D. Composition: Expressing Ideas and Creating Texts · Writing with Purpose: Research, Argument, Story and Media

Point of View, Perspectives and Bias in My Own Texts

D2.4 A2.3 A3.2About 50 minutes

Learning goals

I can identify the point of view and the perspectives in my own writing, and notice whose perspectives are missing.
I can find bias in my own texts, such as overgeneralizations, assumptions and loaded words.
I can explain how audiences with different perspectives might interpret my message.
I can revise my writing so it is fair, inclusive and respectful.

Words to know

point of view
The position a text is told or written from: who is speaking and what they think about the topic.

perspective
A way of seeing a topic that comes from a person's experiences, identity and values.

bias
A one-sided view that favours some people or ideas and leaves out or unfairly treats others.

assumption
Something a writer takes for granted as true without checking, such as everyone can afford this.

loaded words
Words with strong positive or negative feelings attached, like whined or heroic.

framing
The way a writer presents a topic (for example in a headline) that shapes how readers think about it.

inclusive language
Words that include and respect everyone, rather than leaving people out or stereotyping them.

Remember from Grade 6

In Grade 6 you identified point of view, perspectives and bias in your writing, removed loaded words and overgeneralizations, added missing perspectives, and predicted how different readers might react.

In Grade 7 you'll dig deeper. You'll find hidden assumptions and framing in your own writing, do a perspective audit, and explain how readers with different perspectives might interpret your message, and why.

A student draft with bias (written for this lesson)

Best. Festival. Ever.
The Riverside Winter Festival is the highlight of the year for every family in town. Who doesn't love racing down the giant toboggan hill, skating to loud music and grabbing a $6 hot chocolate? Normal families go every single night. The only complaints came from a few grumpy seniors who whined about the noise, but they should just stay home. Next year, the festival should be even bigger and louder!

Bias clue	Where in the draft	Why it's a problem
Overgeneralization	every family in town	Not every family goes, or can go.
Assumption	Who doesn't love...? tobogganing, skating, $6 hot chocolate	Assumes everyone can do these activities and afford them.
Loaded, excluding word	Normal families	Suggests that families who don't go every night aren't normal.
Loaded words about a group	grumpy seniors who whined	Insults people instead of describing their concern.
Dismissing a perspective	they should just stay home	Ignores the neighbours' real concern about noise.
Framing	Headline Best. Festival. Ever.	Tells readers what to think before they read any facts.

Finding bias in the draft.

One message, three readers: people with different perspectives can interpret the same text in very different ways.

Worked example

Let's predict how different readers will interpret the draft

Who might read the student newspaper's article, and how might they react?

A teen who loves the festival: agrees and enjoys the energy. The draft speaks to them.
A parent on a tight budget: notices the $6 hot chocolate and normal families go every night. They may feel judged and left out.
A senior who lives beside the park: feels insulted by grumpy and whined, and probably stops reading. Their real concern (noise late at night) is ignored.
A person who uses a wheelchair: notices that every activity described involves a hill or the ice, and may wonder whether the festival includes them.
The festival organizers: get praise but miss useful feedback they could act on.

The writer meant to celebrate the festival, but the bias could make several groups of readers feel excluded or insulted. Writing is read through readers' perspectives, not just the writer's.

Worked example

Let's revise for fairness

Revise the draft so it is still positive but fair and inclusive.

Replace overgeneralizations: every family → many families.
Describe concerns accurately, without insults: grumpy seniors who whined → neighbours who live near the park, many of them seniors, have raised concerns about noise.
Remove the excluding word normal.
Add ideas that include more people: a free family skate, an accessible viewing area, a quieter finish.
Reframe the headline so it is positive but fair.

Riverside Winter Festival: Big Fun, and Room to Grow
For many families in town, the Riverside Winter Festival is a highlight of the year. Tobogganing, skating to music and warming up with hot chocolate drew big crowds this year. Some neighbours who live near the park, many of them seniors, have raised concerns about noise late at night. Next year, the festival could keep the fun and also add a free family skate, an accessible viewing area and a quieter finish after 9 p.m., so that more people in town can enjoy it.

