Primary ReadersDiving Into Nonfiction

We want to plunge children into a rich pool of visual and verbal ideas, giving them confidence to venture forth independently into nonfiction

of all kinds.

Big ideas

We live in an information age, where nonfiction dominates reading and writing

We need to explicitly teach our children how to read and write nonfiction

What is taught is determined by the text and the purpose for reading

What have you read or written this past week?• Text messages• Tweets• Blogs• Facebook• E-mails• Newspaper• Magazine• Letters• Bills• Invitations• Recipes• Directions

• Information• Programs• Charts• Schedules• Brochures• Contracts• Maps• Articles• Research• Advertisements• Notices• Menus

Primary classrooms vs. real world

Primary Classrooms

80-90% of all classroom readinginstruction uses fiction

Real World

10-20%nonfiction

80-90% of what we read and writeis real-world nonfiction

10-20%fiction

Comparing fiction and nonfiction

Fiction Nonfiction

Purpose

Facts or information

Characters

Organization

Progression

To entertain To inform or persuade

Embedded or inferred Directly stated

Specific General

Beginning-Middle-End Access features, body structuresNarrative

Read front to back Can be read in pieces, back and forth

Big ideas

We live in an information age, where nonfiction dominates reading and writing

We need to explicitly teach our children how to read and write nonfiction

What is taught is determined by the text and the purpose for reading

Steps in a nonfiction lesson

• Prepare to read• Guide reading• Explicitly teach comprehension and fluency• Facilitate connections

What determines what is taught?

The text The purpose for reading

Steps in a nonfiction lesson

• Prepare to read• Guide reading• Explicitly teach comprehension and fluency• Facilitate connections

Prepare to read

• Access or establish schema• Text and topic knowledge• Set a purpose for reading• Preview textWhat information might we find in this text?What questions might this text answer?

Guide reading

•Goal 1: Make text accessible•Goal 2: Understand while you read•Goal 3: Demonstrate understanding

Guide reading

Goal 1: Make text accessibleUnderstand language

VocabularyFigurative language and idiomsText devices, such as rhyme, rhythm, repetition

Recognize and utilize text featuresDetermine important ideasUse picturesConnect text to selfMake and confirm predictions

Guide reading

Goal 2: Understand while you readDetermine cause and effectGenerate questionsVisualizeDistinguish between fantasy and realityCompare and contrast text and picturesGive and support opinionsDraw and support conclusionsUse prior knowledgeUse references and resourcesInterpret information from graphs, charts, and diagramsUnderstand setting and its importance

Guide reading

Goal 3: Demonstrate UnderstandingMonitor comprehension and use fix-up tips

– Reread– Look at the pictures– Think about what makes sense– Read ahead– Ask for help

Sequence events or stepsRecall detailsSummarizeRespond to text

Explicitly teach comprehension and fluency

ComprehensionA deeper examination of what was guided

FluencyRead with appropriate rateUse proper pitch and volumeUse appropriate expressionFacilitated through accessible text and repeated readings

Facilitate connections

Written response: “Write about. . .”Lasting lessons: A real-life connection to the textCross-curricular connectionsLearn more: text or technology

Big ideas

We live in an information age, where nonfiction dominates reading and writing

We need to explicitly teach our children how to read and write nonfiction

What is taught is determined by the text and the purpose for reading

Thank you for coming!