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One key shift with the Common Core is the increased emphasis on “building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction” (from www.corestandards.org). While most ELA teachers are extremely familiar with using fiction in the Language Arts classroom, increasing the amount of nonfiction reading may create a dilemma: for instance, how do teachers “fit” in more time nonfiction, and still have ample time to teach fiction pieces and related reading strategies? At the elementary level, teachers can infuse nonfiction into other subjects in addition to ELA; for example, identifying nonfiction texts in Social Studies and Science is a fitting way to address the standards – while exposing students to concepts in those content areas. Meanwhile, at the secondary level, middle school teachers will need to collaborate and articulate both vertically and horizontally to take a multidisciplinary approach to nonfiction reading instruction. While the ELA teacher may spend more time teaching nonfiction than in the past, other subject areas can also address nonfiction reading, especially in Science and Social Studies classes. (See www.corestandards.org for the reading standards that the Common Core has in place for these content areas.)
Finding Quality Nonfiction
In response to the increased emphasis on nonfiction reading, Newsela (pronounced “news-ella”) is a website that has addressed this need for grades 3 – 12. Newsela provides articles for students to read that cover current events; plus, these articles are accessible to a wide range of reading abilities because each article is available at five different Lexile levels. This way, teachers can choose articles that he or she knows a student can read independently. In fact, many articles take the same topic and allow you, the teacher, to select the desired Lexile band. In this instance, you can have your entire class reading the “same” article – but on each student’s appropriate reading level. After reading the articles, some selections offer short quizzes for students to take, and based on their quiz scores; Newsela utilizes adaptive technology to create a “customized reading level” for students. Certain features are only available as a paid subscription (“Newsela PRO”), but access to the articles is free. See www.newsela.com for more information. Other Considerations Another way to include more nonfiction reading into your classroom is to pair the reading with fictional texts. For instance, ask students to read a nonfiction article that relates to a challenging fiction text your students are about to read. By providing them with the prerequisite information through the article, they will approach the challenging text with more background knowledge, allowing them to better comprehend the reading selection. And for students who struggle with the nonfiction material itself, you may consider reading aloud to them as an initial scaffold until you can gradually release them to reading independently. As mentioned in last week’s article, “How to Help Students with Increasingly Complex Text” (How to Help Students With Increasingly Complex Text – by Julie C. Lyons), Close Reading is an instructional strategy that helps students delve into the text and comprehend it deeply. Read more on “Just the Facts, Ma’am” Using Nonfiction in the Classroom
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