Narrative Composition, Purpose and Types for SS 1

Class: SS 1
Term: Second Term
Week: 1
Age: 15 years
Duration: 60 minutes
Subject: English Language
Curriculum Theme: Writing
Focal competence: Narrating personal experience appropriately
Key competencies/values: Communication; ICT and Digital Competencies; Digital Competencies; Entrepreneurship; Critical Thinking; Collaboration
Skills:

• Reading summarizing texts

Previous Lesson: Summary Writing, Central Ideas, Removing Minor Details and Concise Expression
Topic: Narrative Composition
Subject Matter: Meaning, Purpose and Types of Narrative Composition, Meaning and purpose of narrative composition, types of narrative composition

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• define narrative composition;
• explain the purpose of narrative composition;
• identify the types of narrative composition.

Affective Domain

• appreciate the role of narrative in communication;
• participate actively in group discussions on narrative samples.

Psychomotor Domain

• read and discuss samples of narrative compositions;
• distinguish between different types of narrative compositions.

Social Domain

• collaborate effectively in group activities to analyse narrative texts.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 New Revised Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• New Oxford Secondary English Course for Senior Secondary Schools 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work For The New Revised Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Course books
• Sample narrative compositions (e.g., short stories, news articles, personal anecdotes)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Projector (if available) for displaying samples
• Internet access (if available) for additional examples

Rationale for the Lesson

Understanding narrative composition is fundamental to effective communication, as stories are a primary way humans share experiences and information. This lesson equips students with the skills to comprehend and create coherent narratives, which is essential for academic writing, creative expression, and interpreting various forms of media. It also fosters critical thinking and communication skills necessary for everyday life.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have a basic understanding of sentence structure, paragraph development, and general comprehension skills in English Language.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Narrative Composition

Meaning of Narrative Composition

Narrative composition is a piece of writing that tells a story. It recounts a sequence of events, real or imagined, involving characters in a specific setting. The primary goal is to engage the reader by presenting a series of connected incidents that lead to a particular outcome or message.

Purpose of Narrative Composition

The main purposes of narrative composition include:

1. To Entertain: Many narratives, especially fictional ones, are written to amuse and engage the reader through interesting plots and characters.
2. To Inform: Narratives can convey information, such as in news reports, historical accounts, or biographies, by presenting facts in a story format.
3. To Teach a Moral Lesson: Fables, parables, and some short stories often aim to impart moral values or life lessons.
4. To Persuade: Narratives can be used to influence a reader’s opinion or action by presenting a situation or experience that supports a particular viewpoint.
5. To Express Personal Experience: Autobiographies, memoirs, and personal essays allow writers to share their own experiences, thoughts, and feelings.

Types of Narrative Composition

Narrative compositions can be broadly categorised into two main types:

1. Factual Narratives: These are stories based on real events, people, and experiences. They aim to present truth and often rely on research and verifiable information.

   Examples include:

   1. Autobiographies (a story of a person’s life written by that person)
   2. Biographies (a story of a person’s life written by someone else)
   3. Historical accounts (descriptions of past events)
   4. News reports (accounts of current events)
   5. Memoirs (recollections of specific events or periods in a person’s life)
2. Fictional Narratives: These are stories that are products of the writer’s imagination. While they may draw inspiration from reality, the characters, events, and settings are invented.

   Examples include:

   1. Short stories
   2. Novels
   3. Fables (short stories with animals as characters, conveying a moral)
   4. Myths (traditional stories explaining natural or social phenomena)
   5. Legends (traditional stories often based on historical figures or events, but with elements of fantasy)
   6. Folktales (traditional stories passed down orally)

Features of Narrative Composition

Effective narrative compositions typically possess the following features:

1. Plot: The sequence of events in the story, including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
2. Characters: The individuals or entities involved in the story, who drive the plot and experience the events.
3. Setting: The time and place where the story unfolds, which can significantly influence the mood and events.
4. Conflict: The central problem or struggle that the characters face, which propels the narrative forward.
5. Point of View: The perspective from which the story is told (e.g., first person “I”, third person “he/she/they”).
6. Theme: The underlying message, idea, or moral that the story conveys.

