Expository writing tells all
And it is found everywhere

In school, we often act as if the only writing in the universe were the five-paragraph essay. In fact, almost all written material ordinary people read and write is exposition even though very little of it is in 5-paragraph format.

Memos, e-mails, letters to the editor, notes to Kyle's teacher — all are examples of exposition. So are Kyle's algebra text, your employee manual, and the daily paper.

Each of those forms of writing is an example of nonfiction informative prose. In each case the writing exposes or explains opinions or ideas.

It is non or not fiction because the writers present it as true and believe that it is true. They may be mistaken, but that's a different matter.

Good exposition does for ideas what supermarket tabloids for celebrities' bodies: lays them out where nobody can miss a freckle on them.

There are as many varieties of exposition as there are cereal brands, each with their own patterns of organization. Fortunately, you and I don't have to teach them all or write them all. We can limit ourselves to teaching one that can be adapted to many other uses.

To succeed as a writing teacher, you need to know some basic terminology like nonfiction and essay, mainly so you use lingo with the least chance of confusing students. (Writing is full of terms that can mean different things depending on the context.)

You also need to know a few other things as well:

• An appropriate writing process for teaching expository writing.

• A teachable structure for exposition.

• How to handle writing mechanics issues in written work.

• How to adapt the writing pattern you teach to other uses.

• How to evaluate and grade writing.

• How to use writing to achieve learning objectives other than writing.

Sooner or later, we'll look at every one of those expository writing issues somewhere on this website.