Amber Hanson
#SEACCR
Week 3 Blog
Essential Question: What
have others learned about my question?
Action Research
Question:
How do I use non-fiction text to assist students in
learning?
Do You Want to Know
What I Learned? Using Informational Trade Books as Models to Teach Text
Structure.
Read, S., Reutzel, D. D., &
Fawson, P. (2008). Do You Want to Know What I Learned? Using Informational
Trade Books as Models to Teach Text Structure. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(3), 213-219. doi:10.1007/s10643-008-0273-0
This
article consisted of a study on how learning text structure is an “effective
strategy for promoting expository text comprehension”. After the study was concluded it was
evident that, “teaching young children the text structure found in expository
texts is not only possible, but also quite effective in improving
comprehension, as measured by asking questions, summarizing, and retelling. In addition to the study, the authors
provided multiple examples of high quality informational texts that could help
aid in the instruction of four main text structures; description/list (main
idea & details), cause and effect, comparison/contrast and order/list. It
also provided an example of an explicit text structure lesson plan for teaching
order/sequence text structure, using informational text.
How is this relevant
to my AR question?
This article focuses on
using information text as a means to understanding textual structure. Although the four main text structures
that were focused upon in the study can be taught through the use of fiction,
it was concluded that by providing students with the opportunity to explore
non-fiction text could effectively teach the same concepts. In an effort to incorporate more
non-fictional text within my classroom, it’s great to know and get resources in
which I can use within my classroom to help aid in the transition of our new
Alaska State Standards. The lesson
example provided seemed basic and almost intuitive, and yet I had never thought
of trying it before. I look
forward to using the resources provided, as well as implementing the
order/sequence lesson plan to my class within this next year.
Incorporating
Informational Texts in Primary Grades: A Research-Based Rationale, Practical
Strategies, and Two Teachers’ Experiences
Calo, K. (2011). Incorporating
Informational Texts in the Primary Grades: A Research-Based Rationale,
Practical Strategies, and Two Teachers' Experiences. Early Childhood Education
Journal, 39(4), 291-295.
This article describes how two teachers, one from an
affluent suburb of a major city, and the other from a high-poverty urban
school, incorporate the use of informational text within their classroom to
help “engage their students, to provide children with opportunities to learn
about the world around them, and to immerse them in literacy learning.” Both teachers talked about the
importance of exposing students to their own world, nonfiction text allows for
this to happen. As children progress through the grade levels it becomes
increasingly more important for them to be able to read and write informational
things. Teaching this to students
at a young age not only helps academically, but also helps them to know that
they can have an opinion on the world. This article also discusses how teaching
students about different informational text structures help scaffold their
comprehension. By explicitly teaching/using nonfictional text within the
classroom students begin to understand that you don’t just get information from
words, but “also from pictures, graphs, charts, diagrams, heading, captions,
and labels.”. Nonfiction not only aids in bridging literacy and other content
areas, but also makes learning significant and interesting to its readers. In addition to providing it’s readers
with examples on how nonfiction can be incorporated within the classroom, it
also provides a list of examples of quality informational text, as well as a
list of several instructional strategies that can be used. These examples include; shared reading,
shared writing, guided reading, independent writing, researching, and
independent reading. Lastly, and a biggie, this article provides information
about grants that they can pursue to find funding for such resources
discussed.
How is this relevant
to my AR question?
This article provides a real
look into two different classrooms, and how they incorporate the use of
nonfictional text within the classroom.
Both teachers discussed the importance of involving students within their
own world, using informational text as an avenue. By including nonfictional text within the classroom teachers
are able to help make connections between what they are learning and their own
world around them. Using these
types of text can also help bridge the gap between reading and writing, as well
as between literacy and the content areas.
Common Core: Fact vs.
Fiction
Greene, K. (2012). Common Core:
Fact vs. Fiction. Instructor, 122(2), 23-24.
This article begins by explaining the importance of
non-fictional text. It explains
that despite the ever-growing research on the benefits of informational text, a
large majority of primary schools spend most of their instructional time on
fiction. It is noted that about 90
percent of what most adults read is informational text, therefore an obvious
shift in how we teach literacy, especially in the primary grades, needs to
change. Recently most states have
adopted the Common Core Standards. Although Alaska is not one of those states,
our states new standards basically mirror the CC in most ways. This article
explains what is meant by the term ‘informational text’. Informational text is synonymous with
nonfiction. It includes
historical, scientific and technical texts that provide students will factual
information about the world. In
addition to these three categories, biographies and autobiographies are also
considered a form of informational text. In addition to the above categories,
informational text also encompasses directions, forms, and information
containing charts, graphs, maps and digital resources. This new shift in
literacy education calls more ‘in the text’ not ‘out of the text’ questions.
