Nonfiction Strategies That Work ─ Do This - Not That!

This guide identifies 10 practices for teaching nonfiction to elementary students. It explains how to select and instruct nonfiction support strategies with purpose; provide students with a range of scaffolds for summary writing; implement quality, differentiated nonfiction texts to teach language arts standards; select and study vocabulary words to support reading; work with content area colleagues to select topics that cross the curriculum; work with students to develop strategies to cite evidence in texts; create and scaffold varied and interesting nonfiction writing assignments that range from formal to informal; use text structure as a reading and writing tool to assist students in analyzing texts; encourage independent reading; and use nonfiction for active comprehension strategies like readers' theatre, tableaux, and character walks. Each practice includes related research, teaching strategies that update traditional instructional practices, correlations to the Common Core State Standards, and action steps and reflection ideas. Annotation c2014 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)

Lori G. Wilfong is a former middle school language arts teacher, current Associate Professor in Middle Childhood Education at Kent State University, frequent conference presenter, and forever supporter of teachers working to weave literacy into their classrooms.