Thinking and Talking Well in Nonfiction Texts (K–5)

What does comprehension sound like when reading nonfiction texts? How do I get past “just the facts”? And, what is there to teach beyond text features? Come explore how nonfiction texts work and how to get kids thinking about the ideas in texts. This session will address text structures and organization, questioning for understanding, and co-constructing meaning with our learners.

Nonfiction texts require readers to move beyond just holding on to individual facts as they read. The big ideas constructed by readers of nonfiction texts build and extend a reader’s background knowledge of the content around a topic, as they make connections among ideas. A reader’s engagement deepens as they learn about fascinating topics, find areas of interest, and begin to pursue these ideas with passion. Nonfiction reading may spark lifelong pursuits.

Supporting a reader to truly understand nonfiction—informational, explanatory, narrative, procedural, and argument— requires a teacher to understand how these texts are structured and organized to support meaning. Supporting students to think and talk well about a text requires a teacher to understand the big ideas and to envision the possibilities for strong conversations. Professional development using Okapi nonfiction does both. (1.5 to 3 hours). 

Materials that may be emphasized:
Flying Start to Literacy™, WorldWise™, Explorations®