The Case for Informational Texts

Nell Duke, professor of language, literacy, and culture at the University of Michigan, helps articulate how informational texts can and should be used in elementary schools. In her Educational Leadership article, The Case for Informational Texts, she states that the seven things that are seen in primary classrooms that are effectively using informational texts to help students learn to read and write.

1. Informational texts used from the beginning
2. Informational text read alouds
3. Sets of related texts
4. Informational-text-rich environment
5. A lexically curious environment
6. Teaching about text
7. Opportunities to share information through writing