Text characteristics affect comprehension… Be explicit as you teach students about genre and text structure

Today’s Objectives 1. Review narrative genres & text structures 2. Examine several versions of Cinderella for key elements of fairy tales 3. Reflect on the Prove It Process and connect to key ideas in Bearse’s The Fairy Tale Connection

What kinds of narrative texts should be in your classroom library? Brainstorm as many “narrative genres” as you can in two minutes.

Genres of Narrative Texts Traditional Stories: Folktales, Fairytales, Fables, Myths, Trickster Tales, Legends, Tall Tales Fantasy: animal, toy, science fiction, time fantasy, horror Realistic Fiction: contemporary (sports, survival, school, family), historical, mystery Poetry: couplet, free verse, haiku, shape poems, Multicultural/International: intersecting, but representing specific cultures IF YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE, WHAT’S STILL MISSING IN YOUR CLASSROOM??

EXPOSITORY TEXTS!! Nonfiction: –Informational –Biographies –Autobiographies –Expository (textbooks) Boys love them! Fosters personal inquiry! Explicitly teach “reading to learn” rather than assume natural transition from learning to read to avoid “fourth grade slump”

Elements of Narrative Text Structures Setting: realistic (specific or anytown USA), fictional, or fantasy Character: revealed through words, actions, and descriptions Plot: Beginning/Middle/End > Conflict and Resolution Theme: unifying truth, universal message (big idea statements) Stylistic Elements (structure, figurative language, mood, irony, humor) Point of view: who’s telling the story?

Comprehension & Response Structures (During & After Reading Narrative Texts) RETELLING… B/M/E – 3 sentences/paragraphs Somebody/Wanted/But/So Sequence Events>Details Problem/Feelings and Solution/Feelings

Traditional Tales: Can You Prove It’s A Fairy Tale? and Multicultural Literature (reflect differences in cultural beliefs and what’s important in life)

Is this effective for teaching elements of a particular genre? Benefits of this activity? Benefits of the intervention in the Bearse article for reading & writing?

The Fairy Tale Connection (Bearse, 1992) – Purpose? What “intervention” took place? Key elements? –1. word splash –2. read lots of different stories (exposed) –3. compare/contrast in mini-lessons –4. wrote (process writing, key components) What was the purpose of the study? –A. connections to other fairy tales (intertextuality) –B. conscious? Unconscious? Connections… –C. language

The Fairy Tale Connection (Bearse, 1992) – Key findings 61% (11/18 students) made conscious connections to stories they had read previously (naming characters, borrowed plot details; synthesized several fairy tales into their writing) Synthesis was often unconscious, whether the connections were to fairy tales or certain fairy tale elements (e.g., the lead, magical elements) All children, to some extent, internalized sophisticated sentence structure, rhythms, and poetic language of fairy tale language How did that happen??

Key Practices to Foster Reading/Writing Connections Fostering reading/writing connections –Immerse students in genre study –Provide explicit instruction in language and structure of each genre –Provide lots of exposure to multiple texts and models before you expect students to write in that genre Q: Why do you think that high-ability students tended to make conscious connections while low-ability students seemed to make unconscious connections?

Homework For Tuesday, October 25 –Finish Book Activity 3 Reflection –Finish Book Activity 4: Magic Treehouse (read and create five minute strategy script to present in class) –Chapter 5: (p. 142) and skim handouts on Expository Text Structures (in Text Difficulty handouts) (keep in mind with Magic Treehouse book – which mixes fiction, nonfiction, and fantasy)