The Register Continuum

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Taken from Literacy for learning: Australian edition Module 1

Introducing the model of language underpinning literacy in the Australian Curriculum

Context of culture

Context of situation

Language

Genre

Subject matter

GenreWhat is the type text and its purpose?

Subject matterIs the situation everyday or technical?

Roles and relationshipsIs the situation informal or formal?

Roles and relationships

Mode of communicationDoes the situation require more spoken or written like language?

Mode of communication

Register

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What is the text about?

What are the roles and relationships?

How spoken or written is it?

Understanding the register continuum

Taken from Literacy for learning: Australian edition Module 1

everydayconcrete

technical abstract

formalimpersonal

informed

informal personalnovice

most writtengeneralised

language constitutes the text

most spoken‘here-and-now’language accompanying action

3

most spoken-like text most written-like text

everyday vocabulary highly technical vocab informal language of the novice formal language of the expert

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Activities planned in a unit of work

Setting the contextSetting the context

Developing controlDeveloping control

technical/abstract

formal/informedinformal/novice

everyday

Register continuum

writtenspoken

Taken from Literacy for learning: Australian edition Module 3 5

Activities planned in a unit of work

Setting the contextSetting the context

Developing controlDeveloping control

technical/abstract

formal/informedinformal/novice

everyday

Register continuum

writtenspoken

class talk

talking about ‘arguments

reporting to the class

researching their arguments

modelling and text deconstruction

joint construction

writing a discussion

preparing to report to the class

talking about texts

Taken from Literacy for learning: Australian edition Module 3 6

Activities planned in a unit of work

Setting the contextSetting the context

Developing controlDeveloping control

technical/abstract

formal/informedinformal/novice

everyday

Register continuum

writtenspoken

macro-scaffold

micro-scaffold

Taken from Literacy for learning: Australian edition Module 3 7

Activity 1A and B

• You will be given a sheet of paper that has a sample of different texts

• Use a line to match the text with the description of the text

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AnswersText sample Description of textText 1 E: A newsletter article on the puppet making project.

Text 2 A: Writing on the craft of puppetry

Text 3 B: Students recounting what they did in response to the teacher’s questioning.

Text 4 C: Students recounting to the other students the process of making their puppets

Text 5 D: Writing to persuade health care providers of the benefits of puppet therapy

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The Register Continuum

Most spoken --------elements of both spoken and written language--------most written

Here and now shared context distant not shared contextconcrete noun abstract, nominalised nounhuman specific no human agentactive voice passive voiceeveryday vocabulary specialised vocabulary technical vocabularyinformal language formal language

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The Register Continuum

Where would these texts sit along the RegisterContinuum?

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most spoken-like text -------elements of both spoken and written language--------most written-like text

everyday vocabulary highly technical vocab informal language of the novice formal language of the expert

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3 4 1 2 5

What genre is each text?

Genre Text

Written argument Written report Written recount

Spoken recount Spoken recount

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What genre is each text?

Genre Text

Written argument

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Written report

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Written recount 1

Spoken recount

4

Spoken recount

3

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Language features

• Language features demonstrate movement along the Register Continuum.

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T: What are you doing?S1: We’re making two puppets sort of like Punch

and Judy… but nicer.T: That’s good. And how are you making them?S1: Well we’re using this wire and bending it like this. We’ve already done one...and this is the glue for the paper.S2: It’s really messy and hard to get it right...S1: Yeah but we got better at it ...S2: ...and we got rid of the lumps.

Text 3

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Most spoken --------elements of both spoken and written language--------most written

Here and now shared context distant not shared contextconcrete noun abstract, nominalised nounhuman specific no human agentactive voice passive voiceeveryday vocabulary specialised vocabulary technical vocabularyinformal language formal language

X

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The context This is an oral exchange. The context is shared, the teacher and the students are face to face and have the puppets under construction before them.

The sentences The sentences are sometimes incomplete. Pronouns refer to concrete objects and people and sometimes to things outside the text: ‘this’ refers to how the wire is bent in one instance and to the glue a little later. The verb tense changes depending on whether they are talking about something they have already done or are in the process of doing as they speak.

The words The words used are everyday words and quite informal: messy, hard, glue, but nicer, got better, yeah, got rid of

Text 3

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The context This is an oral exchange. The context is shared, the teacher and the students are face to face and have the puppets under construction before them.

