Reading to Learn and Reading to Learn and Learning to Read with Learning to Read with Informational Text* Informational Text*

James A. ShymanskyJames A. Shymansky

University of Missouri-Saint University of Missouri-Saint LouisLouis*Adapted from presentation by Nell Duke, Michigan *Adapted from presentation by Nell Duke, Michigan State University, September 15, 2004State University, September 15, 2004

Plan for PresentationPlan for Presentation

Why focus on informational text in this presentation?

How can we support comprehension of informational text, particularly in science?

Why focus on Why focus on informational text?informational text?

Informational text is the most important genre in science education as well as in the professional practice of science…

For good reason: informational texts in science convey information and ideas about the natura world.

Some Features of Informational Some Features of Informational TextText

Almost always:• describes attributes and components• identifies characteristic events• includes at least one definition• compares and contrasts things• employs some denotative language• uses timeless verb constructions• uses generic noun constructions• uses specialized vocabulary• relies on illustrations and photographs

(Purcell-G

ates & D

uke, 2001)

Informational Text…Informational Text…

Often• has an opening statement/general

classification• has a general statement/closing• has headings• has an index• has labels and/or captions• has graphical devices (diagrams, tables,

charts, boldface/italicized vocabulary) Less often

• has a table of contents

(Purcell-G

ates & D

uke, 2001)

Requires reading different kinds of text differently.

Among other things, informational text is often read selectively, nonlinearly, and at a pace that varies within the text.

This contrasts sharply with the way in which fictional narrative or even some non-fiction text is typically read.

Reading Informational TextReading Informational Text

Many US/(?) Students Struggle Many US/(?) Students Struggle with Reading Informational Textwith Reading Informational Text

Large proportions of students have difficulty comprehending (and writing) informational text.

Low-income and minority students are particularly likely to struggle.

Some have attributed the “fourth grade slump” to difficulties with informational text.

Lower achievement in science and other content areas may be linked to difficulties that students have comprehending informational text.

Nearly 44 million (US) adults cannot extract information from text in many circumstances.

For Young Children. . .For Young Children. . .

Several studies suggest that some young children actually prefer informational texts and many do not have strong preferences for any one type of text (Kletzien & Szabo, 1998).

So far, research suggests that including more informational text in early schooling does no harm and has some great benefits.

How can we support How can we support comprehension of informational comprehension of informational text, particularly in science?text, particularly in science?

1. Have a clear vision of effective comprehension of informational text.

2. Accord appropriate attention to underlying skills and dispositions.

3. Provide many opportunities to read and listen to informational text.

4. Teach strategies for comprehending informational text.

5. Foster rich talk with and about informational text

6. Increase attention to the unique and challenging characteristics of informational text.

7. Promote use of informational text for authentic purposes as much as possible.

1. Have a Clear Vision of Effective 1. Have a Clear Vision of Effective Comprehension of Informational Comprehension of Informational Text.Text.

For older students or students in general there is research and theory -- for example related to what good readers do when they read -- as well as some guidance in standards documents and assessments.

What Good Readers Do When They What Good Readers Do When They ReadRead

Good readers are active readers. From the outset they have clear goals in mind for their

reading. They constantly evaluate whether the text, and their reading of it, is meeting their goals.

Good readers typically look over the text before they read, noting such things as the structure of the text and text sections that might be most relevant to their reading goals.

As they read, good readers frequently make predictions about what is to come.

They read selectively, continually making decisions about their reading--what to read carefully, what to read quickly, what not to read, what to re-read, and so on.

Good readers construct, revise, and question the meanings they make as they read.

They draw upon, compare, and integrate their prior knowledge with material in the text.

They think about the authors of the text, their style, beliefs, intentions, and so on.

They monitor their understanding of the text, making adjustments in their reading as necessary.

Good readers try to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words and concepts in the text, and they deal with inconsistencies or gaps as needed.

They evaluate the text’s quality and value, and react to the text in a range of ways, both intellectually and emotionally.

Good readers read different kinds of text differently. For example: when reading narrative, good readers attend closely to the setting and characters; when reading informational text these readers frequently construct and revise summaries of what they have read.

For good readers, text processing occurs not only during ‘reading’ as we have traditionally defined it, but also during short breaks taken during reading, even after the ‘reading’ itself has commenced, even after the ‘reading’ has ceased.

Comprehension is a consuming, continuous, and complex activity, but one that, for good readers, is both satisfying and productive.

(Duke & Pearson, 2002)

2.2. Accord Appropriate Attention to Accord Appropriate Attention to Underlying Skills and Dispositions.Underlying Skills and Dispositions.

