Teaching Nonfiction Reading Strategies

Teaching for Teaching for Understanding in Understanding in

NonfictionNonfiction

NNon on FFiction…iction…

the Goodthe Good

the Badthe Bad

the Uglythe Ugly

©Angela Maiers, 2007

The GG o o do o d

©Angela Maiers, 2007

G irls , G irls , TooToo !!!!!!!!

©Angela Maiers, 2007

The B a dB a d

The U g lyU g ly

•73% 3F/P levels below fiction

•15% 3 GRADE LEVELS below fiction

•6% Struggled with decoding (Boys=Girls)

Stead, 2007

©Angela Maiers, 2007

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We can sooo change We can sooo change that!

© Maiers, 2008F a i r y T a l e s

R e a l i s t i c t a l e s

T r i c k s t e r t a l e s

P o u r q u o i t a l e s

C u m u l a t i v e t a l e s

E p i c s

L e g e n d s

F a b l e s

M y t h s

T a l l t a l e s

T r a d i t i o n a lF o l k t a l e s

S c i e n c e F i c t i o n

F a n t a s y

F a n t a s y

H i s t o r i c a l F i c t i o n

R e a l i s t i c F i c t i o n

R e a l i s m

F i c t i o n

R e c r e a t i o n

M a t h e m a t i c s

S c i e n c e

A r t s

L a n g u a g e

H e a l t h

S o c i a l S t u d i e s /I s s u e s

I n f o r m a t i o n a l

M e m o i r

A u t o b i o g r a p h y

F i c t i o n a l i z e dB i o g r a p h y

A u t h e n t i cB i o g r a p h y

B i o g r a p h y

N o n - F i c t i o n

L i t e r a t u r e

Thinking about FictionFiction

“Life” Story

“Book” Story

(THEME)

Fiction = Stories of Life

The Orange Orange

BIG IDEA (Whole text)

Main Idea( Section Level)

MMain Idea vsvs. BBig Idea

©Maiers, 2008

©Angela Maiers, 2007

©Maiers, 2008

©Maiers, 2008

©Maiers, 2008

BIG IDEAS BIG IDEAS in Nonfiction

• Purpose• Intention• Motivation• Bias• Viewpoint• Credibility• Reliability• Craft

©Angela Maiers, 2006

P E N G U I N

F R A N L A N T I N G

©Angela Maiers, 2006

©Angela Maiers, 2006

Convention Purpose How it Helps

Caption Information directly relating to a photo or illustration

Tells the reader what to focus on in the picture that is important

Comparison Show size relationship between two or more objects of ideas

Helps the readers take something familiar to show how it relates or compares with something new

Close-Up A smaller more detailed section of the larger photo or illustration

It allows the reader to see inside or a smaller part of a large area so we can understand it in a more detailed way

Table of Contents

Located in the front of the book to share a list of key topics or chapter in which the book addresses in the order in which they appear in the text

It allows me to see the chapters and topics and know exactly what pages they are on so I can get to the information I need in the quickest way.

Glossary

Index

Cutaways

Print Size

CaptionsLabelsGraphicsImagesFontColorLayoutTOCGlossaryHeadings

©Angela Maiers, 2006

The icy ghost appeared to him from out of the dark as he surveyed from his position atop the graceful lady of steal. “Yet eyes deceive, Captain Smith thought and failed to stop her momentum. Moments later the festive celebration of the two thousand was smashed to bits. Carpathia, 58 miles away, caught the SOS and race to the rescue of the fortunate seven hundred and five, one of whom remarked, years later, when turned her deck away from us as though to hide from our sight the awful spectacle.”

©Angela Maiers, 2006

©Angela Maiers, 2006

©Angela Maiers, 2006

©Angela Maiers, 2006

©Angela Maiers, 2006

©Angela Maiers, 2006

Steve Moline’s Website

K-8visual.info./

©Angela Maiers, 2006

• Home | What is visual literacy? | Examples of visual texts |Using visual literacy | Assessing visual literacy | Books for children | Books for teachers | Free materials for teachers | Seminars & workshops | About us | Contact us | Copyright|

• Examples of visual texts • View an example of:• Block diagram with cutaways <NEW>• Cutaway diagram with detail • Diagram with color coding• Exploded diagram • Flow charts • Special: What are maps for? • Storyboard• Table• Tree diagram