The sentences The sentences are sometimes incomplete. Pronouns refer to concrete objects and people and sometimes to things outside the text: ‘this’ refers to how the wire is bent in one instance and to the glue a little later. The verb tense changes depending on whether they are talking about something they have already done or are in the process of doing as they speak.

The words The words used are everyday words and quite informal: messy, hard, glue, but nicer, got better, yeah, got rid of

Text 3

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The context This is an oral exchange. The context is shared, the teacher and the students are face to face and have the puppets under construction before them.

The sentences The sentences are sometimes incomplete. Pronouns refer to concrete objects and people and sometimes to things outside the text: ‘this’ refers to how the wire is bent in one instance and to the glue a little later. The verb tense changes depending on whether they are talking about something they have already done or are in the process of doing as they speak.

The words The words used are everyday words and quite informal: messy, hard, glue, but nicer, got better, yeah, got rid of

Text 3

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The context This is an oral exchange. The context is shared, the teacher and the students are face to face and have the puppets under construction before them.

The sentences The sentences are sometimes incomplete. Pronouns refer to concrete objects and people and sometimes to things outside the text: ‘this’ refers to how the wire is bent in one instance and to the glue a little later. The verb tense changes depending on whether they are talking about something they have already done or are in the process of doing as they speak.

The words The words used are everyday words and quite informal: messy, hard, glue, but nicer, got better, yeah, got rid of

Text 3

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The context This is an oral exchange. The context is shared, the teacher and the students are face to face and have the puppets under construction before them.

The sentences The sentences are sometimes incomplete. Pronouns refer to concrete objects and people and sometimes to things outside the text: ‘this’ refers to how the wire is bent in one instance and to the glue a little later. The verb tense changes depending on whether they are talking about something they have already done or are in the process of doing as they speak.

The words The words used are everyday words and quite informal: messy, hard, glue, but nicer, got better, yeah, got rid of

Text 3

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The context This is an oral exchange. The context is shared, the teacher and the students are face to face and have the puppets under construction before them.

The sentences The sentences are sometimes incomplete. Pronouns refer to concrete objects and people and sometimes to things outside the text: ‘this’ refers to how the wire is bent in one instance and to the glue a little later. The verb tense changes depending on whether they are talking about something they have already done or are in the process of doing as they speak.

The words The words used are everyday words and quite informal: messy, hard, glue, but nicer, got better, yeah, got rid of

Text 3

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Now it’s your turn to have a go at identifying some of the language features that move each sample of writing along the Register Continuum.

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Most spoken --------elements of both spoken and written language--------most written

Here and now shared context distant not shared contextconcrete noun abstract, nominalised nounhuman specific no human agentactive voice passive voiceeveryday vocabulary specialised vocabulary technical vocabularyinformal language formal language

X

Juanita and I decided to make puppets that look something like Punch and Judy. But we didn’t want them to fight as much… just be nicer to each other. We used wire to make a frame and then we covered it with papier mâché to make Punch’s big nose...

Text 4 – Students recounting to other studentsAnswers

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The context This is an oral text, spoke by one person. The context is here and now, as there is no wider introduction about where, when or why the speaker and Juanita made puppets and it is assumed that the audience knows that the rest of the class also made puppets.

The sentences Sentences are mainly simple or compound , and are sometimes fragments rather than complete sentences: But we didn’t want them to fight as much...just be nicer.Past tense of verbs.

The words The vocabulary used is more specific and specialised in naming and describing: wire frame, papier mâché.

Text 4

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Most spoken --------elements of both spoken and written language--------most written

Here and now shared context distant not shared contextconcrete noun abstract, nominalised nounhuman specific no human agentactive voice passive voiceeveryday vocabulary specialised vocabulary technical vocabularyinformal language formal language

X

Mr Davies class made puppets this term. All sorts of puppets were made by the students. They ranged from Punch and Judy to the puppets of Greece, Indonesia and Mexico. A visiting puppeteer helped with the project. The class had to plan, design, construct and use the puppets in a performance...

AnswersText 1 – a newsletter article on the puppet making process

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The context This text is written; it begins with an introduction because the context is not shared.

