Today,
Marlene Correia will be discussing the fifth and final item on the 5 Reasons to Share Expository Nonfiction with Students. Thanks so
much for your thoughts on this topic, Marlene.
I wouldn’t
say writing about standardized assessment is my favorite topic, but the reality
is that state mandated testing is probably here to stay—at least for a while—so today’s post discusses
how reading expository nonfiction can help students meet the challenges of that
testing.
say writing about standardized assessment is my favorite topic, but the reality
is that state mandated testing is probably here to stay—at least for a while—so today’s post discusses
how reading expository nonfiction can help students meet the challenges of that
testing.
Both
national and state standards expect a large proportion of students’ reading and
writing to be informational text. In fact, when the Common Core State Standards
(National Governor’s Association and the Council of Chief State School
Officers, 2010) were first released, the education community wrestled with the
question: Do the standards imply we need to teach a 50/50 split of fiction and
informational texts?
national and state standards expect a large proportion of students’ reading and
writing to be informational text. In fact, when the Common Core State Standards
(National Governor’s Association and the Council of Chief State School
Officers, 2010) were first released, the education community wrestled with the
question: Do the standards imply we need to teach a 50/50 split of fiction and
informational texts?
I think we
have since moved away from prescriptive numbers and realized there just needs
to be balance. If anything, the standards brought a heightened awareness to the
inclusion of informational texts in classrooms.
have since moved away from prescriptive numbers and realized there just needs
to be balance. If anything, the standards brought a heightened awareness to the
inclusion of informational texts in classrooms.
Standardized
tests reflect this focus on balancing fiction and informational texts. The
Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is a standardized test
given to a select number of fourth graders throughout the world every five
years. The PIRLS (2016) framework calls for 50% literary passages and 50%
passages testing reading to acquire and use information, including texts that
inform students about the world around them.
tests reflect this focus on balancing fiction and informational texts. The
Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is a standardized test
given to a select number of fourth graders throughout the world every five
years. The PIRLS (2016) framework calls for 50% literary passages and 50%
passages testing reading to acquire and use information, including texts that
inform students about the world around them.
We see this
same trend on state testing. Students are being asked to read and answer
questions related to multiple sources of expository texts. Often these texts
are challenging and complex. Students are sometimes simulating research as they
read multiple pieces, analyze the information, and then synthesize what they’ve
learned in a writing response.
same trend on state testing. Students are being asked to read and answer
questions related to multiple sources of expository texts. Often these texts
are challenging and complex. Students are sometimes simulating research as they
read multiple pieces, analyze the information, and then synthesize what they’ve
learned in a writing response.
The more
exposure, modeling, and practice students have with reading, listening, and
studying expository nonfiction, the better prepared they are to apply the
skills in a testing situation.
exposure, modeling, and practice students have with reading, listening, and
studying expository nonfiction, the better prepared they are to apply the
skills in a testing situation.
In previous blog
posts, we’ve discussed how repeated exposure to expository nonfiction helps
students increase their vocabulary, deepen their content knowledge, and
understand text features as they read. It can also serve as a model for their
own writing. All of these strategies become important tools that students can
access when taking standardized tests.
posts, we’ve discussed how repeated exposure to expository nonfiction helps
students increase their vocabulary, deepen their content knowledge, and
understand text features as they read. It can also serve as a model for their
own writing. All of these strategies become important tools that students can
access when taking standardized tests.
So even
though we may not like standardized tests, it’s clear that giving students
access to a rich, diverse array of nonfiction texts and teaching them how to
access the information in it will help them on test day as well as in college
and their future careers.
though we may not like standardized tests, it’s clear that giving students
access to a rich, diverse array of nonfiction texts and teaching them how to
access the information in it will help them on test day as well as in college
and their future careers.
Dr.
Marlene Correia
is the Director of Curriculum and Assessment for the Freetown-Lakeville
Regional School District in Lakeville, MA. Marlene has 15 years of experience
in K-8 education as a classroom teacher and special educator. Dr. Correia has
also taught undergraduate and graduate education courses at Framingham State
and Bridgewater State University. She is the co-author of Informational Texts in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade- Three Classrooms.
Dr. Correia is a past-president of the Massachusetts Reading Association.
Marlene Correia
is the Director of Curriculum and Assessment for the Freetown-Lakeville
Regional School District in Lakeville, MA. Marlene has 15 years of experience
in K-8 education as a classroom teacher and special educator. Dr. Correia has
also taught undergraduate and graduate education courses at Framingham State
and Bridgewater State University. She is the co-author of Informational Texts in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade- Three Classrooms.
Dr. Correia is a past-president of the Massachusetts Reading Association.
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One Response
Standardized testing is just sad, and a fairly useless measure of a student's intelligence or progress, so at least we can enrich them with engaging nonfiction texts to supplement the other tiresome stuff they have to do 🙁