ABSTRACT
Writing, like reading, forms an integral part of all curriculum areas in any classroom.
As coaches of our teams of writers, we are ever mindful of the purpose for writing, and
the most appropriate form that will serve that purpose. We can find textbooks which
list suggested writing functions and forms. Many teachers have been diligent in their
attempts to teach ‘coverage’ and expose their students to the ‘range of genres’ listed
in these textbooks. This can be at the expense of helping our students see the real pur-
pose for writing, and can result in teachers and students getting bored with the pre-
scribed structure and features of a particular genre being ‘taught’ for weeks on end.
