Original Wondering: What I am wondering now:

How can text features aid in the comprehension of Does the value of text structures and text features change
informational text. when using expository nonfiction text versus nonfiction
narratives?

Rationale For Study:

8/28 9/04 9/18 9/25 10/02

First RTC. Conducted the I noticed that Ethan The mini-lesson I conducted a
My goal was to learn Burke Interview. I relied on pictures to asked the tall miscue analysis with
how to make a noticed that Ethan draw meaning from teachers to focus on Ethan. The book
significant difference needed help the text. He asking questions chosen was a
in how a student recognizing the mentioned that he instead of answering downhill book for
feels about reading. importance of wanted to learn them. I recognized Ethan.
meaning making “harder words” i.e. the importance of
while reading. expand his the language
vocabulary. teachers use while
conducting mini-
lessons as I
participated in this
activity.
*The data collected up to this point showed that Ethan ignores text features. He fails to see how text features help
readers dig deeper into their reading. Ethan was missing out on valuable information when he was reading
informational text which lead to a surface level understanding of the text. I began to wonder how Ethan’s
comprehension would change if he read and analyzed the text features.
10/16 10/23 10/30 11/20 11/27

Ethan did not re- Ethan used several I conducted a text I planned to conduct I conducted my final
read the confusing of the strategies we feature walk with the timeline activity miscue analysis.
parts of the story, have discussed Ethan. I used my with Ethan, which Although I picked a
even though he was throughout the knowledge of would emphasize more challenging
unsure of what it semester Ethan’s love for how text features book for Ethan to
meant. Ethan simultaneously. He nonfiction and his can be a tool for read, he had
needed to focus on do so without lack of using text readers even when it progressed
meaning making, prompting. features to plan out isn’t included in the throughout the
and using the a Children’s Book for text by the author. semester so it fell in
entirety of the book him. the independent
to do so. reading level.
*The data collected after I identified my wondering was used to inform several areas of instruction. I used this
information to develop a plan for a personalized Children's Book for Ethan, to created a small group lesson plan
 tailored to Ethan’s needs, and to create several mini lessons and activities for our small-teacher-tall-teacher learning
time.

Data Collection Sources:

Education.com. (2018, September 20). Text Features: Reading that Makes Sense | Lesson Plan | Education.com | Lesson plan. Retrieved from
https://www.education.com/lesson-plan/text-features-reading-that-makes-sense/

Guiding Students Through Expository Text with Text Feature Walks. (2018, January 08). Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/guiding-
students-through-expository-text-text-feature-walks

Redlandstoas, P. B. (2015, September 18). Why Teaching Text Features is Important. Retrieved from
https://redlandsteacherblog.wordpress.com/2015/09/18/why-teaching-text-features-is-important/

Teaching Text Structure Improves Reading Comprehension. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psyched/201703/teaching-text-
structure-improves-reading-comprehension

Using Text Features: Comprehension and Learning Strategies. Natural Behavior Support Service. Retrieved from
http://www.fergusonhs.org/Literacy%20Archive/Archive%20Files/4th%20Grading%20Period/Using%20Text%20Features%20in%20content%20textbooks.pdf

Other Data Sources-

1. RTC
2. Weekly Powerpoint
3. Miscue Analysis
4. Pinterest Boards
5. Lucy Calkins’ Reading Workshop Notebook

Key Findings:
● The content of a text is what we want students to learn. Content can be accessible if it is reduced to manageable
chunks, or it can be intimidating if it includes too much specialized academic vocabulary and too many abstract
concepts.
● Guide to Explicitly teaching text features:Explain to students that text features are
parts of their textbook that have been created to help them locate and learn information, Demonstrate how
looking at text features can help identify what is most important in a topic and help locate information quickly, In
pairs have students familiarise themselves with the different text features in their different textbooks.
● Text features are simply readers’ aides used to gather information and improve comprehension.
● Text structure is one specific type of prior (or background) knowledge that skilled readers possess. Good
readers can identify important information in a text and are aware of how other textual information relates to the
important propositions.
● Take the time once in a while to point out a nonfiction text feature and talk about it with students. Simply talking
with your students about the nonfiction text features will show your child that they are important and worth
noticing.
 Instructional Moves:
The following activities were conducted during small-teacher-tall-teacher learning time. They
all focus on emphasizing the importance of text features and how those features can be used
to aid in comprehension.

Words and Their Meanings T-chart

Justification of the Activity Data

When I noticed that Ethan was not paying attention to text
features, I wanted to find a way to show Ethan that text
features can be helpful. Ethan indicated that he wanted to
improve his vocabulary during our Initial Interview. This
activity should be used to bridge his goal with the use of
text features to help motivate Ethan.
Ethan recognizes the importance of vocabulary for the
comprehension of text. When we use the glossary of a
nonfiction text to find the definition of a word, he should
recognize how using this text feature will help him reach his
goal. He should consider the glossary and word banks
useful and relevant tools.

Text Feature Scavenger Hunt

Justification of the Activity Data

Ethan continued to ignore text features even after we
noticed how helpful they can be. I wanted to know which
text features Ethan could identify in order to determine if
Ethan was ignoring them because he did not know how to
draw meaning from them--which text features could Ethan
use if he wanted to?
Ethan can identify pictures, captions, headings, textboxes,
timelines, maps, and other text features. Ethan confuses
diagrams and maps, but recognizes that both text features
can provide useful information. If Ethan is reminded to
consider the text features, he will, but he will not analyze
them independently yet.

Story Timeline

Justification of the Activity Data

Ethan could identify a timeline in his history textbook. Ethan knows how to sequence events in chronological
During reading conferences I noticed that Ethan struggled order using a timeline. He knows how to read a timeline,
to retell/summarize the events of a story in a logical way. and how timelines might help readers understand when the
This activity would help Ethan organize his thoughts while
events in the text occured.
reading and it would emphasize the value of using text
features.