Using mentor texts to teach narrative structure

Mentor texts beat abstract rules

You could teach narrative structure as a diagram: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution. Or you could read a brilliant story, mark it up together, and watch students understand narrative the way writers actually use it.

A mentor text is a real, published piece of writing that models what you want students to do. It's a bridge between reading and writing that works because it shows, doesn't just tell.

How to choose a mentor text

Criteria:

• Length: Short enough to read aloud and mark up in one lesson (picture books for primary, short stories or chapter excerpts for secondary)
• Quality: Published and well-written. Students can feel the difference between a "real" story and a textbook example
• Relevance: Characters or settings kids care about, or a technique you want them to try
• Age-appropriate: Engaging without being condescending

For Australian classes, texts like "The Rabbits" by John Marsden, stories from Mem Fox, or excerpts from David Malouf work beautifully. They're connected to kids' reality.

Three ways to use mentor texts

Method 1: Mark it up together (interactive close reading)
Read aloud. Stop and ask: "Where do we meet the character? Where does the problem start? How does the author describe the setting?" Mark these sections with different colours. By the end, you've mapped the whole structure, and it's visual, not abstract.

Method 2: Imitation writing
Use the mentor text as a template. If you've been studying how authors describe fear or excitement, students write their own scene using the same techniques. They're not copying — they're practising with a model.

Method 3: Analyse sentence-level craft
Pick one paragraph. How many sentences? What's the longest? Shortest? Does the author use questions or exclamations? Why? Then students apply those same craft moves to their own work.

Five mentor texts for teaching narrative

Picture books (Primary)
• "Where the Wild Things Are" — character development + fantasy world-building
• "The Rabbits" by John Marsden — perspective + environmental themes

Short stories (Upper primary / Secondary)
• "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson — twist endings + ominous tone
• "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes (excerpt) — character change + emotional arc
• Aboriginal Dreamtime stories — cyclical narrative + cultural context