The Past As a classroom teacher, I have always used children's literature in my teaching. However, I have not always done so in a meaningful and effective manner. Too often, as a novice teacher, I would simply select a book from my classroom library and begin to read aloud without a purpose or understanding of the text. Thankfully, the way that I integrate children's literature into my classroom instruction has changed dramatically as a direct result of my experiences and opportunities as a graduate student.
The Present and Future When I select a text for instructional purposes, I do so in a strategic and meaningful manner. I have found that as a means to expose my students to authentic literary and informational texts, I must pair complementary texts together. By pairing related literary and informational texts together, I am able to easily integrate content areas, such as Language Arts and Science in an exciting and meaningful manner. Further, I am able to motivate my students to enjoy reading.
By pairing complementary literary and informational texts, I actively engage my students in the integration of knowledge and ideas. Specifically, complementary texts allow my students to analyze and examine how two or more texts address similar themes or topics, which in turn encourages my students to build their knowledge of specific content area subject matter. Classroom Example This past October, I selected two pieces of authentic literature related to bats. Specifically, I chose the fiction text Stellaluna by Janell Cannon and the informational text Bats by Elizabeth Carney. To begin the unit of study, I read Stellaluna to the class. The compelling fiction text was used to activate my students background knowledge and interest in the topic. Next, I read the informational text, Bats, to my students. During the read aloud, I was able to address my students misconceptions about bats and further develop their understanding of the nocturnal animals. Following the read aloud, the students completed a graphic organizer in which they identified specific facts about bats from the informational text. Although this is a brief summary of how I pair fiction and informational texts in my classroom, it allows one to recognize the value of pairing texts as a means to increase student motivation and engagement in the exploration of informational texts.
Common Core Connection Pairing Literary and Informational Texts: CCRA.R.9