The point of view is still positive about the festival. But now it includes several perspectives and respects readers who see the festival differently.

Four fixes from the revision. The new version is still positive, but it no longer excludes or insults anyone.

Just for fun

Riddle: What word is bigger than a whole town?

Everybody, at least when a writer uses it to mean "me and my friends"!

Inclusive language check

Use families or parents and guardians, not just moms and dads.
Avoid normal to describe people or families.
Describe people the way they describe themselves. If you're unsure, ask, or use sources from that community.
Name specific First Nations, Métis or Inuit communities when you can (for example, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation), and write about them in the present tense as living communities.
Don't assume everyone celebrates the same holidays, eats the same foods or can afford the same things.

Hands-on activity

Perspective hats

You need: a piece of your own writing (an argument, an article or even a long text message), paper strips, tape or clips, a pencil, and two or three family members.

Make paper "hats" (strips) labelled with perspectives, such as a grandparent, someone new to Canada, a younger child, someone who disagrees with me, a person who uses a wheelchair.
Before anyone reads, predict in writing how each "hat" might interpret your text.
Each family member wears a hat and reads (or listens to) your text from that perspective, then says how it makes them feel and what they'd want added or changed.
Compare their reactions with your predictions. What surprised you?
Do a bias check: underline overgeneralizations, assumptions and loaded words. Revise two sentences.

Note: a family member pretending to be someone else can only imagine that perspective. For important topics, the best way to learn about a perspective is to listen to people who really have it.

Your turn

What is the difference between point of view and perspective?

Find the assumption: Over March Break, everyone should take a trip somewhere fun.

Find the loaded words: The lazy council finally woke up and did something useful.

Rewrite fairly: The protesters screamed outside town hall.

How might a student who recently moved to Canada interpret this sentence in a class newsletter: We all know how to play hockey, so the class game will be easy?

What is framing? Give an example.

Make this inclusive: Ask your mom to sign the field trip form.

More practice: warm-up

What does bias mean?

Is some students or all students less likely to be an overgeneralization?

Name a word to avoid when describing families.

True or false: different readers can interpret the same text differently.

Should you write about First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities in the past or present tense?

More practice: on your own

A student's argument for a new skate park mentions only skateboarders' views. Name three missing perspectives.

Two headlines describe the same event: Crowd Swarms Library and Record Turnout at Library Book Sale. Explain the framing of each.

Rewrite without bias: Old people don't understand technology.

You wrote: Lunch should be longer because everyone hates eating fast. How might a lunchroom supervisor interpret this? How could you revise?

Explain why describing a group's concern accurately makes your writing more convincing.

Challenge

Write a short perspective audit for this sentence in a school speech: Our school should celebrate Christmas with a big party because it's everyone's favourite holiday.

Explain why it's important to listen to real people's perspectives rather than only imagining them.

Your article about a new pipeline near a river includes the views of the company and the town council only. Whose perspectives should you add, and how would including them change readers' interpretation?

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which sentence shows an assumption?

Which word is loaded?

Which is the most inclusive?

Why might a senior reader stop reading grumpy seniors who whined?

Which headline is the most neutral?

What is a perspective?

For parents and teachers

Big idea (D2.4): Grade 7 students identify the point of view, perspectives and bias in their own texts, and explain how audiences with different perspectives might interpret their messages. This connects to Strand A: recognizing perspectives and bias (A2.3) and identity and belonging (A3.2).

How to help at home:

When reading the news together, compare two headlines about the same story and talk about framing.
Gently ask: Who might feel left out by this sentence?
Model respectful disagreement: describe the other side's view accurately before giving yours.

Common difficulties:

Not seeing your own bias. It's hard for everyone; that's why we use checklists and test readers.
Thinking fairness means having no opinion. A text can take a clear position and still be fair.
Imagining perspectives instead of asking. Encourage real conversations, with permission.

The festival draft is written for this lesson and is pretend.