Reading Informational Text

Nonfiction Text Looks different from fiction text such as a novel or picture book How?

How? May be chapter titles and section headers or sub-titles that preview information. Pages have words in a variety of fonts and font sizes. Bold or italic fonts may be used to signal important words or phrases. Marks may be used to show how to pronounce words. It may be different but it is also fun to read

Graphic Aids Are Used Maps, charts, diagrams, photographs may be included to illustrate or summarize information. Captions or labels must be examined carefully for relevant information.

Vocabulary is Different There may be more words that are unfamiliar Words may be longer – more syllables

When You Read Nonfiction You learn information It is often called informational text Science and Social Studies texts are an example There is a great deal of information to be understood and remembered

What Can Help You? Special features are used within the text to help you locate, understand and remember information that you have read These are called text features

Text Features Each text feature is a tool which helps you do your work But first you have to learn about them and how they work

Text Features Text Organizers - index, preface, table of contents, glossary, appendix Titles, headings, sub-headings, bullets, labels

More Text Features Fonts and Effects – size, italics, bold, colour Illustrations, Photographs and Captions Graphics – maps, charts, graphs

Let’s See Some Text Features