Delphi module

8.2.2
Text types

It is important to expose learners to a variety of text types, from different sources and written in different registers, since, once they leave the language classroom, they are going to be confronted by all kinds of authentic language via a variety of media, such as radio, TV, Internet, films, newspapers, brochures, notices, correspondence, handbooks, instructions, etc, etc. There are numerous ways in which to classify texts (eg by purpose or function, by situation, by degree of formality, and so on). You may find it useful to refer to the following categorization:

TEXT CATEGORY	FUNCTION	LINGUISTIC CHARACTERISTICS	TEXT TYPES
Conversational	developing or maintaining social contact exchanging views, ideas expressing emotion, preference	dominance of first and second person forms informal lexis and phraseology	postcards personal letters e-mails conversations in stories and novels
Descriptive	providing information on locations, events, personalities engaging in poetic expression describing in literary texts	richly varied vocabulary complex syntax with embedded clauses, prepositional phrases, etc previous button	certain adverts brochures prospectuses literary prose poetry biography
Informative	conveying straightforward factual material reporting news presenting geographical accounts giving instructions	uncomplicated syntax lots of passive and impersonal expressions subject-specific lexis sometimes technical	short newspaper items articles instructions brochures formal letters newspaper adverts
Narrative	giving a personal, fictional or historical account conveying a sequence of events and a progression within time	varied use of tenses high incidence of past tenses adverbial expressions of time conjunctions clauses conveying temporal relationships	anecdotes stories fiction commentary on event (eg sports) agony column 'faits divers'
Persuasive or opinionative	influencing others altering the conduct of reader advertising debating	abstract vocabulary sentence structure expressing hypothesis or supposition high incidence of subjunctive and conditional forms	opinion columns leader articles letters to the editor publicity propaganda political manifestos

Figure 8.1 Text types
(Adapted from French Study Group, 1981: 10-11 & 61)

Using a checklist such as this can be helpful in ensuring syllabus design is sufficiently broad, covers a range of text types and exposes learners to a variety of structures, styles and functions.