Reading and Writing Skills

Grade 11/12 • Unit 1: Text as a Connected Discourse

LESSON 1.1
Definition and Purposes of a Discourse
Table of Contents
Introduction 1

Objectives 2

DepEd Competency 2

Warm-Up 2

Learn about It 3
Defining Discourse 3
Purposes of Discourse 4
Analyzing Discourse 5

Key Points 6

Check Your Understanding 6

Let’s Step Up! 7

Photo Credits 8

Bibliography 8
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Grade 11 /12• Unit 1: Text as a Connected Discourse

Lesson 1.1
Definition and Purposes of a Discourse

Fig. 1. Discourse holds different definitions across different disciplines.

Introduction
You have probably read or seen a recipe, a literary critique, or a diary entry before. These
are all different types of texts, but they are all examples of a discourse. You will know more
about the definition and purposes of discourse in this lesson.

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Grade 11 /12• Unit 1: Text as a Connected Discourse

Objectives
In this lesson, you should be able to:
● Identify the nature and purpose of a discourse.
● Differentiate between the types of discourses.

DepEd Competency
This lesson serves as a prerequisite or enrichment for the following DepEd
competency:
● The learner describes a written text as connected discourse
(EN11/12RWS-IIIa-1).

Warm-Up
Procedure
1. With a partner, go to the library and read about discourse.
2. Focus on the nature and purposes of discourse. You have exactly 25 minutes to
conduct a short research and take down notes.
3. Write your notes in the left column of the table below. Reread your notes and sum
them up in the right column. Do not forget to cite your source(s).
4. Present your work in front of the class.

Data Table
Table 1. Sample note table

Notes Summary

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Grade 11 /12• Unit 1: Text as a Connected Discourse

Guide Questions
1. What is the most interesting thing you learned about discourse from your research?
2. What misconceptions about discourse do you have in the past and have now been
corrected through your research?

Learn about It
A text, such as a recipe or a literary critique, which has distinct features and purpose, is a
piece of discourse.

Vocabulary
propel (verb) cause to move to a particular direction

bring about or to cause the occurrence of a feeling or

provoke (verb)
an action

comprehensive
complete and includes everything necessary
(adjective)

subjective modified or affected by personal views, experience, or

(adjective) background

distinct
having a distinguishing or unique characteristic
(adjective)

Essential Question
What is the importance of knowing the nature and purposes of a
discourse?

Defining Discourse
The term discourse comes from the word discursus. In medieval Latin, it means “argument,”

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Grade 11 /12• Unit 1: Text as a Connected Discourse

and in late Latin, it means “conversation.” Some texts indeed are in the form of discussion in
which writers express their opinions. Other texts are like a conversation because the writers
talk to the readers.

A discourse is usually a formal and often lengthy discussion of a topic, where concepts and
insights are arranged in an organized and logical manner. It is often associated with speech,
but it may also be written. It usually serves as a writer’s or a scholar’s analysis of a concept
or theory proposed by another writer.

However, discourse may also refer to how language is used to convey meanings or propel
action or provoke a specific response. Informal, everyday conversations or texts may also
be considered discourse.

One example of discourse is the critique. This piece of writing states a writer’s opinion about
the good and the bad parts of another piece of writing or a work of art. Its language is
formal, and its ideas are arranged in an organized and logical manner.

Diary entries can also be considered a discourse. A diary is a daily record of someone’s
personal experiences and thoughts. By reading every entry in a diary, we get a sense of the
writer’s character or values.

Texts like a literary critique or a diary entry are written with a purpose. Thus, the discourse
has purposes.

Purposes of Discourse
The three main purposes of discourse are to inform, to persuade, and to entertain.

1. To inform
A discourse that aims to inform provides a descriptive and comprehensive discussion
on the topic. It points out what one should know about a topic or subject.

2. To persuade

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A discourse that aims to persuade tries to convince others to do something or

believe a particular point of view.

3. To entertain
A discourse that aims to amuse provides a source of entertainment for its readers.

Analyzing Discourse
Analyzing discourse is usually contextual. The reader tries to consider several factors that
may have influenced the writer to make certain claims. Those factors explain the author’s
biases, philosophy, and educational and professional backgrounds, among others. Below
are three of those factors.

1. Culture
The beliefs, customs, attitudes, language, and other things that define culture may
influence the author’s perspective on several issues. Knowing about the culture the
author belongs to may help the reader understand his or her biases.

2. Social environment
The author’s physical surroundings and social relationships, as well as the culture of
the time, may have influenced his or her writing. For instance, during the early 20th
century, most writers produced works that were classified as “modern” because of its
distinct feature: stream of consciousness.

3. Experiences
Personal accounts or firsthand experience of events, though subjective, establish
credibility and reliability of information presented in any discourse.

Let’s Check In
Explain one purpose of discourse and give three examples of texts with
this purpose.

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Grade 11 /12• Unit 1: Text as a Connected Discourse

Key Points

● Discourse refers to how language is used to convey meanings, propel action, or

provoke a specific response.
● Discourse may be both formal and informal.
● The three main purposes of discourse are to inform, to persuade, and to entertain.
● Discourse should be analyzed within a certain context.
● Factors that may influence the analysis of discourse include culture, social
environment, and experiences.

Check Your Understanding

Fill in the blanks to complete the statements.

1. Discourse originates from the word discursus, which means ____________ in late
Latin.
2. Discourse is often associated with _____________, but it may also be written.
3. ______________ is a piece of writing which states a writer’s opinion about the good
and the bad parts of another piece of writing or a work of art.
4. Discourse that aims to _______________ provides a descriptive and comprehensive
discussion on a topic.
5. A discourse that aims to ______________ tries to convince others to do something or
believe a particular point of view.
6. A discourse that aims to amuse provides a source of ________________ for its readers.
7. _______________ is a factor in analyzing discourse which includes beliefs, customs,

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attitudes, and language of a group of people.

8. _________________ establish credibility and reliability of information presented in any
discourse.
9. Discourse usually serves as a writer’s or a scholar’s _____________ of a concept or
theory proposed by another writer.
10. Discourse refers to how _________________ is used to convey meanings or to propel
action or provoke a specific response.

Let’s Step Up!

Read and analyze Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Write an essay with 300 to
500 words about the discourse and its purpose on a piece of paper. Think of a title
for your work.

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Photo Credits

Fig 1. Glasses Reading Book anapaula_feriani is licensed under Pixabay License via Pixabay.

Bibliography

“Discourse.” Literary Devices. 2016. Accessed August 31, 2018.

http://literarydevices.net/discourse/.

“Discourse (Language).” About.com Education. 2015. Accessed August 31, 2018.

http://grammar.about.com/od/d/g/discourseterm.htm.

Hadley, Gregory S. “Written Discourse Analysis: Investigation and Implications.” Accessed

August 31, 2018.
https://web.archive.org/web/20180806081905/http://www.nuis.ac.jp/~hadley/publica
tion/nuwritnanlysis/writtenanalysis.htm.

Nordquist, Richard. “Expressive Discourse (Composition).” About.com Education. 2016.

Accessed August 31, 2018.
http://grammar.about.com/od/e/g/Expressive-Discourse.htm.

“What Is Meant by Discourse Analysis?” Universiteit Gent. 2010. Accessed August 31, 2018.
http://www.english.ugent.be/da.