Instructional Design - Exposition

Exposition Writing is to put forward a position on or an understanding of a subject matter and to provide the supporting explanation, argument or evidence. In the context of school Physics, the position is usually a judgment, i.e. it can be objectively assessed to be correct or incorrect by applying knowledge of science.

Teaching Plan

Level Secondary 6
Period 80 min
Topics Including various topics in a revision setting
Key points Teaching Activities Learning & Teaching Materials

To identify the features (judgment, explanation) of Q requiring Exposition writing.
(15 min)
  • S Task 1: Given a sample question (requiring Exposition answer), students to identify which of four other questions is/are of the 'same' type (i.e. with similar features
  • T guides S to point out what content the Q requires the answer (judgment and explanation)

Definition of Exposition genre
(15 min)
  • Introduce the structure of Exposition based on findings in task 1.
  • Use the Ocean Park / Disneyland preference Q to consolidate what the Q and the answer of Exposition writing is like (the two element: Position and Explanation).

Exposition and DSE questions: structure and language features of Exposition writing and those of related Q in DSE: "position" precedes "argument"
(20 min)
  • Point out Exposition as a genre often appeared in DSE papers.
  • Examine an example of Exposition writing in DSE, illustrating the Q wording and the answer as Exposition writing.
  • Illustrate Q wording by more sample Qs requiring an Exposition answer.
  • Discuss words usually employed in different steps of Exposition.
  • Alert S the steps of writing is opposite to the steps of deliberating for the answer, and why presenting in this order.

Systematic approach in tackling Exposition Q: the Backward Reasoning approach
(20 minutes)
  • S Task 2: In each Q, to identify the subject matter to make judgment on.
  • Introduce the 3 steps of Backward Reasoning approach to tackle Q requiring Exposition writing;
  • Using the example in Key Point #3 above (Source: 2012 DSE 1B Q1c), T demonstrates how to conduct Backward Reasoning to arrive at a judgment.
  • Reminds S their understanding in Physics is essential in performing the reasoning. (understanding of Exposition genre does not help in this regard.

Practice in Backward Reasoning and Exposition writing
(20 min)
  • Distribute "Points to note" to S
  • S Task 3: for each of the questions, practice Backward Reasoning to arrive a judgment on the subject matter , and write the final answer as Exposition writing.

Note: i) may be done as group work so that S can help each other learning at this early stage.