Structure of Narrative Composition

A well-structured narrative composition generally follows a clear pattern:

1. Beginning (Introduction): This section introduces the setting, main characters, and often the initial situation or conflict. It aims to hook the reader’s attention.
2. Middle (Development): This is the main body of the story where the plot unfolds. It includes the rising action, where the conflict intensifies, leading to the climax—the turning point of the story.
3. Ending (Conclusion): This section provides the falling action, where events wind down after the climax, and the resolution, where the conflict is resolved, and the story concludes.

Language of Narrative Composition

The language used in narrative composition is crucial for engaging the reader. Key aspects include:

1. Descriptive Language: Use of vivid adjectives, adverbs, and sensory details to create clear images and immerse the reader in the story.
2. Figurative Language: Employing literary devices like similes, metaphors, personification, and imagery to add depth and evoke emotions.
3. Dialogue: Realistic conversations between characters that reveal personality, advance the plot, and break up long paragraphs.
4. Sequence Connectors: Words and phrases that show the order of events (e.g., “first,” “then,” “afterwards,” “meanwhile,” “finally”) to ensure smooth flow.
5. Varied Sentence Structure: A mix of simple, compound, and complex sentences to maintain reader interest and rhythm.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Group Work, Question and Answer, Guided Practice, Reading and Analysis

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Engagement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them to share a short personal experience or a story they recently heard or read. The teacher then links these stories to the concept of narrative.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils share short stories or experiences and listen attentively.

Learning Point: Introduction to narrative

Step 2: Meaning of Narrative Composition

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the meaning of narrative composition, defining it as a story that tells a sequence of events involving characters in a setting. The teacher provides simple examples.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, ask questions, and contribute to the definition.

Learning Point: Definition of narrative composition

Step 3: Purpose of Narrative Composition

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Elaboration/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses the various purposes of narrative composition, such as to entertain, inform, teach a moral lesson, persuade, or express personal experience. The teacher provides examples for each purpose.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify and discuss the purposes, providing their own examples.

Learning Point: Purposes of narratives

Step 4: Types of Narrative Composition

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Classification/Categorisation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the two main types of narrative composition: factual and fictional. The teacher explains the difference and gives examples for each type (e.g., autobiography vs. short story).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, differentiate between types, and list examples.

Learning Point: Factual and fictional narratives

Step 5: Features of Narrative Composition

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Analysis/Identification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides students to identify and discuss the key features of narrative composition: plot, characters, setting, conflict, point of view, and theme. The teacher uses a simple narrative sample to illustrate these features.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify features in sample narratives and discuss their roles.

Learning Point: Key narrative features

Step 6: Structure and Language of Narrative Composition

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Analysis/Application

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher divides students into groups. Each group receives a different sample narrative composition. The teacher instructs them to read the sample and discuss its structure (beginning, middle, end) and language use (descriptive words, dialogue, sequence connectors).

Pupils’ Activity: Groups read, discuss, and report their findings on structure and language of their assigned samples.

Learning Point: Narrative structure and language

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is narrative composition?
2. Mention two purposes of narrative composition.
3. Differentiate between factual and fictional narratives.
4. List three features of a good narrative.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding narrative concepts

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on the meaning, purpose, types, features, structure, and language of narrative composition into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the main points of the lesson, reinforcing the importance of narrative composition in everyday communication and writing. The teacher encourages students to pay attention to narratives around them.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and ask any final questions.

Learning Point: Narrative composition importance

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework/Practice Exercise

Instruction: Answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. Write a short paragraph defining narrative composition in your own words.
2. Identify and explain two different purposes for writing a narrative.
3. Give two examples of factual narratives and two examples of fictional narratives.
4. Choose a short story you have read and identify its main characters, setting, and a central conflict.
5. Write a short narrative (about 100-150 words) about a memorable event from your last holiday, ensuring it has a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Lesson Keywords

• Narrative – A story or account of events or experiences.
• Composition – A piece of writing.
• Factual – Based on facts; real.
• Fictional – Imaginary; not real.
• Plot – The sequence of events in a story.
• Characters – The people or animals in a story.
• Setting – The time and place of a story.
• Purpose – The reason for which something is done or created.

Differentiation

For students who need additional support, the teacher can provide simpler narrative samples and sentence starters for their discussions and writing tasks. For advanced learners, the teacher can challenge them to analyse more complex narrative structures or to create a narrative incorporating specific literary devices.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding of narrative composition, students can search on YouTube for: narrative composition for SS1 English Language