesVideosWhy taking Choir kept me from being Valedictorian (direct from TED website so should be viewable from school)
Advert using Literacy - WARNING - this is an advertisement for whisky. I am NOT endorsing the drink. That is precisely what fascinates me about this ad, and makes it worthwhile to write about: Why is an alcoholic beverage advertising itself through an extensive look at literacy and perseverance? What about the cultural setting?
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