It is important for all students to understand the major differences between fiction and non-fiction texts. This understanding helps enhance comprehension when reading both types of text. Certain elements of each type of text can prove challenging to ELLs. In analyzing a fiction and a non-fiction text, it became clear which features would support ELLs and which features might challenge ELLs.
Fiction If You Give A Pig A Pancake by Laura Numeroff | Nonfiction A Day At Seagull Beach by Karen Wallace |
· Written to entertain students · Story structure typically includes characters, plot, setting, theme, a problem and solution · Written from imagination and stories are not real or true · Types include short stories, novels, poems, plays · Typically includes illustrations not photographs · Invokes feelings from the reader | · Written to provide facts and information to students · Written about real people, things, places or events · Types include autobiographies, biographies, encyclopedias, articles, textbooks, how-to essays and personal essays · May include charts, maps, diagrams, captions, labels, bold print, index, table of contents and a glossary · May feature photographs as opposed to illustrations · Read using skimming and scanning |
Fiction- If You Give A Pig A Pancake by Laura Numeroff
Features that support ELLs | Features that may challenge ELLs |
· Story is entertaining and of interest to all students · Illustrations match text and can be used as cues · Repetitive and predictive language and events allowing for easy transfer of understanding from page to page · Page layout is clean and not too busy · High percentage of language and content that could be understood by ELLs or could be easily taught | · Vocabulary that may need to be taught before reading to increase comprehension such as; maple syrup, sticky, homesick, tap shoes and envelopes · Concept of a circular story |
Non-Fiction-A Day at Seagull Beach by Karen Wallace
Features that support ELLs | Features that may challenge ELLs |
· Challenging vocabulary is boxed along with a picture to match the word · A picture word list is included at the end of the book with page numbers · Photographs match the text and can be used as cues for understanding difficult concepts · Photographs are engaging and colorful and feature real children | · No signaling devices such as headings or titles to organize the text and aid comprehension · No table of contents or index used to organize the text · Some of the pages are busy and may be confusing to ELLs · Words like whoosh, boom, wiggle, snap, snip, tap and skreek are in all caps with exclamation marks |
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