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Previously Covered

So far, we've reviewed quite a few topics: roots and affixes and their origins; comprehension strategies;
and different types of figurative language. We also covered some specialized words, including synonyms,
atonyms, homophones, and homonyms.

Keeping It Real: Exploring Informational Texts

Informational texts are part of our daily lives. From newspapers and magazines, to blogs and biographies,
to road signs and receipts, we rely on informational texts to convey facts and ideas about the world in
which we live.

So how do we provide students with the tools they need to effectively evaluate this world of information?

Step one is access. Early exposure to a wide variety of texts not only hones vocabulary and language
skills but also gives students an opportunity to choose their own material and develop personal
preferences.

Step two is instruction. Informational texts have unique organizational structures and features that
students must learn to identify in order to analyze and gather information. Comprehension strategies build
an understanding of the conventions of informational texts and develop active readers who are able to
investigate and assimilate the world around them.

The Who, What, Why, Where and How of Expository Text

Simply put, exposition means information. So it follows that expository text is writing in which an author
explains a thought or idea. Whether it’s a book, article, catalog, brochure, recipe, or treatise investigating
the flight patterns of the Anas platyrhynchos (Mallard ducks), expository texts have a common goal—to
provide information.

Likewise, readers of expository texts have a common purpose—to receive information. Why do birds fly
south for the winter? Who won the game last night? Where is Uruguay?

Reading comprehension strategies enable a reader to build on initial inquiries and make meaning from a
wide variety of texts to find appropriate answers and create informed responses.

The key is to keep students asking who, what, why, where and how.

Before reading: Asking questions before reading ignites a reader’s imagination and connects their prior
knowledge to the task at hand. It also encourages a student to set a purpose for reading and make
choices about what might be appropriate texts to consult.

• What do I already know?

• Eliciting prior knowledge engages the mind and enables a student to make connections
with new topics and material.

• What do I want to know?