Teaching Suggestions
Use Text Features to Gain Additional Information
Emergent (K-1)p.72Point out title, author, and illustrator when sharing books during read aloud or shared reading.
Talk about how the title relates to the book, and the difference between an author and an illustrator. |
Early (1-2)p.76Help students to develop knowledge about the use of such text features as titles, illustrations, and table of contents to determine content or to locate topics by modelling during read aloud and shared language, and through mini-lessons.
Provide opportunities for students to practise using the above text features. For example, in a guided reading session, students could be supported in using the table of contents to locate information about a certain topic in a text. NOTES As part of a Community theme, my grade 1 class read some of the My Family, Your Family social studies Big Books. I find them ideal for introducing my students to the concept of table of contents. They are very clear and basic in their layout. e.g., Table of Contents Family Photos.................1 My Mother.....................4 Flying ............................6 In shared reading, I ask children what they notice on this page, what they notice about the numbers, why they think it goes from one to four to six, etc. As children become more familiar with how it works, the questions become more specific. (e.g., What would we find on page six ? Is it a long entry? How can you tell? On what page(s) would we find information about flying?) |
Transitional (3-4)p.86
By modelling during read-aloud, and through instruction in the contexts of shared and guided reading and mini-lessons, help students develop such knowledge and understanding as - using features of texts such as pictures/illustrations, graphs, maps, bold print, paragraphs, titles, simple index, table of contents, chapter titles, and headings or subtitles to determine content, locate topics, and obtain information. NOTES When involved in a theme which includes expository texts, I ask students to look at the cover, table of contents, index, pictures, and maps to formulate questions about what the text is about or where to find things in the book. The students can then answer their questions. p.94 Through collaborative group efforts, demonstrate strategies such as - using basic reference materials (e.g., databases, print and electronic encyclopedias, atlases) - skimming to find specific information - using features of text such as table of contents, index, and glossary. p.98 Discuss with students some of the basic features of types of text and engage them in thinking about how texts they read/view fit with these features. (e.g., poetry, fairy tales, different types of illustration, posters, advertisements, TV shows, magazine articles, weather reports, photo essays, maps). Discuss/demonstrate how such text features as headings and charts help us understand and interpret what we read, e.g., Maps- key, scale, colour coding, compass direction, symbols, labels |