English Language Arts and Reading.5.9.D.ii

The student is expected to

recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including:

 

features such as insets, timelines, and sidebars to support understanding; and

multiple genres TEKS talk image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Multiple genres: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts--genres. The student recognizes and analyzes genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts.

Provide students with an informational text that has multiple text features. Ask students to notice the text features and consider the way in which they support comprehension of the text. Have students imagine that those features were not included in the text and predict how would it make reading the text different.

Possible Questions:

  • If the timeline was not included, how would comprehension of the text be different?
  • How does the pronunciation guide assist the reader?
  • What is the purpose of including the illustration/photo/diagram in the text?


Further Explanation

This assessment requires students to identify various text features that are common to informational texts and determine how these features help the reader to better understand what the author is attempting to share.

Students should learn to identify various text features common to informational texts and develop an understanding of how these features help the reader to better understand what the author is saying. For example, a timeline might provide a visual explanation of information that the author has presented, helping the reader to better grasp the sequence of events described by the author.
a text that presents information in order to explain, clarify, and/or educate
a small graphic inside or next to a larger graphic that magnifies part of the larger graphic
In reading, students are expected to have a clear idea of the particular attributes informational text. For example, students should know that informational text has unique characteristics, such as a central idea, and often include graphic features, such as timelines, tables, sections, and bullets.
additional text that provides supplementary information but is not part of the main body of a piece of writing A sidebar is separated from the rest of the text by a border and is usually located on the side of a page.
Students should be able to recognize the way an informational text is structured or organized. For example, an author may choose to organize an article using a compare-and-contrast approach to draw attention to the pros and cons of a particular topic.
a graphic feature that represents dates and events in chronological order

Research

Davidson, M., & Berninger, V. (2016). Informative, compare and contrast, and persuasive essay composing of fifth and seventh graders: Not all essay writing is the same. Journal of Psychoeducation, 34(4), 311–321. doi:10.1177/0734282915604977

Summary: Middle schools students write essays in three genres using background knowledge, graphic illustrations to enhance mental images, and oral reading (listening comprehension).  The results of the study suggest that students exhibited considerable difference between the genre, writing quality, organizational skills, and length. The study provides teachers with an overview of approaches that may support students to write in multiple genres. Importance is placed on assessing genres.