Procedural Writing Resources for Australian Teachers

Teaching Procedural Writing in Australian Primary Schools

Procedural writing — also called instructional writing — is one of the core text types in the Australian Curriculum. Students learn to write clear, sequenced instructions that tell the reader how to do or make something. From simple recipes in Foundation to detailed science experiments in Year 6, procedural texts are woven through every learning area.

What makes procedural writing distinctive is its real-world purpose. Unlike narrative or persuasive texts, procedures are written to be followed. A well-written procedure lets someone who has never done the task complete it successfully — and that's exactly the standard students should aim for.

This page covers how procedural writing fits into the Australian Curriculum, practical strategies for teaching it at each year level, and ready-to-use resources created by Australian teachers.

Australian primary schools typically teach the following structure for procedural texts. While the complexity increases across year levels, the fundamental framework remains the same.

Title (Goal or Aim)

A clear statement of what the procedure will achieve. For example: "How to Make a Paper Aeroplane", "Growing Bean Seeds", or "Setting Up a Microscope." The title tells the reader exactly what they will be able to do after following the instructions.

Materials or Requirements

A list of everything needed before starting. This might include ingredients, equipment, tools, or resources. Students learn to list materials in order of use and to be specific — "2 cups of plain flour" rather than "some flour."

Steps (Method)

Numbered, sequential instructions that tell the reader exactly what to do. Each step begins with an action verb (imperative) and covers one action only. Steps must be in the correct order — if you swap two steps and the procedure fails, the writing has not done its job.

Diagram or Illustration (Optional)

Many procedural texts include labelled diagrams, photographs, or illustrations to support the written instructions. Students learn that visuals can clarify steps that are difficult to explain in words alone.

Evaluation or Testing (Optional)

Some procedures — particularly science experiments — include a section where the writer explains how to check whether the procedure was successful.

Key Language Features

Procedural texts use specific language conventions that students learn to identify and apply:

• Imperative verbs — commands that begin each step ("Cut", "Measure", "Stir", "Place")
• Time connectives — words that sequence steps ("First", "Next", "Then", "After that", "Finally")
• Specific and technical vocabulary — precise terms relevant to the task ("whisk", "diagonal fold", "incubate")
• Present tense — instructions are written in the timeless present ("Mix the ingredients" not "Mixed the ingredients")
• Adverbs and adverbial phrases — details about how, where, or when to perform each action ("Stir gently", "Cut along the dotted line", "Leave for 24 hours")
• Second person or impersonal voice — "You will need..." or "The mixture is then poured..."

The Australian Curriculum v9 for English includes procedural writing within the Literacy strand, under "Creating texts." Students create procedural texts with increasing sophistication as they progress through primary school. Procedural writing also appears across other learning areas — particularly science (experimental methods), design and technologies (design briefs), and health and PE (rules and instructions).

Foundation and Year 1

Students create simple procedural texts with two or three steps, often as shared writing with the teacher. They learn that instructions need to be in order and that pictures can help explain what to do. Common activities include writing recipes for simple foods (fairy bread, fruit salad), instructions for a game, or steps for a craft activity.

Effective activities at this level include:

• Shared writing of class recipes after a cooking activity
• Sequencing cut-and-paste activities (put the steps in order)
• Drawing and labelling each step of a simple procedure
• Following oral instructions and then writing them down

Year 2 and Year 3

Students write more detailed procedural texts with a clear title, materials list, and numbered steps. They begin using imperative verbs deliberately and include time connectives to sequence their instructions. Year 3 students start writing procedures independently across subjects — science experiments, maths game instructions, and art project directions.

Effective activities at this level include:

• Writing recipes with measured ingredients
• Science experiment write-ups with aim, materials, method, and results
• "How to play..." instructions for a game they have invented
• Peer testing — a partner follows the written procedure to check if it works

Year 4 and Year 5

Students write well-structured procedural texts that include precise vocabulary, detailed steps, and optional diagrams or illustrations. They learn to consider their audience and adjust the level of detail accordingly. Cross-curriculum connections become more explicit — procedural writing is used for design briefs, science reports, and technical instructions.

Effective activities at this level include:

• Writing science experimental methods with variables and controls
• Creating instruction manuals for technology projects
• Writing procedures for younger students (audience awareness)
• Analysing real-world procedural texts (packaging instructions, recipe books, IKEA manuals)

Year 6

Year 6 students write sophisticated procedural texts that demonstrate precise technical vocabulary, complex sentence structures, and awareness of audience needs. They can write extended procedures with sub-steps, safety warnings, and troubleshooting tips. Students critically evaluate procedural texts for clarity and completeness.

Effective activities at this level include:

• Writing multi-stage procedures with sub-steps and alternatives
• Creating technical guides for school equipment or software
• Writing procedures with safety considerations and troubleshooting
• Comparing and evaluating procedural texts for effectiveness

One of the strengths of procedural writing is that it appears naturally across every learning area. Teaching procedures in context — rather than only in English lessons — gives students authentic purposes for their writing and reinforces the text type through repeated practice.

Science

Procedural writing is central to scientific inquiry. Students write experimental methods that include an aim, hypothesis, materials, step-by-step method, results, and conclusion. The Australian Curriculum for Science emphasises planning and conducting investigations from Foundation onwards.

Procedural writing in science teaches students to:

• Write precise, replicable methods that another scientist could follow
• Control variables by specifying quantities, times, and conditions
• Use technical vocabulary specific to their investigation

Design and Technologies

Students write design briefs, production plans, and user instructions for their technology projects. This connects procedural writing to real-world design thinking and project management.

Mathematics

Game instructions, method explanations, and "how I solved it" reflections all use procedural text structure. Students can write procedures for mathematical operations, measurement activities, or data collection.

Health and Physical Education

Rules for games, warm-up routines, healthy recipes, and first aid procedures all provide authentic contexts for procedural writing.

Connecting to Other Text Types

Procedural writing connects naturally to other text types in the Australian Curriculum:

• Information reports — both require precise, factual language and clear organisation
• Narrative writing — narrative procedures (e.g. "how the character escaped") blend storytelling with instruction
• Persuasive writing — students can write persuasive texts arguing why a procedure should be followed ("Why you should recycle")