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Reading and Writing Information
Meeting the Needs
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Adapting Reading and Writing Information
- Examine Informational Books
Informational books are organized differently from stories, and they often have unique conventions. Help students examine this genre and compare these books with stories so that they can recognize the differences.
- Compare Aesthetic and Efferent Reading
Students read informational books efferently to locate specific information and aesthetically for the lived-through experience of reading. Too often, less fluent readers read efferently and assume that they must read the entire book and remember everything, even when they are reading to locate a specific piece of information. Help these students learn how to assume an efferent stance to locate specific information and an aesthetic stance at other times.
- Make Visual Reports
Instead of assigning written reports, have students share information visually by making diagrams, clusters, time lines, flowcharts, or other visual displays as part of theme cycles. Encourage them to add illustrations and captions to complete their visual reports.
- Write "All About . . ." Books
Have less experienced writers write "All About . . ." books. In these books students write information they are learning during theme cycles or information about hobbies. Because students draw a picture and write only a sentence or two on each page, they are able to complete the project before they lose interest or become frustrated.
- Write Collaborative Biographies
Have students work together to write collaborative biographies, with each student writing one page. Explain that students must first identify important events in the person's life. Then, each student writes about one event. When they have finished, compile the pages into a book.
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