1. Informational Text and the Common Core State Standards
Illinois State Board of Education
English Language Arts Content Specialists
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2. Today’s Targets Importance of informational text
Informational text and the Common Core State Standards
5 ways to improve comprehension of
informational text
This presentation seeks to address these targets.
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3. What is Informational Text?
Informational text is text whose primary purpose is to convey information about the natural or social world, and that has particular linguistic features to accomplish that purpose.
According to Nell Duke from Michigan State University, informational text is defined as described in the slide above. Informational text is not synonymous
with “nonfiction.” Informational text is a type of nonfiction. Other types of nonfiction include biography, nonfiction narrative, concept books, and others.
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4. Difference Between Fiction, Informational Text and Nonfiction
Drama
Poetry
Short Stories
Myths
Legends
Nursery Rhymes
Realistic Fiction
Nonfiction
Informational Text
Encyclopedias
Field Guides
All-about books
Informational Hypertext (websites)
Magazines
Newspapers
Literary Nonfiction
Essay
Journal
Letter
This slide provides examples of the types of fiction and nonfiction and how informational text is a type of nonfiction.
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5. A balance of informational text
Literature
Poetry, Drama
Myths, Legends,
Short Stories
Directions, Forms, etc.
Social Studies, History, Arts,
Science, Biographies,
Informational Text
Literature
Poetry, Drama
Myths, Legends,
Short stories,
SS, Science, etc.
One of the most significant instructional impacts of the CCSS is the increase in the quantity of literacy materials and amount of instructional time devoted to informational text, so that it equals the time and weight given to literature.
Recent studies have shown that as little as 7 to15% of elementary reading instruction time is devoted to informational text.
The CCSS call for a ‘balance’ of literature and informational text at every grade level.

6. Teacher Use of Informational Texts in Read-Alouds
Mixed Genre
13%
Narrative texts have largely dominated read-alouds in the primary classroom.
(Duke, 2000)
Expository 4%
In the past, when teachers read aloud & interpreted difficult nonfiction, young readers learned information but failed to read expository text.
(Palmer & Stewart, 2003)
Narrative
82%
So how much information text is used in a typical classroom read-aloud? Numerous studies reveal that narrative texts dominate the read-aloud in the primary classroom. And, even when teachers do use informational texts, students will learn information from it but do not read it for themselves. The RAND research findings suggest that this is because students do not receive teacher-directed instruction in how to:
navigate informational text, and
extract information from informational text.
Teachers need to use informational text for more reasons than just consuming content information. They also need to model the thinking processes in accessing and extracting the content information. For informational texts, this adds an important series of steps to the read-aloud process.
Teachers need to directly instruct how to navigate & extract information in order to become fluent & strategic readers of this genre.
(RAND, 2002)

7. Research
Read-alouds and the use of text-based discussions are opportunities to help students learn from complex informational text, especially when students are just learning to read or if students struggle to read informational text independently (Beck & McKeown, 2001; Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998).
Explicit comprehension instruction should not be delayed until students are able to read grade-level text independently. Explicit comprehension instruction must occur when reading-aloud to students in order to model what “good readers do”.
Read-alouds and the use of text-based discussions are opportunities to help students learn from complex informational text, especially when students are just learning to read or if students struggle to read informational text independently.

