1. The Big Issue
L/O Feature article techniques

2. what do you know?
• What do you know more about than anyone?

3. Why did we do that?
• Writing about what you know will make your
article more interesting, informative and well
written.
• Writing about something you care about will
make your audience care about it too.

4. Sharing ideas
• There are many techniques used by writers to
share the information. Today we will learn
about 8 techniques.

5. • Anecdotes
• Vignettes
• Flashbacks
• Comparisons/contrasts

6. Anecdotes
• an·ec·dote
• [an-ik-doht] Show IPA
• noun, plural an·ec·dotes or for 2, an·ec·do·ta [
an-ik-doh-tuh] Show
IPA .1.a short account of a particular incident
or event, especially of an interesting or amusi
ng nature.
• 2.a short, obscure historical or biographical ac
count.

7. Vignette
• A “sketch” in words or pictures. Can be used
to set the scene in an article or to ‘profile’ a
character/person.

8. Flashbacks
• A sudden change in time. Referring to
something that happened in the past.

9. Comparison/contrast
• Comparing and contrasting one topic, person
or item with another for effect.

10. Practice
• Read through one of the articles.
• Look for any/all of these four techniques.
.

11. Train your skill – 10/15 mins
• Extension: Write a short piece including any/all of the
four techniques
Ideas:
1. you are interviewing a celebrity, write a vignette to
set the scene (describe the person and place.
2. You are writing an article about school. Start with a
flashback of schools in ‘the old days’
3. Choose a topic you know something about and have
experience of. Start by telling a short amusing
anecdote.
4. Choose your favorite sports team. Compare them
with a team at the opposite end of the table/league

12. 4 more
• Snapshot – description of how something
looks
• Foreshadow – Predictions about the future
• Quote – direct quote of something said.
• Facts – useful and relevant facts related to the
topic.
-Read another article, look for the techniques.

13. Plenary
• How useful was today’s lesson?
• What would you like to learn next?
• Exit pass – name a technique, type of article
or weekly word to leave the classroom.