Informational Text Comprehension
Informational text comprehension requires different skills and strategies than literary text comprehension. Students must learn to navigate text features (headings, captions, glossaries, indexes), recognize organizational structures (description, sequence, compare-contrast, cause-effect, problem-solution), evaluate sources, and synthesize information from multiple texts. As students progress through the grades, informational text comprises an increasing proportion of their reading, making these skills essential.
Key Concepts
- Five common informational text structures: description, sequence/chronological, compare-contrast, cause-effect, problem-solution
- Signal words help identify text structure (e.g., "first, next, then" = sequence; "however, on the other hand" = compare-contrast)
- Text features: headings, subheadings, bold/italic text, captions, diagrams, maps, charts, tables, glossary, index, table of contents
- Students need explicit instruction in using text features strategically — they do not intuitively know how to use them
- Graphic organizers matched to text structure improve comprehension (e.g., Venn diagram for compare-contrast)
- Close reading involves multiple reads of a text with different purposes (gist, analysis, evaluation)
- Main idea and supporting details are foundational skills for informational text comprehension
- Summarization requires identifying the most important ideas and restating them concisely
- Critical literacy involves evaluating author purpose, bias, and credibility of sources
Key Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Text Structure | The organizational pattern an author uses to arrange ideas and information within a text |
| Text Features | Elements such as headings, captions, and diagrams that help readers navigate and comprehend informational text |
| Main Idea | The most important point or central concept that the author wants the reader to understand |
| Signal Words | Words or phrases that indicate how information is organized within a text structure |
| Close Reading | A strategy involving multiple careful readings of a text to analyze meaning, structure, and author choices |
| Summarization | Condensing a text by identifying and restating only the most important ideas in the reader's own words |
Study Tip
Know the five text structures and their associated signal words. Test questions often present a passage and ask which text structure it uses — look for the signal words to identify the pattern quickly.
Master This Topic and More
Our study guide covers all 11 objectives in depth, and our practice test lets you apply what you've learned.