Intentional/functional knowledge Concepts of print Phonemic Awareness * Word recognition and decoding * Reading fluency * Vocabulary * Active and reflective learning stance Engagement in reading and learning* A component in the NRP Report

3. Provide Many Opportunities to 3. Provide Many Opportunities to Read Read and Be Read To.and Be Read To.

4. Teach Strategies for 4. Teach Strategies for Comprehending Informational Comprehending Informational Text.Text.

Some strategies shown to improve comprehension if taught, even individually:

Monitoring and adjusting as needed Activating and applying relevant prior knowledge

(including making predictions) Questions and questioning Think aloud Attending to and uncovering text structure Constructing visual representations Summarizing

(Duke & Pearson, 2002)

Five components of teaching Five components of teaching comprehension strategies comprehension strategies

(1) An explicit description of the strategy and when and how it should be used.

(2) Teacher and/or student modeling of the strategy in action

(3) Collaborative use of the strategy in action.

(4) Guided practice using the strategy with gradual release of responsibility.

(5) Independent use of the strategy.(Duke & Pearson, 2002)

A key instructional construct:A key instructional construct:T

each

er R

esp

onsi

bil

ity

100

0

0

100Student Responsibility

With any luck, we move this way (----->) over time.But we are always prepared to slide up and down the diagonal.Gradual Release of Responsibility

5. Foster Rich Talk with and about 5. Foster Rich Talk with and about Informational Text.Informational Text.

Text discussion Questions and questioning (teacher

and student)Think-alouds (teacher and student)Specific approaches (e.g, CORI, E-T-

R)

Concept-Oriented Reading Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction (CORI)Instruction (CORI) (Guthrie, Wigfield, Perencevich, 2004) (Guthrie, Wigfield, Perencevich, 2004)

The focus is a conceptual theme in science. Students read interesting, often student-selected

trade books and other texts related to that theme. Students also engage in real-world interactions,

such as science investigations, related to the theme.

Students work in collaborative groups Students set goals about their learning and the

products of their learning (e.g., a presentation) Strategy instruction occurs in the service of those

goals -- the strategies help students meet their goals

Experience-Text-Relationship (E-T-Experience-Text-Relationship (E-T-R; Au; Tharp, 1982)R; Au; Tharp, 1982)

Discussion focuses on: children’s background knowledge

or (hands-on/direct) experiences related to the text to be read, then the

content of the text itself, then the relationship between the

experiences and the text

6. Increase Attention to the 6. Increase Attention to the Unique and Especially Unique and Especially Challenging Characteristics of Challenging Characteristics of Informational Text.Informational Text.

There is evidence to support: Explicitly teaching strategies that are

found in informational text (e.g., compare/contrast, if/then,…and others such as searching/skimming/scanning)

Explicitly teaching search strategies Providing strong vocabulary

instruction

Strong vocabulary instruction:Strong vocabulary instruction:

Involves lots of time spent reading Involves lots of rich talk and talk about

text Teaches important words Teaches conceptually-related words Relates new words to known words Exposes children to words multiple times

in multiple meaningful contexts Raises word consciousness

(Duke & Bennett-Armistead, 2003; Duke & Moses, 2003)

7. Promote Use of Informational 7. Promote Use of Informational Text for Authentic Purposes as Text for Authentic Purposes as Much as Possible.Much as Possible.

Authentic literacy events are those that replicate or reflect reading and writing purposes and texts, specific to the genre, that occur in the world outside of a schooling context.

Authentic reading of informational text involves reading for the purpose of obtaining information you want or need to know (and writing for the purpose of communicating information to people who want or need to know it).

(Purcell-Gates & Duke, 2001)

Some set-ups for authentic reading Some set-ups for authentic reading of informational text in scienceof informational text in science

Discrepant events to generate questionsE.g., prisms on the overhead

Demonstrations of phenomena to generate questionsE.g., boiling water

Serendipitous events brought from world outsideE.g., broken arm

Announcing topic and asking for questionsE.g., K-W-L charts (topic: sound)

(Purcell-Gates, Duke, Hall, & Tower, 2002)

Some set-ups for authentic reading Some set-ups for authentic reading and writing in scienceand writing in science

Literacy in response to a community needE.g. pond brochure

Literacy as part of problem-solvingE.g. dying tadpoles

(Audience integral to authentic writing -- audiences include distant readers (e.g., pen pals in another town or county), within-school audiences, and within-classroom audiences)

(Purcell-Gates, Duke, Hall, & Tower, 2002)

Summary: Seven Strategies for Summary: Seven Strategies for Building Comprehension of Building Comprehension of Informational TextInformational Text

1. Have a clear vision of effective comprehension of informational text.

2. Accord appropriate attention to underlying skills and dispositions.

3. Provide many opportunities to read and be read to.4. Teach strategies for comprehending informational text.5. Foster rich talk with and about informational text.6. Increase attention to the unique and challenging

characteristics of informational text.7. Promote use of informational text for authentic purposes

as much as possible.