8. Research
Studies have long shown that the majority of the reading and writing adults do is nonfiction (Venezky, 1982).
Approximately 96% of sites on the World Wide Web contain nonfiction, informational text (Kamil and Lane, 1998).
This slide lists some of the research around informational text.
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9. Research
Nearly 44 million American adults cannot extract even a single piece of information from a written text if any inference or background knowledge is required (Levy, 1993).
This slide lists some of the research around informational text.
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10. Research
Some education researchers have attributed the "fourth grade slump" in overall literacy achievement in large part to problems with informational literacy (Chall, Jacobs, and Baldwin, 1990).
Background knowledge has a profound influence on students’ ability to comprehend what they read.
The more extensive a reader’s background knowledge is, the easier it is to acquire new information offered by the text (Alfassi, 2004).
This slide lists some of the research around informational text.
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11. Common Core State Standards
Calls for an interdisciplinary approach with a balance of literature and informational texts in:
history
social studies
science and technical subjects
Preparation for reading complex informational texts should begin at the very earliest elementary school grades.
Domain-specific nonfiction can be infused within the English language arts block.
The development of the common core state standards was a state-led effort spearheaded by governors and school chiefs. CCSSO and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices coordinated the development process in partnership with Achieve, ACT, and the College Board. Above is key considerations for informational text.
(National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010)

12. Balancing Informational and Literary Texts
50% K-5
55% by grade 8
70% by grade12
“In K–5, the Standards follow NAEP’s lead in balancing the reading of literature with the reading of informational texts, including texts in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects.”
(National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010)
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading test, given every two years, uses a balance of literary and informational text at the elementary level. The CCSS follows NAEP’s lead in calling for 50% of the texts students read to be informational, starting from the very beginning in kindergarten and increasing the percentage as noted on the slide.
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13. Informational Text: The Benefits Align with Elements of Text Complexity
Expands student development of:
more sophisticated oral language
(Reese & Harris, 1997)
content area knowledge in
science and social studies
(Stone & Twardosz, 2001; Hirsch, 2003)
expository text structures
(Duke & Kays, 1998; Donovan & Smolkin, 2001)
reading interest in various topics
(Duke 2000; Casteel & Isom, 1994)
Elements of
Text Complexity
Text Structure
Levels of Meaning
This slides provides just some of the benefits of using informational text. Together these elements enable students to attack increasingly complex texts.
Knowledge Demands
Language
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14. Five ways to improve comprehension of informational text:
1. Increase attention to the unique and the especially challenging
characteristics of informational text. Two characteristics are:
Text Features
Text Structures
2. Increase instructional time with informational text.
3. Increase access to informational text.
4. Increase explicit teaching of comprehension strategies, along
with lots of opportunities for guided and independent practice.
5. Ensure that informational text is used for authentic purposes as
much as possible.
(Duke, 2005)
Nell Duke suggests 5 ways to improve comprehension of informational text.
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15. #1
Increase attention to the unique and the especially challenging characteristics of informational text Text Features That Signal Importance
Fonts and Effects
Titles, headings, boldface print, color print, italics, bullets, captions, labels
Cue Words and Phrases
Illustrations and Photographs
Graphics
Diagrams, cross-sections, overlays, distribution maps, word bubbles, tables, graphs, charts
Text Organizers
Index, preface, table of contents, glossary, appendix
Text Structures
(Harvey and Goudvis, 2000)
To determine importance in nonfiction, readers must understand the many features and structures specific to the genre. These text features and structures for organization help readers identify not only main ideas, but also what is worth remembering. For example, understanding that bold print is used to draw attention to important vocabulary and concepts signals the reader to slow down and make sure these words or concepts are understood.
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16. Discuss the Characteristics of Fiction and Informational Texts
Beginning, middle, end
Characters
Setting
Problem
Events
Solution
Stories
Read from beginning to end
Both
Illustrations
They help you learn
They are fun to read
words
Informational
Bold print
Table of contents
Index
Photographs
Captions
Information
Fun facts
Read in any order
Do not have to read entire book
Students should be explicitly taught the characteristics of fiction and informational texts.
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17. Text Features
Research confirms the need to explicitly teach text features.
(Kelley & Clausen-Grace. 2010)
Introduce a new text feature each day. Chart the feature and its purpose.
Show students many examples in nonfiction books.
This slide reminds educators the need for explicitly teach text features.
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18. Have students find their own examples of text features in books.
Teachers should encourage students to find examples of text features in books. Learning centers or stations can be centered around students finding examples of different text features and identifying the purpose of the feature.
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19. Teacher models how to design a text feature.
Once students become familiar with different text features, teachers can model how to design a text feature.
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20. Student Diagrams Have students make their own diagrams…..
Diagrams can become part of student work:
picture glossaries
summaries
writing
question generation
research projects
Provided support over time, diagrams or other text features can become part of student work samples on a consistent basis. Students can include diagrams in their journals and portfolios. Their work can be comprised of several components:
Picture glossary
Summaries
Writing (i.e., sentence captions, paragraph, essay, etc.)
Collection of their generated questions
research project information
Think-Pair-Share how participants use text features in the classroom after slide 20.

