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Tech Talk
topics informational texts contain. There is little value in having a young student who can state the differences between reading an informational text and a fictional text or able to talk about the various types of images if a love of texts is not evident. Even the best informational text has absolutely no value unless someone gives it value by opening the pages and reading it. We want our student to become lifelong consumers of informational text so that they can continue to strengthen their knowledge and literacy skills. We want to prepare them for the complex and unique texts they will encounter in future years. Hopefully, the preceding suggestions can move us one step closer to that goal.
References
Lee V. R. (2008). “Getting the picture: A mixed-methods inquiry into how visual representations are interpreted by students, incorporated within textbooks, and integrated into middle school science classrooms.” PhD Dissertation. Northwestern University.
Maloch, B., Hoffman, J.V., & Patterson, E.U. (2004). Local texts: Reading and writing “of the classroom.” In J.V. Hoffman & D.L. Schallert (Eds.), The texts in elementary classrooms (pp. 129-138). Mahway, NJ: Erlbaum.
Pentimonti, J.M., Zucker, T.A., Justice, L.M., & Kaderavek, J.N. (2010). Informational text use in preschool classroom read-alouds. The Reading Teacher, 63(8), 656-665.
Rosenblatt, L. (1938). Literature as exploration. New York: Appleton-Century Crofts.
Shanahan, C., & Shanahan, T. (2014). Does disciplinary literacy have a place in elementary school? The Reading Teacher, 67(8), 636-639.
Shanahan, T., & Shanahan, C. (2008). Teaching disciplinary literacy to adolescents: Rethinking content-area literacy. Harvard Educational Review, 78(1), 40-59.
Slough, S.W., McTigue, E.M., Kim, S, & Jennings, S.K. (2010). Science textbooks’ 2010 use of graphical representation: A descriptive analysis of four sixth grade science texts. Reading Psychology, 31(3), 301-325.
Wollman-Bonilla, J.E. (2001). Can first-grade writers demonstrate audience awareness? Reading Research Quarterly, 36(2), 184-201.
Jennifer L. Altieri has been a teacher, reading consultant, and is currently associate professor of literacy at Coastal Carolina University. She has published
three books with the
International Literacy Association which pertain to content area literacy at the elementary level. In addition, her newest book, which is published by Heinemann, focuses on practical classroom strategies which make science content accessible to students (grades four to eight). Jennifer is passionate about developing readers, writers, and thinkers through content literacy.