Text Features :
Text Features Text Features Help Students Understand Nonfiction Text Examples of Text Features
With Definitions
Explanations for How Text Features Help Readers Understanding
Nonfiction
Text What are text features? :
What
are text features? Authors include text features to help the reader
better understand what they have read.
Text features provide information that may not be written in the text
itself.
Text features can be found in textbooks, magazine articles, newspapers,
reports, web pages, and other forms of nonfiction text. Table of Contents :
Table
of Contents Lists the major parts of a book along with their page
numbers.
It outlines the main topics or main points.
Readers can use the table of contents to help locate information in the
book and see how everything is organized. Table of Contents
Chapter 1: All About Animals
Animal Adaptations ……..Page 1
Animal Food……….……..Page 2
Animal Habitats . ………..Page 3
Animal Homes ..……….…Page 4
Chapter 2: All About Plants
Photosynthesis ………….Page 5
Types of Plants ………….Page 6 Where would a reader find information about
where an animal lives? The information about where animals live would
be found on page 3 in Animal Habitats. Index :
Index
Is an alphabetical listing of the key names, terms, events, and topics
with page numbers.
Readers use the index to help find pages that contain information they
are looking for. A
Abu Simbel, temple of, p73
Acadia, Canada, 212-213
Acid rain, 396, c396-c397, 396-397
Animal Adaptations p1
Animal Food p2
Animal Habitats p3
Animal Homes p5 Where would a reader find information in the text about
acid rain? The reader could find information about acid rain on pages
396 – 397. Glossary :
Glossary
A list of key terms in alphabetical order.
Each key word is defined.
Sometimes a glossary also tells you how to pronounce a word.
Readers use the glossary to look up key terms to find out their meaning.
This helps the reader better learn and understand the subject. A
Acid rain (AS ihd rayn) rain that carries certain kind of pollution.
Adapt (uh DAPT) to change in order to survive in new environments How
would the glossary help the reader understand text about animal
adaptations? The reader would understand animal adaptations better
because the glossary tells them what it means to adapt. Titles :
Titles
Titles tell the reader the topic of the text.
Titles show the main idea of the text.
Titles help the reader by letting them know what they are about to read.
Titles focus the reader on a topic so they can make connections between
what they already know and the text. What do the titles of the articles
in these newspapers tell you? The titles all talk about space so the
articles are all about space. Subheadings :
Subheadings
Subheadings divide the text into sections.
Subheadings tell the main idea of each section of text.
They are printed in large or bold type to make them stand out.
Subheadings help the reader to locate information in the text by telling
them where to look. Helpful Ants
Although ants are frustrating when they get in homes, ants do help the
environment. They help control the population of damaging pests such as
termites.
Types of Ants
Types of ants include fire ants, which cause a painful sting, and
carpenter ants, which damage wood structures while nest building. Other
types of ants include honey, pharaoh, house, Argentine, and the thief
ant. Where would the reader look to find out about a fire ant? A fire
ant is a kind of ant so the reader would look in Types of Ants. Text (Bold, Color, & Italics) :
Text
(Bold, Color, & Italics) The style and color of the text sends the
reader signals about how to read the content.
Key words to notice are in bold or in color.
Text in italics is used in picture captions, book titles, and any other
element that needs to stand out.
Text in bold, color, or italics draw the readers attention to important
information. The Wetlands of the South
Why are the South’s wetlands so important?
The Okefenokee (oh kuh fuh NOH kee) Swamp is a large wetland in the
South. A wetland is a place where the ground is soaked with water for
at least part of the year. How do the words in italics help the reader
understand the text? The words in italics help the reader by focusing
the reader on the answer to a question. Photographs Illustrations :
Photographs
Illustrations Photos and illustrations give information in a visual
way.
They help tell the story.
They work with the words and headings to help teach material.
They help the reader understand an idea from the text that was unclear.
How might these photos help the reader understand the text? The
pictures would help me understand what the animals look like and where
the live. Captions :
Captions
A caption explains what is shown in a picture or illustration.
Captions help the reader understand information that may or may not be
in the text. Photo by MARCIN SZCZEPANSKI
These gold coins were found on the ocean floor! The caption explains
that the coins are from the bottom of the ocean. How does this caption
help the reader understand the picture? If this article was about
finding treasure, how would this caption help the reader understand the
text? The caption would help me understand where the treasure was
found. Textbox :
Textbox A
textbox provides more information than is in the text about a topic.
A textbox can include interesting facts or important information the
author wants the reader to know.
Textboxes help readers understand by creating interest or emphasizing
important information. One of the textboxes above asks the reader to
solve a mystery about a Tasmanian Devil. Why would he include this
mystery? The textbox contains the mystery to help create interest for
the reader. Maps :
Maps
Maps are drawings that show the basic shape of the land and other
geographical, political, or historical features.
They present information in a visual form.
They help the reader understand where an event happens.
They help the reader understand how far away an event took place. How
would a map of the United States help the reader understand an article
about Texas? The map could help the reader understand where Texas is
located and how the location relates to the text. Diagrams :
Diagrams
A diagram is a drawing that shows or explains something.
To understand a diagram the reader should read the titles, labels,
captions, and numbered parts.
Diagrams help the reader understand steps, how objects are made, or
information in the text. How could this diagram help the reader
understand volcanoes? The diagram helps the reader understand the parts
of a volcano and how they erupt. Tables :
Tables
Tables organize large amounts of information in a small space.
Tables present all kinds of data, from numbers and amounts, to calendars
and menus.
Tables help the reader compare information in the text. How would a
table about volcano eruptions help the reader understand volcanoes? The
table would help the reader understand where and how often volcanoes
erupt. Timelines :
Timelines
Timelines show important events in chronological order or time order.
Timelines help the reader better understand the order of events and how
one event may have lead to another. How would a timeline help a reader
understand an article about why some older people aren’t knowledgeable
about computers? The timeline would show that computers may not have
been affordable until late in an older persons life. Find
an article and find an example of each text feature.Explain how each
example helps you to understand what you read. :
Find an article and find an example of each text feature.Explain how each example helps you to understand what you read.
