Genre Features Toolkit

WIDA Key Language Uses across SS & LA

Genre Features Toolkit
Four key language uses. Features, frames, and how they show up in social studies and language arts.
Narrate
Features
  • Sequenced events, time markers
  • Past tense, action verbs
  • Characters / actors with motives
Sentence frames
First, ___. Then, ___.Before ___, the ___ had ___.As a result, ___.
Where it shows up
SSCauses-and-events of a war, immigrant story
LAPersonal narrative, short story sequence
Inform
Features
  • Categories, definitions, classification
  • Present tense, generic noun phrases
  • Headings, bullet structure
Sentence frames
A ___ is a kind of ___.There are three types of ___ : ___, ___, and ___.For example, ___.
Where it shows up
SSBranches of government, types of economies
LAInformational article, character profile
Explain
Features
  • Cause-effect connectors
  • Subordinate clauses (because, since, so that)
  • Process language (first, next, finally)
Sentence frames
___ happened because ___.One reason ___ is that ___.This led to ___, which then ___.
Where it shows up
SSWhy a revolution started, how a bill becomes law
LAWhy a character changed, theme analysis
Argue
Features
  • Claim + evidence + reasoning
  • Hedging language (likely, suggests)
  • Counterclaim acknowledgement
Sentence frames
I claim that ___ because ___.The evidence shows ___.Although some say ___, in fact ___.
Where it shows up
SSDBQ essay, policy debate, court case analysis
LALiterary analysis, persuasive essay