21. Informational vs Narrative Text Structure
Purpose: Tell a Story
Beginning
Middle
End
Usually written from the author’s imagination
(plot, conflict, setting)
Purpose: Inform or Describe
Sequential
Description
Comparison
Cause and Effect
Problem and Solution
Share with participants that informational text and narrative texts are written in different text structures. Narrative text is always written in a “beginning, middle and end” structure. Informational text can be written in one or more different structures. Participants should be informed that informational text can encompasses many of the structures in one piece of text and that many time the structures are not necessarily clear cut.
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22. Informational Text Structure
Children have far less familiarity with informational text structures than with narrative. (Goldman & Rakestraw, 2000) Students of all ages generally find reading informational text more difficult than reading narrative text. (Langer, 1985) “Knowing the overall organizational pattern, as well as underlying structures such as comparison and contrast, provide a scaffold for deriving and understanding the information.” (Fountas & Pinnell, 2008)
This slide provides research behind the importance of teaching informational text structure.
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23. Text Structure Writers use different structures to build their ideas.
Each text structure communicates ideas in a different way.
This slide provides background on text structure. Being able to identify the structure of a text can greatly increase students' comprehension of the material being read. There are six basic structures that are commonly found in textbooks. Once the teacher has modeled the text structure, students can follow the organizing pattern to identify important events, concepts and ideas. See handouts #1.

24. There are certain structures found in informational text
There are certain structures found in informational text. Each type of structure makes its own demands on the reader:
sequential,
description,
comparison,
cause & effect,
problem & solution.
Attempting to identify the text structure early on in the reading of a new text encourages the reader to question how subsequent sections of the text fit into the identified text structure. Introduce the idea that informational texts have a text structure. Explain to students that informational texts have different organizational patterns. These organizational patters are called text structures. A nonfiction text can have one overall text structure, or several different text structures
For example, a page from a social studies textbook may be written in chronological order, but contain a paragraph that explains a cause and effect

25. Sequential
The author lists items or events in numerical or chronological order. Clue words include first, second, third, next, then and finally. .
Sequential text structure describes items or events in order or tells the steps to follow to do something or make something.
The author lists items or events in numerical or chronological sequence, either explicit or implied. Ask yourself: “Is this event taking place over time?”

26. Description
The author lists characteristics, features, and examples to describe a subject. Clue words for description include for example & characteristics.
This structure resembles an outline. Each section opens with its main idea, then elaborates on it, sometimes dividing the elaboration into subsections.

27. Comparison
The author explains how two or more things are alike or different. Clue words include different, in contrast, alike, same as, or on the other hand.
Texts that follows the comparison structure tells about the differences and similarities of two or more objects, places, events or ideas by grouping their traits for comparison.

28. Cause and Effect
The author explains one or more causes and the resulting effect or effects. Clue words are reasons why, if, then, as a result, therefore, and because.
Cause
Effect
Cause
In texts that follow this structure, the reader is told the result of an event or occurrence and the reasons it happened.
Cause

29. Problem and Solution
The author states a problem and lists one or more solutions for the problem. Clue words are problem is, dilemma is, puzzle is, solve, question, and answer.
Problem
___________________________
Solution ___________________________
The writer presents a problem then expounds upon possible solutions for that problem.

