10-second review: A sharp increase in fourth grade of informational text in standardized tests is the cause for a corresponding decline in achievement test scores. Remarkably, the instructional use of informational text at that level is with worksheets and round-robin reading. Conversely, narrative is the genre of choice at that level.
Title: “Availability and Use of Informational Texts in Second-, Third-, and Fourth-Grade Classrooms.” J Jeong, et al. Research in the Teaching of English (May 2010), 435-456.
Comment: Need more emphasis in the early grades on informational reading and writing. The fact that teachers are using round-robin reading as a major instructional tool is astounding to me. It’s a time-waster and serves no useful purpose unless for diagnostic reasons. What can teachers do in a constructive way in using informational texts? For one, they can begin early to teach the students how to use SQ3R—with questions to establish purpose for reading. If you haven’t heard of SQ3R, write to me at raystop2@comcast.net. RayS.
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