the author’s primary goal in a piece of writing, such as to narrate, to argue, to review, to explain, or to examine

Although common elements can be found across genres, it is important for students to be taught the characteristics, structures, and purposes specific to a particular genre so students are better able to engage with and draw meaning from these texts. For example, students should know that when they read a literary text, the language can be highly figurative, so they need to make inferences to determine the implied meanings of the words. If students do not understand this characteristic of literature, they will likely be unable to determine the author’s purpose or message because they may be reading the words only for their literal meaning.

the organizational pattern or structure authors use to construct and organize ideas for their audience (e.g., cause and effect, problem and solution, description, order of importance)

stories derived from the oldest records of oral and written narratives throughout history (e.g., tales, legends, fairytales, fables, myths, and religious texts)