30. Teaching Text Structure
Piccolo (1987) recommends introducing and working on the patterns one at a time.
Use short, easy paragraphs and maps or graphic organizers to define, explain and illustrate each structural pattern.
Help students discover the common distinguishing features in these examples.
This slide gives tips for teaching text structure. Turn and talk about whether text structures are a part of the teacher’s classroom after slide 30.
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31. #2 – Increase Instructional Time With Informational Text
This slide is a reminder of the importance of increasing instructional time with informational text. Teachers should ask themselves, “Do I include plenty of instructional time with informational text in my lesson plans?” “Does this instructional time take into consideration the 50% literature – 50% informational text that the Common Core State Standards recommends?” Think-Pair-Share how participants give students access to informational text in the classroom.
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32. Increase Access to Informational Text#3
Increase Access to Informational Text
Does your classroom library have informational text? Is there time in the schedule for all students to choose and read informational text?
After teachers read this slide, ask for volunteers to share how they acquire classroom libraries with informational text as well as ideas of how students have time to choose and read informational text.
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33. Provide A Plethora of Informational Text in Your Classroom
Inform participants that this presentation will talk about possible ways to add informational text to the classroom.
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34. Think Outside the Book Magazines Ranger Rick
My Big Backyard (
Dig (
Time For Kids (
Discover (
National Geographic
Cobblestone Publishers (Cricket & Ladybug Magazines)
Appleseeds (social studies)
Ask (science)
Click (science, history and other areas)
This slide mentions just a few magazines that are available for schools.
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35. Newspapers
Find news articles on topics your class is studying and post them.
Establish a spot in the room labeled “In the News” where you rotate news articles on a regular basis.
Scholastic News (
NIEonline provides online lesson plans and other innovative materials for use on NIE websites to provide new ways for your teachers to use your newspaper and your e-Edition in their classrooms.
Newspapers are another type of informational text.
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36. The Internet Kid-Friendly Search Engine - www.yahooligans.com
Favorite Websites
CIA -
National Geographic –
PBS –
World Health Organization –
The White House –
The internet is an obvious way to find informational text. Listed on the slide are just some websites.
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37. Add to Your Classroom Library
Multiple Reading Levels
Multiple Genres
Fantasy Books
Predictable Books
Biographies
Poetry
Procedural Texts
Cookbooks
Science Experiment
Joke Books
Cartoons
Include some books that are two grades above your class’s level, and some two years below its level.
Nell Duke suggests that classroom libraries include a variety of genres as well as different leveled books. Turn and talk about when students have access to informational text after slide 37.
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38. #4 Increase explicit teaching of comprehension strategies, along with lots of opportunities for guided and independent practice.
Reciprocal Teaching - (Palincsar & Brown, 1986)
Collaborative Strategic Reading - (Klinger &Vaughn, 1999)
Evidence is clear: the more time students spend reading, the higher their reading achievement (Anderson, Fielding, & Wilson, 1988)
Students benefit most when independent reading time is carefully planned and monitored.
Not only does the classroom teacher need to explicitly teach comprehension strategies for informational text, but the classroom schedule must reflect adequate time for students to choose appropriate informational text to read, but time in the day to practice these strategies.
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39. Reciprocal Teaching
When reciprocal teaching was used for just 15 days students reading increases from % (Palinscar & Brown, 1986)
According to a study by Palinscar and Klenk 1991, students not only improved their comprehension skills immediately, but they also maintained improved comprehension skills when tested a year later.
Lubliner 2001, points out that reciprocal teaching is an effective teaching technique that can improve on the kind of reading comprehension that is necessary not only for improved test scores but also for an information age.
Reciprocal teaching is just one of many reading strategies that works well with informational text. This slide provides particpants with the research supporting this strategy.
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40. What is Reciprocal Teaching?
Speaking and listening
