PRIMALS 4-6

Pedagogical Retooling in Mathematics, Languages,

and Science for Grades 4-6 Teachers

Session 4.0
The nature of
informative texts

Learning Action Cell Session Guide

English 4-6

Prepared by:

DENN MARC P. ALAYON

Senior Education Program Specialist
Bureau of Learning Delivery
Department of Education Central Office
Objectives of the Session
At the end of the session, teachers should be able to:

1. Enhance reading skills using one’s knowledge of text structure;

2. Describe the genre / global structure of various types of informative/
expository texts;
3. Determine the organizational patterns of informative / expository texts;
4. Identify the factors to consider in selecting appropriate reading texts for
learners; and
5. Explain readability.

Key Understanding or Learning Points

1. As learners move through the grades, the reading tasks that confront them
change drastically. Stories become less important, and work with
informational, or expository text, increases.
2. Perceiving structure in text material improves learning and retention. When
students are shown how to see relationships among concepts and bits of
essential information, they are in a better position to respond to meaning
and to distinguish important from less important ideas (Vacca and Vacca,
2005).
3. Research shows that text structure is a crucial variable in learning and
memory. This is why readers need to have conscious awareness of text
structure, whether narrative or informative, and use this to guide their
comprehension.
4. Informative texts are also known as “informational texts” or “expository
texts.” These are reading materials or selections that inform, explain, or
expose.
5. Informative texts are classified into their global structure and their patterns
of organization.
6. Informative texts contain transition markers which are also called
transitional devices, connectives, ties, or links because they connect one
idea to another. They serve as reading roadmaps or directional signs for
readers.
7. Readability determines how a teacher chooses reading materials
appropriate for learners. Selection of “just the right” reading materials for
students lead to their reading success.
8. Factors such as content, aid for learning, and readability in selecting
appropriate reading texts for learners affect comprehension.

Materials Needed Approximate Duration

 LAC Session Video 2 hours/ 120 minutes

 Hard copies of sample informative
texts
 Metacards
 Manila paper / Cartolina
 Permanent markers
 Masking tape

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References

Gunning, T.G. 2003. Creating literacy instruction for all children, 5 th ed. Sydney:
Allyn and Bacon

Harris, T. L. and Hodges, R.E. 1995. The literacy dictionary: The vocabulary of
reading and writing. Delaware: IRA.

Tompkins, G.E. 1998. Literacy for the 21st century: a balanced approach second
ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall

Tompkins, G. E.2003. literacy for the 2st century 3 rd ed. London:courier kendaville,
inc.

Vacca, R.T. and Vacca, J.L. 2005. Content area reading 5 th ed. London: Scott,
Foresman and Company.
Introduce the session

“Good ______ everyone. I am __________ of ____________. Welcome to

LAC session No. _______. Today, we’ll learn another type of reading text that we
oftentimes ask our learners to read and comprehend. Our topic for today is all
about The Nature, Structure, and Patterns of Informative Texts / Factors to
Consider in Selecting Appropriate Reading Texts for Learners.” The resource
person for this session is Mr. Denn Marc P. Alayon from DepEd Central Office,
Bureau of Learning Delivery, Teaching and Learning Division.”

Before we start our session, let us direct ourselves on the following session
objectives.” (Present the abovementioned objectives to the participants).

Priming Activity: Narrative or Informative? (5 minutes)

“I am going to show you sample passages. Tell me whether the passages

are taken from a narrative text or informative text.”

Passage 1: A chemical change is a process by which new substances are

created. Burning and rusting are examples of chemical changes.

Passage 2: Samantha lived on a small island near a large harbor. Sam, as she
was always called, had the reckless habit of lying.

Passage 3: It’s still there, the Chinese school on Gomez street where my brother
and I used to go. Despite the new coat of paint and the high wire fence, the school
I knew 20 years ago remains remarkably, stoically the same.

Passage 4: Far more is known about the symptoms of mental illness and how to
treat them than about the causes. But it is known that these problems often don’t
have a single cause.

