50
1. Explain that expository writing presents
real information that is organized
differently than narrative writing, which
tells a made-up story. Stories have
settings with characters, characters have
problems, and stories describe how
characters solve their problems. When
beginning a story, teachers often conduct
picture walks and make predictions. But
in expository writing, material is
previewed differently.
2. Clarify that expository text is organized so
that important vocabulary terms are often
bold-faced and play an important role in
understanding the information; and, on
many pages, there are pictures that help
clarify the meaning of the information
being presented and discussed.
3. Show students how expository texts are
organized with titles, headings, and
subheadings. Before reading expository
writing, students need to be taught the
importance of reading these because they
can help the young reader organize the
content logically and meaningfully
(Dechant, 1991).
4. Present and define the bold-faced words
and any difficult words.
5. Ask students to preview each page by
reading the caption underneath all pictures
and other visuals found on the page.
6. Have students read the first paragraph
entirely; and, from that point on, read the
first sentence of each subsequent
paragraph under each heading. Finally, the
students are asked to read the last
paragraph in its entirety.
7. Encourage students to discuss the meaning
of what they have just read. Students
should be coached to ask themselves: What
is the selection about? What facts or ideas
do I remember? What questions do I have
about the material before I read it?
8. Finally, and most importantly, instruct the
students to read the entire selection from
the beginning to the end.
To illustrate this
prereading preview strategy,
Road to Revolution (Downey,
2010) will be used. This book
is a typical social studies text
used in the first semester of
third grade. This brief text-
book consists of three units
of which the first unit is
Fighting for a New Nation.
First, because each page contains a picture, students examine and read the caption under each one similar to a picture walk. This process provides background information, which helps children anticipate the upcoming information and clarify new vocabulary. The pictures clarify the setting by offering a visual repre-sentation of the historical landscapes and the 18th century Native Americans and colonists. Above the heading, New Taxes, there is a picture of an angry mob in front of a typical building of the day pursuing two gentlemen down a cobblestone street. The caption reads “Colonists chase tax collectors out of town.” Furthermore, the unit concludes with a timeline highlighted by pictures of items that represent a corresponding historical event. Visual imagery is a key method of encoding, storing, and retrieving information, especially when combined with reading the text (Paivio, 1990).
Second, teachers introduce the vocabulary words designated in the textbook and any difficult words. For early readers, vocabulary is often new, conceptual, and challenging. The words designated by bold-faced print in the example text were colonists, revolution, tax, protest, minuteman, and redcoat. The word surrender might also be included. The vocabulary activity needs to include group thought and interaction, which might be accomplished by discussing the word meanings.
Third, the students read the title of the unit, the first heading, and the first paragraph entirely. Then they proceed by reading each subsequent heading and the first sentence of each subsequent paragraph under the heading. They continue until the last paragraph is read in its entirety.