Teaching Informational Texts in the Early Grades

Abstract

The primary task in the early grades is to develop the fundamental skills of literacy. The most crucial aspect of this task is the comprehension of informational texts—the development of the ability to understand, analyze, and create content. This competence is fundamentally different from the skill of interpreting artistic texts and plays a vital role in the intellectual development of an individual.

Among the various types of informational texts, this paper focuses on the teaching of informational cognitive texts. Such texts serve as the main resource for conveying information on new topics and for the expansion and deepening of knowledge. For the subsequent development of the student and for academic success, it is essential that, from the very beginning, they acquire the ability to process these texts effectively. Essentially, students in any discipline, whether in the humanities or STEM fields, receive information precisely through the use of informational cognitive texts.

The current state of working with informational texts in the early grades cannot be considered satisfactory. In Georgian language lessons, informational texts are rarely taught. As for other subjects (such as natural sciences and social studies), where information is primarily presented in the form of informational texts, teachers tend to give little consideration to strategies for working with texts. In many cases, the focus is solely on memorizing the presented information. It would be preferable to use this important resource with a focus on developing literacy skills, which implies the deliberate use of effective strategies and methods for working with informational texts.

In this paper, we will discuss effective strategies for working with informational texts, focusing on the principles of text selection, the benefits of differentiation according to students' interests, the significance of using various cognitive schemes and different types of questions, as well as the benefits of collaborative learning. We will analyze the specifics of working with informational cognitive texts in terms of different themes, content, and structure, and we will present how educational objectives and work formats can be aligned with the characteristics of a particular text.