The sentences Both simple and compound sentences are used. You would expect to see complex sentences in a written report from Year 2 up, so this could be a teaching point for this student.Past tense and passive voice (puppets were made) are used. The event is recounted from a general perspective rather than from 1 student and thus assumes a more formal tone: Mr Davies class, the students

The words Increasingly specialised, topic specific vocabulary is used: puppeteer, construct, Greece, Indonesia, Mexico, construct.Nominalisation is used: performance

Text 1

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Most spoken --------elements of both spoken and written language--------most written

Here and now shared context distant not shared contextconcrete noun abstract, nominalised nounhuman specific no human agentactive voice passive voiceeveryday vocabulary specialised vocabulary technical vocabularyinformal language formal language

X

Puppetry is the theatrical craft of manipulated objects. There are many different varieties of puppets, and they are made of a wide range of materials, depending on their form and intended use. They can vary from very simple hand puppets to elaborate marionettes operated by several people. Puppets are found in many cultures across the world and have a variety of purpose. One of the attractions of puppets is their ability to act as a mouthpiece for marginalised groups...

AnswersText 2 – writing on the craft of puppetry

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The context The text is written. It begins with a definition because the context is not shared.

The sentences There is a range of simple, compound and complex sentences.The text is written in the present tense, the appropriate tense for a report. Passive voice is used to remove the ‘actor’: are made, are found.The author is taking on the role of the expert by using authoritative modality: are, can vary

The words The vocabulary is increasingly specialised: manipulated, varieties, marginalised. Noun groups are expanded: the theatrical craft of manipulated objects, many different varieties of puppets, very simple hand puppets. Many nouns have become abstract through nominalisation: craft, use, attractions, form, purpose, mouthpiece.

Text 2

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Most spoken --------elements of both spoken and written language--------most written

Here and now shared context distant not shared contextconcrete noun abstract, nominalised nounhuman specific no human agentactive voice passive voiceeveryday vocabulary specialised vocabulary technical vocabularyinformal language formal language

X

Although research is sparse on the on the subject of puppet therapy in adults, it appears that it can be an effective intervention for clients with dementia and seems to modify clients’ behaviour in a positive way. These benefits can be attributed to the fact that play comes naturally to patients in a regressive state of mind..... Consideration of the use of puppet therapy with patients suffering from psychiatric disorders is a subject that needs further study...

AnswersText 5 – writing to persuade health care providers of the benefits of puppet therapy

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The context This is a written text, or a text written to be spoken (possibly as an address to heath care providers). This text begins with a thesis and goes on to elaborate this.The context is not shared in that what is being spoken about is not things happening in the here and now.

The sentences Complex sentences and simple sentences with embedded clauses. The text is written in the present tense, the appropriate tense for an argument. Passive voice is used to distance the writer and to give the text authority: can be attributedThe author is taking on the role of the expert by using authoritative modality: it can be, seems to, needs without polarising the argument

The words The vocabulary is quite specialised and technical: intervention, dementia, regressive, psychiatric disorders. Noun groups are expanded: the subject of puppet therapy in adults, a subject that needs further study. Many nouns have become abstract through nominalisation: research, intervention, behaviour, play, consideration.

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As you saw how the texts written about the topic of puppets move along the Register Continuum, the genres students are expected to learn and control as they move through school are also situated along this continuum. The genres that recount, instruct, describe & organise, explain, narrate & react and argue are can be placed along the Register Continuum.

recounting - instructing - describing & organising - explaining - narrating & reacting - arguing

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The register continuum and genre

Implications for the classroom

When setting a writing task designed to give the student opportunity to demonstrate their learning and understanding we need to ask ourselves:

• What sort of a text am I expecting my students to write? (Purpose and hence genre)• What is the structure of the text I am expecting? (Genre)• Which language features am I expecting students to use?(Register)

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Implications for teachers

These questions lead to other important considerations:

• Do the students know what I am expecting?• Do I assume they know what I am expecting?• How can I use the register continuum to highlight the

most effective language choices appropriate to the context?

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What next?

• How can teachers of all learning areas move students along the Register Continuum?

• What do students need to do with and through language?

• Therefore, what do students need to know about language?

• Therefore, what do teachers need to know about language?

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Activities planned in a unit of work

Setting the contextSetting the context

Developing controlDeveloping control

technical/abstract

formal/informedinformal/novice

everyday

Register continuum

writtenspoken

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class talk

talking about ‘arguments’

reporting to the class

researching their arguments

modelling and text deconstruction

joint construction

writing a discussion

preparing to report to the class

talking about texts

Taken from Literacy for learning: Australian edition Module 3 37

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