Effective Literacy Strategies
to Support Students’
Content Area Reading
Elizabeth S. Hoffman, Ph.D.
[email protected]
Cynthia Walters, M.Ed.
[email protected]
University of Central Florida
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Introduction & Rationale
The importance of comprehension of nonfiction text…
 necessary for adults to function effectively in their daily
lives
 emphasis in the recently adopted Common Core State
Standards (CCSS) and the newly revised Florida
Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPs)
Challenges encountered in using nonfiction text for
instruction…
 typically a more challenging type of text to read and
understand due to a number of factors
• varying internal structures
• copious use of text features, such as headings and
subheadings, table of contents, indexes, captions,
maps, graphs, etc…
 tends to be quite dense with information, making them
difficult to read and understand for our most proficient
elementary readers, but more specifically for our struggling
readers and English Language Learners (ELLs)
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Emphasis of Nonfiction Text in:
Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
 2 College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards
for Reading:
 Craft & Structure
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.5 Analyze the
structure of texts…
 Range of Reading & Level of Text Complexity
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.10 Read and
comprehend literary and informational texts
independently and proficiently
 Reading: Informational Text Strand
 Multiple standards (text features, text
structures, comprehension) at each grade level
beginning
with Grade
1
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Emphasis of Nonfiction Text in:
Florida Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPs)
2.a.3.b.
2.a. Quality of Instruction
3. Instructional Delivery and Facilitation
b. Deepen and enrich students’
understanding through content area
literacy strategies
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Overview:
It is imperative that all students be given the
tools and experiences needed to deepen and
expand their understanding of nonfiction text.
Instructional strategies and techniques will be
shared to help enhance students’
understanding of:
• Nonfiction Text Structures
• Nonfiction Text Features
• Nonfiction/Content Area Text
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Text Structure:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.8
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.5
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.5
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.10
FEAP 2.a.3.b
Text Structure:
Purpose:
Graphic Organizer:
Description
list characteristics,
features & examples
Cause & Effect
list cause(s) &
resulting effects
Problem &
Solution
state a problem &
list solution(s)
Sequence
list events in order
Comparison
explain how things are
alike & different
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Text Features:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.5
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.5
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.7 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.5
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.7 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.7
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.10
FEAP 2.a.3.b
Time to Participate in a Text Feature Scavenger Hunt!
Step 1: Choose a nonfiction tradebook
Step 2: Skim and scan text to determine the topic/theme of the
text.
Step 3: Determine the text structure(s) the author used in
writing the text.
Step 4: Using the provided chart, list the text features found in
the text and page number of each.
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Content Area
Literacy Strategies:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.10
FEAP 2.a.3.b
 Selective Reading Guides- show students how to
think as they read, effective use of questions and signaling
techiniques show readers how to interact with text.
* Reading Road Map
 Anticipation Guides- prepare students to read by
making them aware of their prior knowledge and opinions about a
topic/issue
*Before/After
*True/False
*Characteristics
 Cubing- allows students to explore a topic and synthesize their
learning
*Biocube
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References
Biocube retrieved from http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/studentinteractives/cube-creator-30850.html
Bluestein, N. (2010). Unlocking text features for determining importance in expository text:
A strategy for struggling readers. Reading Teacher, 63(7), 597-600.
Florida Department of Education. (2011). 6A-5.065 The Educator Accomplished Practices.
Retrieved from https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=6A-5.065
Informational Text Features chart retrieved from
http://t4.jordan.k12.ut.us/cbl/images/litfac/binfo.pdf
Lee, A. (2010). A way of understanding the world of science informational books. Reading
Teacher, 63(5), 424-428.
National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School
Officers. (2010). Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in
History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (K-5). National Governors
Association Center for Best Practices, Council of Chief State School Officers,
Washington D.C.
Roe, B.D. & Ross, E.P. (2005). Integrating Language Arts through Literature & Thematic
Units. Boston: Pearson.
Vacca, R.T. & Vacca, J.L. (2004). Content area reading: Literacy and learning across the
curriculum. 8th ed. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
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