English · Year 6

Active learning ideas

Mastering 'Show, Don't Tell'

Active learning works for 'Show, Don’t Tell' because students need to practice transforming abstract emotions into concrete details. Moving from passive reading to active rewriting and performing helps them internalise how vivid language creates stronger images in a reader’s mind.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9E6LA06
• AC9E6LY06

• 20–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• RAFT Writing
• 25 min · Pairs

Pairs: Show vs Tell Rewrite

Provide paired excerpts, one showing and one telling the same idea. Partners highlight differences in sensory details and dialogue, then rewrite the telling version collaboratively. Pairs share one revision with the class for quick feedback.

Compare examples of 'showing' versus 'telling' in narrative excerpts.

Facilitation Tip

During the Pairs: Show vs Tell Rewrite, circulate and ask students to point to one concrete detail that changed how they imagined the scene.

What to look for

Provide students with two short paragraphs describing a character's reaction to bad news, one using 'telling' and one using 'showing'. Ask students to write one sentence explaining which paragraph was more effective and why, referencing specific examples from the text.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• RAFT Writing
• 35 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Silent Emotion Scenes

Assign an emotion like fear or joy. Groups brainstorm and write a short scene showing it without naming it, using actions and descriptions. Perform scenes for the class; peers guess the emotion and explain evidence.

Design a scene that conveys fear without using the word 'fear'.

Facilitation Tip

For Small Groups: Silent Emotion Scenes, remind students to use posture, facial expressions, and movement only—no spoken words.

What to look for

Present students with a simple sentence like 'The dog was happy.' Ask them to write three different ways to 'show' the dog's happiness using sensory details or actions. Review responses to gauge understanding of descriptive alternatives.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• RAFT Writing
• 40 min · Small Groups

Whole Class: Critique Carousel

Students post initial drafts on charts. Groups rotate every 5 minutes, reading and adding sticky notes with 'show' suggestions. Return to revise based on collective input and share final versions.

Critique a peer's writing for instances where 'telling' could be transformed into 'showing'.

Facilitation Tip

During the Critique Carousel, provide sentence stems like 'I notice...' to guide feedback and keep discussions focused on observable details.

What to look for

In pairs, students exchange a paragraph they have written that attempts to 'show' an emotion. Each student reads their partner's paragraph and identifies one specific phrase or sentence that effectively 'shows' the emotion. They then suggest one place where 'telling' might still be present and how it could be changed to 'show'.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 04

• RAFT Writing
• 20 min · Individual

Individual: Personal Reflection Edit

Students select a past narrative piece. Apply show techniques to one paragraph, tracking changes in a before-after table. Share one strong example in a class gallery walk.

Compare examples of 'showing' versus 'telling' in narrative excerpts.

What to look for

Provide students with two short paragraphs describing a character's reaction to bad news, one using 'telling' and one using 'showing'. Ask students to write one sentence explaining which paragraph was more effective and why, referencing specific examples from the text.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Experienced teachers approach this topic by modelling how small changes in word choice create big shifts in meaning. Avoid overloading students with theory; instead, let them experiment through short, timed rewrites. Research shows that frequent low-stakes practice builds fluency more effectively than lengthy explanations.

Successful learning looks like students confidently replacing telling phrases with specific details that engage the senses. They should be able to justify their choices by pointing to sensory language, actions, or dialogue in their writing.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Pairs: Show vs Tell Rewrite, watch for students who add long descriptions in place of telling without focusing on impact.

  Prompt students to highlight the most vivid detail in their rewrite and ask: 'Does this detail help your reader feel the emotion, or does it just describe it longer?'

• During Small Groups: Silent Emotion Scenes, watch for students who rely on exaggerated facial expressions instead of subtle body language.

  Model how small, controlled movements (e.g., clenched fists, shallow breathing) can reveal complex emotions without overacting.

• During Critique Carousel, watch for students who dismiss a peer’s writing as 'wrong' if it doesn’t meet their own style preferences.

  Use the activity’s feedback stems to redirect attention to specific language choices, not personal taste.

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Methods used in this brief

• RAFT Writing