Information Circles: teaching students to read and respond to informational texts
Date
2012-05-28
Authors
Reinheimer, Breanne
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Abstract
This project focuses on best practices for incorporating informational text comprehension
instruction with middle years’ content area instruction. The project provides teachers with a classroom resource that can be used with text collections centered on a theme that corresponds with content area learning outcomes. The Information Circles resource addresses both language arts and content area learning outcomes and is designed with generalist teachers in mind. The review of the literature indicated that informational texts can motivate middle years’ students and that best practices for adolescent literacy instruction include extended time for literacy, explicit comprehension strategy instruction, diverse, accessible, multi-modal texts, student choice and student talk centered on texts. The resource includes a unit outline, suggestions for text selection, sample lessons, informational text comprehension strategies and assessment considerations. Finally, the reflection discusses the classroom experiences and academic readings that inspired me to create a resource that integrates subject area learning and reading comprehension instruction.
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Keywords
reading comprehension, adolescent literacy, literature circles, strategy instruction, informational texts, nonfiction reading, middle years, motivation, student talk, choice, content area literacy, texts