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Note to the facilitator. Ask the participants the reason why they think each passage
is taken from either a narrative or informative text.
“Among the passages that I showed you, it is clear that only passages 1
and 4 are taken from informative texts. How are these different from narrative
texts? Justify”.

Let them share their answers orally.

ACTIVITY (15 minutes)

Divide the big group to four (5) small groups (with 3-5 members per group). Draw
their attention to this activity.

Where Do You Belong?

“I’m going to let you read your assigned passage. As you read, tell whether
the pattern of organization of your assigned passage is description/enumeration,
sequence/time order, comparison-contrast, cause and effect, or problem-solution.”

Group 1: The two groups used very different approaches. One group tried to solve
the problem alone, while the other group immediately began to look for someone
to ask. One group divided the task among the members, while the other group did
everything as a whole.

Group 2: Many people go to cities who end up struggling to survive the city life.
For them to sustain their lives in the city, they need to find a comfortable place to
live in, look for a good job, and save extra money for emergencies.

Group 3: There were many reasons for the move from country to city. NPAs
roamed the countryside. Also, there were more jobs in the city.

Group 4: There are three forms of matter – solid, liquid, and gas. Stone is solid,
water is liquid, and air is gas.

Group 5: So how can we most effectively prepare for your speech? There are six
steps to follow to help you better prepare. First, select your topic and core
message. Second, create a structure for your speech. Third, write the speech.
Fourth, practice with gestures. Fifth, practice in front of people and get feedback.
Lastly, learn and improve after you deliver your speech.

Note to the Facilitator: The passages must have been written already on a Manila
paper or shown through a PowerPoint presentation.

Ask each group to write their answer on a metacard to be posted on the board.
Tell them to assign their representative to present their output to the big group.
Checking of answers will be done after the abstraction.

ANALYSIS (10 minutes)

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 1. How were you able to distinguish the pattern of organization of each
passage? What cues or words that helped you in classifying the pattern of
each?
2. What are the skills that that teachers should develop among the learners in
reading informative texts?
3. Why is it necessary that teachers teach the learners the global structure
and pattern of an informative text?
4. Why should teachers choose reading texts/materials appropriate for
learners? How?

ABSTRACTION (30 minutes)

Before letting the participants to view the video, present to them first the following
guide questions:

Guide Questions:

1. What is the importance of text structure?

2. What is the nature, global structure, and patterns of informative texts? Why
should the learners be aware of each when reading informative texts?
3. What are transition markers? How do they aid comprehension of
informative texts?
4. What are the factors to consider in selecting appropriate reading texts for
learners?
5. What is readability? Why is it important to consider it in choosing materials
for learners?

Viewing #1. The Nature, Structure, and Patterns of Informative Texts/ Factors to
Consider in Selecting Appropriate Reading Texts for Learners
Resource Person: Denn Marc P. Alayon, PRIMALS 4-6 National
Training of Trainers

Big Group Discussion (10 minutes)

After viewing of the video, let the participants answer and discuss the guide
questions presented earlier.

Additional Guide Questions for Discussion:

1. At present, what challenges do our learners face when reading informative
texts? Cite concrete examples.
2. How do teachers teach informative texts to learners nowadays?
3. What strategies for developing learners’ reading comprehension should
teachers employ? Elucidate.
4. How do graphic organizers help learners develop their comprehension of
informative texts? Explain.

Checking of Answers in the Activity titled “Where Do You Belong?”

Group 1: comparison and contrast
Group 2: problem-solution
Group 3: cause and effect

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 Group 4: enumeration
Group 5: sequence/time order

APPLICATION (30 minutes)

Distribute the hard copies of the “Task Sheet: What’s My Pattern?” to each group.
Tell the participants to silently read the informative text assigned to them.

Say: “Silently read the informative text assigned to your group and determine how
it is structured by telling its pattern of organization. Write your answer on a
metacard.

Then, put the information from each text into an appropriate graphic organizer.
There are sample graphic organizers given in the task sheet. Feel free to make
changes/modifications if necessary. Do this on a Manila paper/cartolina.”

