Wide Reading
Interactions with texts contribute to knowledge (Cunningham and Stanovich 1998). Indeed, the
more individuals read, the more knowledge they acquire. This knowledge, in turn, supports further
literacy and language achievement. Children’s exposure to a wide range of texts occurs, in transitional
kindergarten through grade one, largely through listening to and engaging with a broad—and
cohesive—range of texts read aloud by an adult. As children achieve some independence with text,
teachers encourage their individual engagement with texts on
a daily basis while continuing to read aloud. They ensure that
each child interacts with a range of texts on a range of topics.
(See chapter 2 of this ELA/ELD Framework for a discussion of
wide and independent reading.)
Teachers are well versed in high-quality children’s literature
of all genres; each genre, including fiction, can contribute to
children’s knowledge. They have ample selections, in English
and in the languages of the children, available to share with
children, both as read alouds and for independent exploration.
Recommendations are exchanged with families. Colleagues,
teacher librarians, families, and communities are good resources of materials for classroom teachers.
Wide reading begins early and contributes to children’s progress toward becoming broadly literate, one
of the overarching goals for California’s students discussed in the introduction and chapter 2 of this
ELA/ELD Framework and displayed in the outer ring of figure 3.1.
Engaging with Informational Text
The CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy include ten standards in the Reading strand that focus on reading
informational text (RI.K–1, Standards 1–10). These standards underscore the importance of building
children’s skill with this genre. Informational text is a valuable source of knowledge. However,
engaging with informational texts, though crucial, does not replace the learning experiences and
investigations that are essential aspects of content instruction. Instead, it complements them.
During the transitional kindergarten through grade one span, about half of the texts children
engage with (including those read aloud by teachers) are informational texts. Informational texts are
different from narrative texts in several ways, placing different demands on the reader (Duke 2000).
Informational texts convey disciplinary knowledge, such as concepts and content in history/social
studies, science, and the arts, and are characterized by use of domain-specific and general academic
vocabulary. In addition, some informational texts employ features not found in most narratives: tables
of contents, glossaries, diagrams, charts, bolded text, and headings. Furthermore, many informational
texts make use of organizational structures different than
the story grammar (i.e., setting, characters, problem or goal,
sequence of events, resolution) used in most narratives, such
as cause-effect, problem-solution, and compare-contrast.
Experiences with informational texts provide children familiarity
with the types of texts that predominate later schooling and
careers. The important role of informational text in curriculum
and instruction was recognized in California’s 2007 Reading/
Language Arts Framework for California Public Schools
(CDE 2007) and continues to be recognized in this ELA/ELD
Framework.
Informational texts capitalize on young children’s natural
curiosity in their world, and their use is fundamental to building children’s competence with a variety
of genres as well as to building their knowledge. To support the former, instruction is provided that
They [teachers] have ample
selections, in English and
in the languages of the
children, available to share
with children, both as read
alouds and for independent
exploration.Informational texts capitalize
on young children’s natural
curiosity in their world, and
their use is fundamental
to building children’s
competence with a variety of
genres as well as to building
their knowledge.Transitional Kindergarten to Grade 1 Chapter 3 | 149