We usually add a new Visual Literacy Example to this page each month.• Other examples of visual texts on this site:• Bar graph or "bar chart"• Block diagram• Calendar• Cartogram • "Chart" (see table or graph)• Column graph • "Concept map" (see web)

©Angela Maiers, 2006

Visual Text: Cross Section

Text StructuresText StructuresFollowing the Road to MeaningFollowing the Road to Meaning

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• DescriptionDescription• Compare/ContrastCompare/Contrast• Cause and EffectCause and Effect• Chronology/SequenceChronology/Sequence• ProceduralProcedural• PersuasivePersuasive• Question/AnswerQuestion/Answer• Problem/SolutionProblem/Solution

©Angela Maiers, 2006

©Angela Maiers, 2006

©Angela Maiers, 2006

©Angela Maiers, 2006

©Angela Maiers, 2006

The fire was started by sparks from a campfire left by a careless camper. Thousands of acres of important watershed burned before the fire was brought under control. As a result of the fire, trees and the grasslands on the

slopes of the valley were gone. Smoking black stumps were all that remained of

tall pine trees.

©Angela Maiers, 2006

Words for Comparison-4th Grade Holt Mathematics Text

Similarity SamecompareAlikeMatchEqualTogetherSimilarEquivalentSynonymComparativeAnalogyEqualityEvenRegular

DifferenceDifferentContrastNot AlikeMismatchDoes not MatchUnequalSeparateOppositeDissimilarAntonymContrastableInequality UnevenIrregular

© Maiers, 2008

Signal Words Point the Way…

Text Structure & Signal Words

Description/ Hierarchical List

Cause & Effect

Compare/Contrast

Problem/Solution

Question &Answer

Sequence

For instanceFor exampleFurthermore

Such asAlso

To begin withMost important

AlsoIn fact

In additionAnd to

illustrate

SinceBecause

This led toOn account of

Due toAs a result of

For this reasonConsequentially

Then…so…Therefore

thus

In like mannerLikewiseSimilar to

The difference between

As opposed toAfter allHoweverAnd yet

ButNeverthelessOn the other

hand

One reason for the…

A solutionA problem

WhereThe question isOne answer isRecommendations

include

HowWhenWhatNextWhyWho

How manyThe best estimate

It could be thatOne may conclude

UntilBeforeAfter

FinallyLastly

First…last…Now…thenOn (date)At (time)

First, secondMeanwhile

Not long afterinitially

©Maiers, 2008

©Angela Maiers, 2006

Text-WisenessText-WisenessTeaching students how torecognize and represent theorganizational patterns commonlyused by authors can significantly influence students’ learning and comprehension. Palinstar, Ogle, Carr, 97

©Maiers, 2008 Grades 2-4 Grades 4-8

BIG IDEAS BIG IDEAS in Nonfiction

©Angela Maiers, 2006

NonfictionText Organization

Text Features•Fonts and Effects•Graphics•Text organizers•Illustrations and Photographs

Text Structures•Description•Compare/contrast•Cause & effect•Problem/solution•Question & answer•Sequence

THE WRITERS’ BLUEPRINT

VISION: THE BIG IDEA

©Angela Maiers, 2006

Author’s Purpose:•Why did the author write about this topic?•What did they want to accomplish?•Why do you think that?

Organization/Text Features•After previewing the text, what features did the author emphasize and why?•How is the text organized?•How does these support the author’s goal?

Text Critic Observations•Did the author make their point clearly?•Do you agree/disagree?•Was the author’s opinion about the topic evident?•Did you detect bias in the tone or language used?

Big Idea:

©Angela Maiers, 2006

Content Specific Strategies• Careful reading or skimming• Scanning• Assessing the text through the index• Using heading ,captions, pictures,…• Determining what to read, order of reading• Noting organizational pattern• Deterring what to pay attention to• Determining what to ignore• What information fits with schema, what is

new: how to sort it

©Angela Maiers, 2006

©Angela Maiers, 2006

©Angela Maiers, 2006

Content Bibliography

I See What You Mean by Steve Moline

Nonfiction in the Primary Years by Nell Duke

Teaching Non-Fiction 2-4 and 4-8 Scholastic Prof. Books

Nonfiction Matters by Stephanie Harvey

Nonfiction in Focus by Kristo and Bamford

Text Forms and Features by Margaret Mooney

Make It Real by Linda Hoyt

Informational Text by Margaret Mooney and Linda Hoyt

Reading and Writing in Multiple Genre by Byers

Picture Story Books to Teach Literary Devices by Susan Hill