Understanding style video
Duration: 2 minutes 5 seconds
Customer – Mr. Cranna, I'd recognize your style anywhere.
Mr Cranna – Well, why, thank you.
[Mr Cranna looks in mirror]
Mr Cranna – I do have a certain charm about me, don't I?
Customer – Uh, awkward. I wasn't talking about your hairstyle, Mr. Cranna.
Mr Cranna – You weren't?
Customer – No, I was talking about your writing style.
Mr Cranna – My writing style?
Customer – Yeah, I've been reading your latest comic from the school magazine. I could pick up your style anywhere.
Mr Cranna – How?
Customer – Well, your comics have a style that's unique to you. All your character drawings have big faces, crazy hair and sharp teeth. And the words you choose and the way you phrase them are also a style of your own. And your dialogue is super short and snappy. And you do love a good exclamation mark, don't you?
Mr Cranna – Hmm, I suppose I do. It makes the action in my comics move quickly.
Hairdresser – Hey, I write stuff too. My dialogue is super short and snappy.
Customer – Really?
Hairdresser – Yeah, really.
Customer – Let's hear it then.
Hairdresser – Roses are red, violets are blue, onions stink and so does glue. How's that for short and snappy, hey?
Mr Cranna – Uh...
Customer – Sure, it's short and snappy but it doesn't move the action like Mr. Cranna does. You're just tryin' to be funny. You couldn't both have exactly the same style.
Hairdresser – Why not?
Customer – Because everyone is different and our styles are a very personal thing and need to suit our purpose. Sure your styles could be similar because you live in the same place and experience similar social and cultural conditions, but they're unlikely to be exactly the same.
Hairdresser – So writing styles aren't identical but what about hairstyles?
[dramatic trumpet music]
[upbeat synthesiser music]
Customer – (clears throat) Ah!
Hairdresser – I know, right? You love it.
Mr Cranna – Uh.
Customer – No, I don't. I really don't.
[duck quacking]
End of transcript
Teaching style
The concept of style is explicitly taught from Stage 2.
- Prior to introducing style, students should:
- understand that arrangements of words and or images convey information and express feeling and thoughts
- learn that there are possibilities of choice of words
- understand that language and its patterns vary in the different modes and media
- learn that elements of language create effects in particular contexts, modes and media.
- In Stage 2, students should:
- be able to clearly depict the ‘rules’ for the development of a particular style
- understand that a style contains particular words and images specific to a topic
- be exposed to multiple texts in which words, sentences and images are varied for particular purposes
- be exposed to multiple texts in which words, sentences and images are varied for particular audiences
- be exposed to multiple texts in which words, sentences and images are varied for particular effects.
- In Stage 3, students should:
- be exposed to multiple texts whereby the particular styles result from the use of identifiable language features appropriate to each mode and medium
- be exposed to multiple texts to show how the style creates connections between and among texts
- understand how literary devices such as sound, images and figurative language enhances expression
- be exposed to multiple texts from the same composer to show how personal style can be cultivated.
Related resource
Related reading
Please note:
English K-10 Syllabus © 2012 Copyright NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales.
English Textual Concepts and Learning Processes, and Related Syllabus Content © State of New South Wales, Department of Education, 2017 Learning and Teaching Directorate