How to Teach Functional Reading to High School Students
Teaching Functional Text in the Upper Grades
Pedagogy students to use functional text is one of my favorite units! Why? Because kids are engaging with texts that they really read in their daily lives! They get to see that the reading skills we teach are immediately useful exterior school, and that's ever a win!
What is Functional Text?
Functional text, or authentic text, is any text that nosotros read on a daily basis. It'southward existent world reading. It's called functional considering information technology is useful; information technology includes information that helps us make decisions and complete tasks. Some examples that students easily recognize are recipes, directions, menus, fliers, and signs.
The purpose of functional text tin can vary. Typically, it provides information, explains directions for how to do something, or allows u.s. to share information with the author (like filling out a library card application).
Learning how to read and appoint with existent-globe text is an important skill for developing readers! Read on for some tips to tackle this genre in your reading workshop!
Introducing Functional Text
Earlier kicking off this unit, I like to collect as many types of functional text equally I can. The expert news? It's super easy! Bring home an extra copy of a paper carte the next fourth dimension you lot eat out. Go through your junk mail. Ask your students' families to bring in some examples!
I similar to have a multifariousness of formats and topics, with some that come correct from our customs. Kids become such a kicking out of that! I also try to find examples that will work at different reading levels (fewer words on the folio, more pictures, specialized vocabulary, etc.).
A super easy and engaging way to introduce this type of text is to just immerse your students in it! Requite them xv-20 minutes to look through unlike samples. And then have them share their observations. If you like, you can have them record their thoughts on sticky notes or chart their thinking. Or you lot can provide graphic organizers!
Some things I desire my students to detect about functional formats include:
- they are oft organized into small chunks of data
- they ordinarily include nonfiction text features, like headings, assuming print, and captions, that assist draw our eye to sure data
- their chief purpose is more often than not to present information to the reader then that we can consummate a job, make a decision, or solve a problem (some formats, like brochures and other advertisements, may be meant to persuade the reader to purchase or practice something)
- we read them differently than other nonfiction or fiction texts – we might skim them or just read certain parts at a time, rather than always reading them top to bottom in one go
- they might include specific vocabulary about their topic
One thing to watch out for is students who read the principal content of the text simply not the "extras", similar fact boxes and graphics. Important information tin frequently hibernate right in plainly sight, especially if the page is busy with lots of graphics or sections of text. Sometimes I ask students to look at all those extras commencement before the main text.
Analyzing Functional Text
Information technology's good for students to practice finding "correct at that place" answers when they read accurate text, since that'southward what they would demand to do in real life. In the upper grades, though, we know that we become way beyond basic comprehension questions. As students look through examples of procedural text, here are some guiding questions for them to consider:
- What is the purpose of the text?
- Who wrote the text? Is this person biased?
- Who would likely read it? Why?
- How would this text be useful?
- What is the main thought that I should take abroad as the reader?
- What data can nosotros get from it?
Depending on the format, they tin also use reading strategies like questioning, cartoon conclusions, sequencing, and identifying cause and consequence relationships.
The primal is making sure they're using examples that have enough "meat" to clarify. If yous want to relieve some time, click here to discover functional texts with questions.
Extensions
Chances are that you've had students complete some functional writing in your language arts block, such as an expert or how-to volume, or letter writing. Including a functional text unit in your writing plans can exist a nice interruption for students who struggle with artistic writing or report writing. In addition to the words, they tin work on incorporating lots of nonfiction text features as well.
Functional text is too a nice tie-in to media messages, if yous teach those. Comparing and contrasting different formats and purposes tin assistance students have a deeper wait at the media we swallow each day!
Click here or on the image below to see the Functional Formats Ballast Charts & Printables resource in my store.
Knowing how to read and understand functional text is an important life skill! I observe this unit to be actually engaging and authentic, and I hope you and your students relish it! Let me know in the comments what resource and activities you like to use when you teach functional formats!
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Source: https://alyssateaches.com/teaching-functional-text-in-the-upper-grades/
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