Definition: Reciprocal teaching refers to an instructional activity that takes place in the form of a dialogue between teachers and students regarding segments of text. The dialogue is structured by the use of four strategies: summarizing, question generating, clarifying, and predicting. The teacher and students take turns assuming the role of teacher in leading this dialogue. (Palincsar,1986)
This slide provides a definition of this strategy. The text bubbles reflect the connection to shifts within the common core state standards; speaking and listening as well as text-dependent questions. See handout #2.
Text-Dependent Questions
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41. The Four Reciprocal Teaching Strategies…
Predicting
Questioning
Clarifying
Summarizing
Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate
understanding of key details in a text. (RI.2.1)
CCSS #1
Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text. (RI.2.8)
CCSS # 8
This slide shows how the reciprocal teaching strategy also incorporates common core state standards. The example uses the 2nd grade informational text (RI) common core state standards.
Identify the main topic of a multiparagraph text
as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within
the text. (RI.2.2)
CCSS #2
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42. But don’t I use these four strategies already?
Most likely, you already teach your students to predict, question, clarify, summarize and visualize.
The difference with reciprocal teaching is that the strategies are delivered as a multiple-strategy package used in concert with one another rather than as separate strategies.
The aim of reciprocal teaching is for good readers to cycle through four strategies, not necessarily in order, to make sense of the text.
This slide reminds teachers of how each strategy, when used “in concert” with one another, provides students with opportunities for deeper comprehension, than if using just one of the strategies alone. After slide 42 ask participants if they have questions about Reciprocal Teaching.
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43. Collaborative Strategic Reading
CSR is an excellent technique for teaching students reading comprehension, building vocabulary and also working together cooperatively. (Klinger & Vaughn, 1996)
Collaborative Strategic reading, developed by Klinger and Vaughn, also includes multiple strategies to ensure deep comprehension.
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44. Collaborative Strategic Reading (Students work in small, cooperative groups)
Before Reading
Brainstorm – What do we already know about the topic?
Predict – What do we think we will learn about the topic when we read the passage?
Read the first paragraph, sentence or section.
During Reading
Click & Clunk – Were there any parts that were hard to understand (clunks)? How can we fix the clunks?
Get the Gist – What is the most important person, place or thing? What is the most important idea about the person, place or thing?
After Reading
1. Wrap Up – Ask text-dependent questions: questions that can only be answered by referring explicitly back to the text being read.
This slide shows how CSR (collaborative strategic reading) is a strategy that aids comprehension before, during and after reading.
See handout #3.
Teacher presents one of the strategies (predict, click and chunk, get the gist, and wrap up) to the whole class using a variety of instructional strategies (modeling, role playing, teacher think-aloud)
Once students are able to apply the strategy successfully in teacher-facilitated activities, students are placed in groups
Within the groups, each student performs a defined role as the students work together to implement the strategies.
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45. Collaborative Strategic Reading
Students have specific roles: leader, clunk expert, gist expert, announcer, encourager.
Cue cards may be used to support students in small, cooperative groups.
E.g., a clunk card that says: “Reread the sentences before and after the clunk looking for cues.”
E.g., a student leader cue card that says: “Did everyone understand what we read? If you did not, write your clunks in your learning log.”
Students complete learning logs before and after reading.
This slide provides additional tips about using the collaborative strategic reading strategy. The links shown on the slide show a sample plan as well as a sample learning log. These can be given to participants in the session. See handouts #4 and #5. After slide 45 ask participants which of the two strategies would be the one they would want to try first. Turn and talk
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46. Strategy Tips Model the strategies. Be consistent.
Use the strategies several times a week.
This slide provides tips for using CSR.
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47. #5 Ensure that informational text is used for authentic purposes as much as possible.
Nell Duke’s research includes the need for students to engage with informational text through authentic purposes. The next few slides so examples of how a teacher might do this.
