Five Game-Winning Plays for Tackling Informational Text

Veronica Lopez

Informational text should be included in the game plans of every reading, math, history, science, technology, and arts teacher. These strategies will help any teacher—regardless of content area—introduce, reinforce, and assess students as they work with informational text.

Kick Off informational reading with an overview of the text and provide

• A student-friendly definition of the text's purpose. For example, the text explains an idea, describes a process, teaches you something, defends a position, or tries to change your opinion (Maloch & Bomer, 2013).
• A comparison to other types of reading selections.
• Hard copy examples of this type of text (e.g., reports, legislation, newspapers, biographies) that can be displayed throughout the year.
• The benefits of this type of informational text.
• Students with a heads-up about challenges they might encounter with this type of informational text.

Always read with the End Zone in mind.

• Review the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and simplify the learning objective. Before the start of every lesson, share the kid-friendly version with your students.
• Before you read, outline the connection(s) between the selection and the standards.
• During guided reading, point out and discuss the connection(s).
• Summarize the connection(s) when you are finished reading the selection.
• Through class discussion, assess how effective the selection was in meeting the CCSS learning objective.

Take Time-Outs to introduce and develop the fundamental skills of active reading.

• Skim the selection prior to reading and note the format, headings, charts, or graphics.
• Visualize the text.
• Write your thoughts or take notes in the margins (Gall, Gall, Jacobsen, & Bullock, 1990).
• Respond to the author's intent by agreeing, disagreeing, or commenting on an interesting point.
• Circle key words and highlight unknown words.

Prepare your students for the Hard-Hitting complexity of informational text.

• Share and compare simple and complex selections.
• Before assigning a selection, point out and describe the elements of any complex sections.
• Model how to work through the complex sections.
• Discuss the structure of the selection: Is the writer presenting a problem and solution? Is there a sequence of events? Is the work descriptive? Are there causes and effects, or are various issues being compared and contrasted?
• Discuss guiding questions to help students make progress through a complex section: What is the author's intent? How is the perspective in this selection different from the perspective in a related text? Why did the author use this format, graph, chart, word, or image? (Extra points for providing your students with a tip sheet of guiding questions.)

Score a Touchdown when you evaluate and assess with inquiry and interactive strategies.

• Have students use inquiry to review a selection, then ask them to formulate, share, discuss, and investigate their questions.
• Have students use technology to research key words and ideas, the author, or related works with similar or contradictory positions.
• Instruct students to demonstrate their comprehension by designing a presentation with programs like PowerPoint or Prezi. They can also create tables, charts, and graphics using Microsoft Office programs or use an online program like Piktochart to create infographics.
• Allow students to follow the instructions in an informational text to build a model, complete a task, create a product, design a plan, or write a companion piece for the text.
• Provide immediate and effective feedback as you facilitate independent and group work (Jensen, 2005; Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001).

Kick a Field Goal for an extra point.

Share the infographic "Five Game-Winning Plays for Tackling Informational Text" with your colleagues and students.

References

Gall, M. D., Gall, J. P., Jacobsen, D. R., Bullock, T. L. (1990). Tools for learning: A guide to teaching study skills. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Jensen, E. (2005). Teaching with the brain in mind. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Maloch, B., & Bomer, R. (2013). Informational texts and the common core standards: What are we talking about, anyway? Language Arts, 90(3).

Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Veronica Lopez is certified as a professional development trainer, teacher, and principal. She serves students, teachers, and schools as the lead educational consultant for Tree-Top Secret in Harlingen, Tex.

ASCD Express, Vol. 9, No. 3. Copyright 2013 by ASCD. All rights reserved. Visit www.ascd.org/ascdexpress.