Answer Key:
Group 1: problem-solution Group 4: description
Group 2: sequence/time order Group 5: cause and effect
Group 3: compare and contrast

Presentation of Outputs (15 minutes)

Have one volunteer per group to present their output.

Process each group’s output. Ask the participants how the graphic organizer they
had created helped them in understanding the informative text.

Closure (5 minutes)

Say: “Before I end, can you share me your insights gained from this session?”
I have learned that ______________________.
I have realized that _____________________.
I will apply ____________________________.

“There is no substitute for books in the life of a child.”

~ May Ellen Chase

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 Task Sheet: What’s My Pattern?

Directions: Read the informative text assigned to your group and determine how it
is structured by telling its pattern of organization. Then, put the information from each
text into an appropriate graphic organizer. The following graphic organizers are
examples. Feel free to make changes if necessary. Do this on a Manila
paper/cartolina.

Group 1: Having a dog in your home can serve many purposes, but living with a
poorly trained dog is not worth the mess. These mangy mutts will go potty inside of
your home. This can stain your floors and make your house smell bad. In order to
prevent this, you have to teach your dog to go potty outside. This may require you to
go on a lot more walks with your dog. You may have to sit outside for long periods of
time while you are waiting for your dog to use it. But it will be worth it to not have a
bunch of dog mess all over your house. So if you love your dog but hate cleaning
dog-doo off of the rug, teach your dog the right way to go.

Group 2: If you want to form a strong relationship with your dog, try playing fetch. It’s
fun and easy to do, and if everything goes well your dog should do most of the
fetching. Just find something that your dog wants to retrieve, such as a stick, a thick
rope tied in knots, or a squeaky toy. Show it to your dog to get his or her interest.
Shake it around in your hand and call out the dog’s name. Once they are paying
attention, throw the object as far as you can. Be careful not to throw it anywhere that
you wouldn’t want your dog to go, like the middle of the road or under a china
cabinet. Hopefully your dog will bring the object back to you. When he or she does,

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praise your dog and command him or her to drop the object. Pick it up and repeat
the process for the next 10 to 15 years.
Group 3: The lion is often thought of as the king of the jungle, but the African wild
dog may be a better hunter. Both lions and African wild dogs are pack animals and
have females lead their hunts, but they have different hunting styles. Although lions
are very fast, they do not have much stamina. They attack in short, ferocious bursts
because they get tired quickly. On the other hand, African wild dogs are not very
fast, but they have incredible stamina. They can run for hours and often chase their
prey to exhaustion. Dr. George Schaller studied African wild dogs in the Serengeti
and found that 9 out of 10 of their hunts ended in kills, while lions are only successful
in 3 out of 10 hunts. So you see, it’s not always good to be king.

Group 4: There’s a reason why dogs are called “man’s best friend.” The good
friendship that we have with dogs is thousands of years old and, as with best
friendships, was formed by mutual benefit. Dogs are of great value to people
because they use their keen senses to detect threats and alert their owners by
barking. You may find your dog’s yapping to be quite annoying, but under some
circumstances it can be quite helpful. But people are of great value to dogs too.
Dogs who live with people usually have easier access to food and a safer place to
stay than they would on their own, and that truly is what friends are for.

Group 5: In recent decades, cities have grown so large that now about 50% of the
Earth's population lives in urban areas. There are several reasons for this
occurrence. First, the increasing industrialization of the nineteenth century resulted in
the creation of many factory jobs, which tended to be located in cities. These jobs,
with their promise of a better material life, attracted many people from rural areas.
Second, there were many schools established to educate the children of the new
factory laborers. The promise of a better education persuaded many families to leave
farming communities and move to the cities. Finally, as the cities grew, people
established places of leisure, entertainment, and culture, such as sports stadiums,
theaters, and museums. For many people, these facilities made city life appear more
interesting than life on the farm, and therefore drew them away from rural
communities.

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Sources:

"Text Structure." Ereading Worksheets. Accessed September 04, 2017. https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/text-structure/.

Lindeman, Michael W. Cause and Effect Paragraphs. Accessed September 04, 2017.
http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/fwalters/cause.html.