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48. Authentic Purposes
Set up situations in which students need information – then encourage students to read to obtain that information. Find information about the life cycles of frogs before setting up a tadpole tank.
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49. Learn about the needs of growing things before planting a window box.
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50. Authentic Purposes
Water is left out on a pan on Friday and has “disappeared” on a Monday.
Set out magnets with various materials that the magnets will or will not attract.
After slide #50, ask participants to share how they do this in their classroom.
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51. Use informational text …
For pleasure
To pass the time
To increase general knowledge
To find out something you want or need to know
And for writing: To convey information from someone who knows it to someone who does not, yet wants or needs to do so
This final slide is a reminder for teachers to permeate informational text as much throughout the school day/year as possible.
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52. Reference
Alfassi, M. (2004). Reading to learn: Effects of combined strategy instruction on high school students. The Journal of Educational Research 97(4), 171–184. Beck, I., McKeown, M., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction. New York: Guilford. Casteel, C.P., & Isom, B.A. (1994). Reciprocal processes in science and literacy learning. Reading Teacher, 47(7), Chall, J.S. and Jacobs, V.A. (2003). Poor Children's Fourth-Grade Slump. American Educator, Spring, Retrieved Oct. 24, 2007, from Duke, N. K. (2000). 3.6 minutes per day: The scarcity of informational texts in first grade. Reading Research Quarterly, 35, 202–224. Duke, N. K., & Kays, J. (1998). Can I say Once upon a time'?: Kindergarten children developing knowledge of information book language. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 13, Goldman, S.R., & Rakestraw, J.A. (2000). Structural aspects of constructing meaning from text. In M.L. Kamil, P. B. Mosenthal, P. D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.), "Handbook of reading research" (Vol. II, pp ). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Harvey, Stephanie, & Goudvis, Anne. (2000). Strategies that work: Teaching comprehension to enhance understanding. York, ME: Stenhouse. Hirsch, E.D. (2003). Reading comprehension requires knowledge – of words and the world: Scientific insights into the fourth-grade slump and the nation’s stagnant comprehension scores. American Educator, Spring, 2003.
The next few slides are references for information shared throughout the power point presentation.
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53. References
Kelley, M. J. and Clausen-Grace, N. (2010), Guiding Students Through Expository Text With Text Feature Walks. The Reading Teacher, 64: 191–195. Klinger & Vaughn, (1999). Promoting reading comprehension, content learning, and English acquisition through collaborative strategic reading (CSR). Reading Teacher, 52, ). Langer, J. A. (1985). Levels of questioning: An alternative view. Reading Research Quarterly 20(5), Levy, B. A. (1993). Fluent reading: An indirect indicator of reading skill development. In P. Graf & M. E. J. Masson (Eds.), Indirect memory: New directions in cognition, development, and neuropsychology (pp. 49 – 73). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Lubliner, S. (2001). A practical guide to reciprocal teaching. Bothell, WA: Wright Group/McGraw-Hill. Palincsar, A. S., & Klenk, L. (1991). Dialogues promoting reading comprehension. In B. Means, C. Chelemer, & M. S. Knapp (Eds.), Teaching advanced skills to at-risk students (pp ). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Palincsar, A. S., & Brown, A. L. (1986). Interactive teaching to promote independent learning from text. The Reading Teacher, 39(8), Palmer, R.G. & Stewart, R. A. (2005). Models for using nonfiction in the primary grades. The Reading Teacher, 57, Piccolo, J. (1987). Expository text structure: Teaching and learning strategies. The Reading Teacher, 40.(9),
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54. References
Pinnell, G., & Fountas, I. (2008). When readers struggle: Teaching that works. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Pressley, M., El-Dinary, P.B., Gaskins, I., Schuder, T., Bergman, R. L, Almasi, J., & Brown, R. (1992). Beyond direct explanation: Transactional instruction of reading comprehension strategies. Elementary School Journal, 92,
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55. Contact
Questions or comments? Please contact English Language Arts Specialists at:
This slide lists the English Language Arts Content Specialists for the Illinois State Board of Education who created the presentation.
Content contained is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
Content contained is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License