Students will be expected to uncover evidence from the text to support their
answers.
How is this relevant
to my AR question?
Throughout
my research I have found several articles that gave ideas on how to incorporate
nonfiction texts throughout all content areas. This text however benefitted me in a different way. When I originally read the term
‘informational text’, I figured it was basically the same as nonfiction (which
it is). I had never though, however, what types of texts/categories the term
‘informational texts’ actually covered. By knowing all these categories now, I
am better able to visualize what types of texts I can include in certain
subject areas while still meeting the 50:50 requirement of fiction vs.
nonfiction. This text made me realize that I didn’t actually know what types of
texts actually fell under the category of nonfiction. This will definitely be noted as I progress with my Action
Research question.
Focus on the Facts:
Using Informational Texts Effectively in Early Elementary Classrooms
Hall, K., & Sabey, B. (2007).
Focus on the Facts: Using Informational Texts Effectively in Early Elementary
Classrooms. Early Childhood Education
Journal, 35(3), 261-268.
doi:10.1007/s10643-007-0187-2
This article is a great resource to help teachers anticipate
difficulties students may have while reading informational texts, and what can
be done with help. Difficulties associated with helping young children learn to
comprehend information text include: (1) increase in unfamiliar and
content-specific vocabulary, (2) use of new and unknown text structures, and (3)
increase in heading/subheading, captions, and graphics. The article then continues on with
explaining why it’s important to address these problems, and how to alleviate
the difficulties students will have with them. To help alleviate the headache of approaching unfamiliar
vocabulary, several different instructional practices to address vocabulary
needs are introduced, these strategies include; considerations to what
vocabulary words you’ll choose to focus on, as well as the methods and
activities you choose to teach them with.
Difficulty 2 focuses on text structure and how to use new and unknown
text structure throughout reading and writing. This article suggested a few strategies teachers could use
to help including; defining concepts related to each structure, teaching
methods such as the use of word clues, and explicitly teach how to organize
information through the use of graphic organizers. Difficulty 3 addressed the unique text features students
will encounter while reading nonfictional text. These text features may include; heading, subheading,
captions, graphics, charts, diagrams, graphs…etc. Some instructional strategies
suggested include; searching for bold words, heading/subheading predictions and
reading the graphics. Once students are taught how to navigate their way
through these unique features, they will better be able to comprehend the text.
This article provides great ideas to help prevent/alleviate some difficulties
students may have when encountering Informational text. Each one of these difficulties must be
taught explicitly to students. Do
not assume they can comprehend everything they are reading. If you can anticipate the problem
before it happens, there will be less chaos later.
How is this relevant
to my AR question?
This article
ultimately helps create an informed direction of my Action Research project, as
it outlines exactly what students at young ages may run into problems with
while reading nonfictional text.
If I explicitly teach these strategies, students will be better able to
comprehend the text and begin reading for information. I know now that by anticipating the
problem now, I can plan my lessons accordingly. In order for nonfictional texts to assist in students
learning, they must KNOW how to navigate through them! This article gives me a fantastic
jumping off point that I know I will be able to use later.
Nonfiction Inquiry:
Using Real Reading and Writing to Explore the World
Harvey, S. (2002). Nonfiction
Inquiry: Using Real Reading and Writing to Explore the World. National Council of Teachers of English,
80(1), 12-22.
This article focuses on ways in which teachers can lead
their students to deeper understanding and learning in nonfictional texts. We can do this through sharing our
passion and wonder of the real world, surround our students will different
types of nonfictional text, matching reading and writing, emphasize short text,
and engage in inquiry process. Ways in which we can increase use of
informational text within our classroom is to: read nonfiction aloud, explore
nonfiction to satisfy curiosity, use nonfiction for instruction, read
nonfiction to find out information, read nonfiction to do research, skim
nonfiction to answer questions, show particular feature of nonfiction—the titles,
headings, bold print, graphs, chart—and point out the purpose of these text
elements, and read nonfiction to write it well. According to the article the
choices of nonfictional books should be based on the following three criteria:
(1) Content, (2) Text features, (3) Writing quality.
How is this relevant
to my AR question?
This article
provided several examples on how I can increase the use of nonfictional books
within my classroom. It also made
me reflect on the types of books I have in my library. Are mine mostly fiction? Probably. I make it my point, as means to help
increase the availability of nonfictional books in my classroom, to sort these
books by genre. Doing so I will
better be able to reference and use the books regularly. By displaying such
books, students will also be more likely to voluntarily pick out a nonfiction
book and read it. In the article
the author mentioned how his class helped create a ‘text’ feature poster that
identified different text features and what the purpose is. I believe this is something I can do
within my classroom as well. Doing this will help students refer back
to the concepts in order to understand the text.
