How to “Get” What You Read --Dr. Suess

Writing comes in many textual forms; this means reading needs to happen in just as many ways. ELA 20 Reading Texts : Essays Poetry Fiction Non-fiction Script Instructions/procedural text So how does one comprehend or “get” each of these forms of text?

The first thing to do is break the reading formats into two types of text: informational and literary. Informational texts (e.g., reports, essays, feature articles, editorial, documentary films, websites, texts of work, family, and community life) use language to “transact and negotiate relationships, goods, and services, report on people, things, events, and issues, and to explain, analyze, argue, persuade, and give opinions” (Queensland Studies Authority, page 18). Literary texts (e.g., novels, plays, poetry, short stories, feature films) use language in “aesthetic, imaginative, and engaging ways to entertain and move, reflect and express emotions, and shape and explore cultural values and identity” (Queensland Studies Authority, page 18). BBLEARN/index.jsp?view=teaching&lang=en&subj=english_language_arts&level=20

therefore…ELA 20 texts fit: Informational Instructions/procedur al text Essay Literary Poetry Fiction Non-Fiction Script

Both informational and literary texts have things in common that need to be understood in order to be able to comprehend either one. First is that both types of text, in fact all texts, are written with or for a specific purpose. If we as readers can figure out the purpose of a text, it becomes that much easier to comprehend that text.

Second is that all texts are written for a specific audience, although sometimes that specific audience may just be the general population. These first two conventions of writing lend themselves to the next faction of writing that while generally common, is very text specific, and that is the organization of the text format.

Let’s look at some examples of these writing conventions for both types of text. Audience: who was this text written for? The audience for a piece of writing can be extremely specific or simply for a general audience that speaks (reads) the language. If you can relate to it, identify with it, understand the language, and make connections, you are probably part of the intended audience.

Purpose: why was this text written? Literary Text To entertain the audience To share a story To attempt to move the audience emotionally To communicate a life message or big idea Informational Text To provide the audience with factual information To provide the audience with instructions to complete a task To provide the audience with ideas, theories and opinions To attempt to persuade the audience to an idea, theory, or opinion

Format: how was this text written? All written texts have unique characteristics in how they are organized. Knowing how texts are constructed allows the reader to then figure out the purpose and consequently the audience. Literary Text Conversational style Dialogue Use of imagery Informational Text Paragraph format Numbered steps Quotations/references Use of factual information

As a reader, once you have figured out the purpose, audience, and format you should be able to tell what type of text you have just read. But, did you really “get” it?

If you have a good understanding of informational text, you should be able to compose an interpretation of the text. An interpretation is basically an explanation of a piece of text. This explanation consists of the key ideas of the piece with textual evidence to support these key ideas. The key ideas with support should then lead to the big idea or message in the text the author has intended for the audience to “get”. The following slide has an example of a During strategy to help organize the key ideas and support while reading an informational text.

A key idea I am reading is… Supporting textual evidence for this key idea: Another or further key idea I am reading is… Supporting textual evidence for this is… So the author seems to be trying to make the reader understand…

If you have a good understanding of literary text, you should be able to compose an analysis of the text. An analysis is a breaking down and understanding of the smaller elements of a text and how they work together to form the text as a whole. Literary text has some elements common to all types and some elements unique to specific types.

Common elements to analyze literary text: Author’s intention for writing Characters Point of view Setting Plot Conflict/resolution Theme By understanding these smaller elements, if you truly comprehend the text, the big idea of it should become evident.