3 Reasons to Use Nonfiction Texts When Teaching Reading
3 Reasons to Use Nonfiction Texts When Teaching Reading
Every classroom has those students who are absolutely passionate about a particular science or social studies topic; they devour every bit of information they can find on it.
On the flip side, there are those who groan at the thought of reading something they deem "boring."
But here's the secret: informational texts are essential for learning, and as teachers, it's crucial that we infuse them into our language arts lessons, even as read-alouds.
Here are three reasons this approach can benefit your students:
Widens Students’ World
When you introduce nonfiction texts into your classroom, you open the door to a world of knowledge waiting to be explored. Science and social studies have so many fascinating topics!
Kids may find these subjects dull because they often associate them with boring textbook readings and endless comprehension questions. However, you can change their perspective by selecting articles and books that make these subjects exciting.
Kids love learning mind-blowing facts about ancient civilizations or the wonders of nature. If you're pressed for time, consider using magazine articles from sources like National Geographic for Kids or other publications tailored to students.
Integrating Is More Efficient
Let's face it; time is the one thing teachers can never seem to have enough of. Integrating your science and social studies standards into your English Language Arts (ELA) block can be a game-changer.
By weaving these subjects together, you can cover both your informational text standards and the history or science content simultaneously. This integration not only streamlines your teaching process but also frees up time for more engaging activities such as experiments, research projects, and review games.
Builds Depth of Knowledge
One of the critical factors influencing students' reading comprehension is their background knowledge. While I can't recall the exact statistic, I recently came across a study that highlighted how a strong foundation of prior knowledge can significantly boost reading comprehension.
This principle holds true in my own experience with my children. For instance, my son, who has a vision processing issue affecting his reading speed and comprehension, performs remarkably better when the text relates to a topic he's passionate about and already familiar with. This boost in background knowledge even helped him do well on his SATs when the texts aligned with his interests. (Sadly, that only happened once, but that one time did help his superscore!)
Consider the analogy of reading an article on American football versus rugby. Most American kids have at least some knowledge of football, but they might not be familiar with rugby. Naturally, they'll find it easier to comprehend a nonfiction text about football or even a fictional story centered around the sport.
Plan to Integrate
As you plan your units, think about coordinating your ELA with either your science or social studies curriculum. In the past, I used to alternate teaching science and social studies, dedicating half a quarter to each. This approach made it more manageable to integrate content into my ELA block, allowing me to dive deeper into both subjects.
Paired Passages are an easy way to integrate more content knowledge into your ELA lessons. Each set of passages comes with texts on differentiated reading levels, reading comprehension quizzes, and an overarching essay topic. I have researched and written passages for American History, environmental-themed texts, and a set on Valentine’s Day topics. Get yours now in my TPT store.