Exposure

The implementation of the Common Core State Standards has set a new expectation in regards to nonfiction. In states that use these standards, teachers are expected to expose their students to significantly more nonfiction works than they were previously using. Exposure, though it is a basic step, is still an important one if we are to move towards higher levels of nonfiction literacy. Maloch and Bomer (2013) claimed that “one important (perhaps the most important) step in growing young children’s knowledge, understanding, and use of informational texts is making these texts available and accessible to them” (p. 442).

Maloch and Bomer (2013) also argued, though, that “exposure” cannot be taken as a blanket term, and that teachers need to be mindful of what kinds of nonfiction they incorporate into the classroom. Saul and Dieckman (2005, as cited in Maloch and Bomer, 2013) proposed that 3 criteria be used for selecting informational texts: the content, the quality of writing, and the design. As Sullivan (2001) pointed out, many students enjoy nonfiction when it is interesting and well-written. If educators take time and effort to select a wide variety of quality nonfiction to be made available to students, then “exposure” will become much more meaningful.

If we provide our students with access to high-quality nonfiction texts, not only will students feel more comfortable reading nonfiction, but they will begin to develop strategies for reading and understanding specific types of nonfiction. Understanding genres it especially important in order for students to be able to gain what Benson (2003) calls “text knowledge” (p. 17). Benson (2003) argued that there are actually two components to understanding nonfiction. There is the traditional “content knowledge” of what the text is about, and there is “text knowledge,” which is a general understanding of how a text works (Benson, 2003 p. 17). This is a skill set specific to interpreting nonfiction. Students who are active readers of informational texts will become more familiar with the varieties of ways that information can be organized and how to best read for content. However, it is important to note that text knowledge begins as result of exposure but it, too, must be fully accessed through specific, taught skills.

Genre exposure will also help to relieve a problem that Kelley and Clausen-Grace (2013) described. They noted that students are likely to “lump all nonfiction together” and that students likely “haven’t considered the various nonfiction genres” (Kelley & Clausen-Grace, 2013, p. 54). However, this is less true for fiction. Ask a student to name genres of fiction, and they will likely be able to list several. They will also probably be able to identify what genres they prefer. Maloch and Bomer (2013) described several studies that looked at a variety of ages of learners. They found that a child’s knowledge of various genre types is directly related to the types of genres that child is exposed to. Should students have more opportunities to read nonfiction, then they will be better able to identify and work with the various genres, like magazine articles, blog posts, and historical nonfiction. Students may even discover a genre that they never knew existed and that they find extremely rewarding to read.

If students have many opportunities to read well-written informational texts on topics that interest them, then they will have ample opportunities to cultivate both interest and understanding. Sullivan (2001) noted that many teens even prefer nonfiction. With more exposure, perhaps more students can find that they do, in fact, enjoy reading.

References Benson, V. (2003). Informing literacy: A new paradigm for assessing nonfiction. New England Reading Association Journal, 39(1), 13-20. Kelley, M. and Clausen-Grace, N. (2013). Comprehension shouldn't be silent: From strategy instruction to student independence (2nd ed.). Newark, DE:International Reading Association. Maloch, B., & Bomer, R. (2013). Research and policy: Teaching about and with informational texts: What does research teach us?. Language Arts, 90(6), 441-450. Sullivan, E. (2001). Some teens prefer the real thing: The case for young adult nonfiction. English Journal, 90(3), 43-47.

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