Reading Writing

Speaking Listening

Language Engagement

Reading Writing Speaking Listening

Over the course of a day, what is your experience with nonfiction?

“Unfortunately, little nonfiction, beyond personal narrative, is practiced in classrooms. Children are content to tell their own stories, but the notion that someone can write about an idea and thereby affect the lives and thinking of others is rarely discussed.”

Donald Graves, 1994

Bringing nonfiction into the classroom—

Exposure and Access

Use in All Content Areas

Teach Nonfiction Text Features

Key features support readers in navigating through resources

Provides access to rich content Allows readers to access information efficiently Provides readers with a deeper understanding of content Extends information and student learning beyond the

text Organizes the information Frontloads vocabulary, diagrams, tables

To describe (descriptive reports) To explain To instruct To persuade To retell/nonfiction narrative To explore and maintain

relationships with others

See a purpose for the writing and have an audience in mind.

See many models of different types of nonfiction writing for a variety of purposes.

See demonstrations of how to write different types for different purposes.

Are given time and opportunity to engage in working with nonfiction texts.

Are allowed to take on responsibility for their learning.

Are given opportunities to learn from each other.

Are expected to learn. Feel comfortable in having a try.

Modified Inquiry Project Mini-Research Projects Interactive Editing RAN Strategy Morpheme/Contextual Vocabulary Levels of Understanding Directed Reading and Thinking Activity

(DRTA)

Exploration for a specific purpose Uses a comprehensive framework

Modeled reading/writing Shared reading/writing Guided reading/writing Independent reading/writing

Read alouds & shared reading Anchor Charts—shared writing Interactive Writing Writers Workshop

Introducing nonfiction inquiry through mini-research engages kids without overwhelming them—later, long-term projects don’t seem so overwhelming

Learners are naturally curious—Teachers who invite kids to identify an interest and ask questions about it are rewarded with classrooms filled with excitement, enthusiasm, and wonder

-Harvey, 1998

A strategy used to teach writing to both proficient and struggling readers.

Writing instruction in both form and content.

A model for writing from any content area.

Using the reading of text as a model to cooperatively write new products.

A strategy that supports comprehension through discussion.

A way to teach students different writing types and styles

-Swartz, 2001

KWL Strategy: What I Know What I Want to

Know What I Learned

RAN Strategy: What I Think I

Know Confirmed (Yes, I

Was Right) Misconceptions New Information Wonderings

-Tony Stead, 2006

What I Think What I Think I KnowI Know

ConfirmedConfirmed MisconceptionsMisconceptions NewNewInformationInformation

WonderingsWonderings

Children state Children state information they information they think is correct think is correct about a topicabout a topic

Children Children research to research to confirm prior confirm prior knowledgeknowledge

Children research Children research to discard prior to discard prior knowledgeknowledge

Children research Children research to find additional to find additional information not information not stated in prior stated in prior knowledgeknowledge

Children raise Children raise questions based questions based on the new on the new information information gatheredgathered

Allows the writer to think about prior knowledge before drafting

Encourages the writer to research to confirm or disregard prior thinking

Helps the writer read to locate new information, not just prior thinking

Ensures accuracy of information because the writer is including only information that is confirmed prior knowledge or new information explicitly stated in the materials they are reading

The category “Wonderings” encourages the writer to read to locate specific information

What I think I knowWhat I think I know Now I know itNow I know it’’s trues true New facts I found outNew facts I found out

My Name________________ Name of Book _____________________

The “key” to unlocking comprehension in any content area

Use your knowledge of morphemes to decode the following word. What does it mean:

PNEUMONOULTRAMICROSCOPICSILICOVOLCANOCONIOSIS

Let’s see if context helps ( Vocab Strategy # 2)…

Because of his proximity to Mt. Saint Helens, he contracted PNEUMONOULTRAMICROSCOPICSILICOVOLCANOCONIOSIS

Pneumono - related to the lungs Ultra - transcending; super Micro – small Scopic– related to a viewing instrument Silico- the mineral silicon Volcano- eruption in the earth from which molten rock, steam,

and dust issue Coni ( konis) – dust Osis – referring to a disease condition

Text Explicit : “Right there” information

Text Implicit: “Think and Search” information

Experienced Based: “On My Own” information

Strategy for expository text Self-questioning Students predict forthcoming information Sets purposes for reading that are

personally interesting Questions not answered in text are researched further

Students survey the chapter topic by considering title, headings, illustrations, diagrams, etc.

Students write down questions that come to mind ( A running journal is useful)

As a class discuss various student generated questions

Students individually or buddy read the text, discuss answers in small or whole group

Students decide which questions where NOT answered, and where they might find the answers in further research

“Writing is not about what’s in our minds . . . it’s about what’s going on around us.”

Tony Stead, 2006