Reading 1 Assignment
Heading/
Subheading
Ensuring All Students
Read, Write, and
Think
Information of
interest
Personal Reaction

I was shocked to read
these statistics. I
knew that reading
was starting to fall to
the waist side, but I
had no idea it was
this bad.
It’s easy to assume
that our students
have background
over the easiest
topics, but we must
never assume this.
It’s our job to teach
students about topics
to build their
background
knowledge for future
learning.

Challenges to Reading
Effectively for
Information


Common Types of
Informational Texts
Amanda Fronzaglia


69% were not
proficient in
reading.
Only 1 in 17
students can read
at the age of 17.
Students need to
have background
knowledge
before they are
asked to perform
reading skills on
a higher level.
Lack of
instruction could
be a reason for
why students
have problems
with
comprehension
at a higher level.
Informational
texts don’t have
to be just
textbooks, they
can be a variety
of things
including music,
letters,
newspapers, etc.
Textbooks are
the most
common form of
informational
text in middle
and high school.
I have never been on
textbooks. I believe
that some of them
have a variety of
information, but I
was always more
engaged when the
teacher found
different ways to
teach information. I
have found that a
variety of
informational texts is
very beneficial in the
classroom.
Textbooks


Trade Books
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
Picture Books


Textbooks are
made by a
commercial
publisher to help
teachers promote
information to
students that
interest them.
The teacher’s
edition has the
same information
as the students
edition, but also
gives tips to
teachers to help
explain the
material better.
Books that are
made for the
public.
Are available to
schools in text
sets.
It’s starting to
become more
common to find
picture books in
secondary school
classrooms.
Two different
types of creative
expression are
words and
pictures.
The problem with
textbooks, not every
textbook will interest
every student. The
kinesthetic will have
the most difficulty
with this so that’s
why it’s important to
have different
informational texts to
reach all learning
styles.
Trade books are
great for the
classroom because a
lot of the books can
teach students about
life and moral
lessons.
I would have never
guess that find
picture books in the
secondary school
classroom is starting
to become more
common. I always
thought that picture
books are way to
easy for secondary
schools to be using in
their classroom.
Photoessays


Newspapers


Digital Source


Graphic Novels and
Anime


What Are the
Characteristics of
Informational Texts?


Photoessay is a
collection of
photos that
describe a human
experience.
Words can also
be attached to the
picture to give
the viewer more
information
about the picture.
Offers several
different types of
news including
current local and
national.
Not just for Social
Studies, can be
used for any
content area.
Technology is
growing at a fast
pace.
Technology
shows no signs of
slowing down.
Books that are
chosen by
students to read
outside of the
classroom.
Looks like comic
books called
manga.
Informational
texts are often
called expository.
Author relays
information.
This is a great tools
to allow for the
students to explore
and possibly get
them excited to do
more research on the
pictures.
I feel that sometimes
we forget the power
of how useful a
newspaper can be.
There are so many
resources in a
newspaper and we
need to make sure
that we are taking
advantage of it.
As teachers, we need
to make sure that we
are using technology
in the classroom. The
last thing you want to
do is get left behind.
These types of books
are a great way to
spark student’s
interests and get
them excited about
reading.
Because the author is
relaying the
information, it almost
feels as if the author
is trying to connect to
each individual
student.
Exemplification


Compare/ Contrast
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
Cause/ Effect
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
Problem/ Solution
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
Describes people,
places,
phenomena.
Almost all
informational
texts are
descriptive in
nature.
Exemplification gives
so much meaning and
excitement to the
story. It really allows
to draw the reader
into what they are
reading.
Explains how two
things are similar
and different.
Words that are
most likely to
appear are
although, both,
yet, while,
however,
same/different,
and like/unlike.
Comparing and
contrasting can show
students how similar
and different people,
places, or a
phenomena can be.
Show the casual
relationship
between
phenomena.
Words that can be
used: since,
because, as a
result, and
if…then
statements.
Seen mostly in
mathematics
textbooks.
Words that can be
used: question,
answer, thus,
accordingly, and
decide.
Students need to
understand that
every choice we
make there are
repercussion for our
actions.
Even though finding
the problem and
solution in a text
requires more
research, it’s equally
as important.
Text Features


Common Text Styles



Critical Literacy and
Its Relation to
Reading for
Information

Disrupting the
Commonplace



Interrogating
Multiple Viewpoints


Allows the author
to organize the
content.
These features
include: contents
page, heading/
subheadings,
margin notes,
bulleted items,
diagrams,
photographs, and
an index.
Pictures and
charts are used to
illustrate
phenomena.
Less likely to be
found in science
textbooks.
Maybe more
difficult for ESL
students.
Not only read the
information, but
critically read it.
Critical literacy is
viewed by having
different
perspectives.
Lets students
explore their
every day world
in a different way.
Students need to
read books that
challenge their
assumptions.
Students are able
to notice voices
and perspectives.
Reading different
informational
texts can help
students better
understand
Text Features have
always helped me
when reading. Not
only does it help
break up the reading,
but it also makes it
easier to refer back
to.
Students must be
able to comprehend
the text. Without
discovering different
ways to understand
the text, not every
single student will be
able to understand.
There are different
ways to view
information and each
student’s interprets
information in their
own way.
Students need to
know facts about the
world, but they
should also know
that it’s OK to
wonder and question
about things in our
world.
There will not always
be just one person
speaking in a text so
students need to
understand when a
person goes in and
out of speaking.
Focusing on
Sociopolitical Issues


Taking Action and
Promoting Social
Justice


Supporting Reading
for Information


Comprehension
Strategies


viewpoints and
perspectives.
Teaching is not a
neutral form of
social practice.
Teachers need to
explore different
issue in society.
Goal is to have
students take
action and create
a better world.
Do not have to do
critical literacy in
sequential order.
Students should
be taught the
structures and
styles.
Teacher’s, who
are more
knowledgeable
about how text is
understood, can
offer more
support and
instruction about
texts.
Every level of
student uses
tools to help with
their own
understanding of
the text.
Strategies that
are used:
Questioning,
summarizing,
inferencing, selfmonitoring,
connection,
predicting, and
analysis.
Not only do teachers
need to explore the
different powers, but
they need to show
interest so students
will be become
engaged and want to
learn more.
I was happy to hear
that critical literacy
does not have to be in
any type of order. Its
what we feel is
appropriate.
The author did a
great job explaining
that content teachers
should not just focus
on reading, but there
are so many ways
that teachers can
implement more
reading into the
classroom while still
teaching content.
Each student is going
to comprehend texts
in their own way, but
there are different
strategies to help all
students.
Developing Reading
Comprehension


Building
Metacognition to
Develop Reading
Comprehension


Conclusion


Build students
metacognition by
teaching then
what to do
before, during,
and after reading.
Good readers
have a purpose
while reading
and use
strategies to help
with
comprehension.
Metacognition is
thinking about
one’s own
thinking.
Modeling what to
do before, during,
and after reading,
provides a
template for the
teacher and the
student.
Students must
learn to read for
information.
Guiding readers
through text is
essential.
As teachers we must
make sure that we
are giving all of our
students tools for
success. Students
must be constantly
reminded about the
steps they need to
take while reading.
Reading isn’t just
about reading a text
from start to
beginning and
students need to
learn the appropriate
and effective ways to
read a text.
The conclusion did a
really great job of
summarizing the
main points of the
chapter.
Summary: Teachers must teach their students about the appropriate strategies and
steps of reading. By following these steps, students will be able to understand how
to understand and comprehend texts.