The 'Lure' Versus the 'Load'
By Doug Buehl,
Madison East High School teacher
Member, Wisconsin State Reading Association
October 2002
Kids need brain food.” How’s that for an attention-grabber?
As you are shuffling through the pages of the evening newspaper, the headline
snatches your eye. Huh? Brain food? What “brain food” are they
talking about? Are my kids eating enough of it? And what difference does
it make? The questions are bubbling, stimulated by the promise of a snappy
title. Better read this one.
The first paragraph pulls you right in. “Eat your
spinach and boost your test scores. Neglect breakfast and undermine your
concentration. What’s in the lunch box may be more significant than
what’s in the backpack.”
OK, now your interest is clearly piqued. You commit
to reading on.
What follows becomes a bit technical in spots, as the
author develops the theme of this article. Research conducted by a variety
of centers and reported by the USDA. ... Spinach and blueberries rich
in antioxidants. ... The blocking of free radicals in the brain, which
has an impact on memory. ... Low zinc diets which led subjects to stumble
with their recall.
The Strategy
As a proficient reader, you undoubtedly recognize the reading routine
described above. You are highly familiar with the form of non-fiction
text represented in informational articles that appear in magazines and
newspapers. You automatically kick in a variety of reading strategies
that are appropriate for meeting your goals and needs as a reader of this
genre of writing. And you receive lots of practice doing this. Estimates
indicate that 90% of what adults read is short non-fiction.
In classrooms, however, students read a preponderance
of fiction, like stories or novels, and what Harvey (1998) refers to as
“reference non-fiction,” such as textbooks. (Refer to the September
2002 Reading Room column.) Therefore, students will benefit from more
explicit instruction in how to read the authentic non-fiction texts they
will increasingly encounter as mature readers.
Step 1: Start by presenting informational articles
as a discrete text genre. On the surface, informational articles may look
similar to reference non-fiction like textbooks or encyclopedias. Both
genre of texts may offer titles, headings, italics and bold print, and
visual displays like pictures or graphics. However, informational articles
have several unique features. Select a short article that well illustrates
these features, and model using an overhead projector:
- “The Lure” – unlike textbooks, which typically lead
with a main idea statement, informational articles are constructed assuming
that readers might bypass them unless enticed by something interesting
or motivating. As a result, openings (and titles) of articles are written
to “hook” potential readers with vivid examples, startling
facts, or compelling scenarios. This approach is more inductive, as
readers come to figure out what is most important, as opposed to the
deductive approach of textbooks, which directly explicate main ideas,
then supply additional background information.
- “The Load” – once an article has captured a reader’s
interest with a stimulating opening, the emphasis shifts to an unloading
of key information. The “lure” is followed by the facts: who,
what, where, when, why. Major concepts and vocabulary, relevant statistics,
people, places, and events – all rush in as the article focuses
into its message. The reader must adjust from what is interesting to
tuning into what is most important in this article.
- “The Re-Load” – lest the reader become unduly overwhelmed
by heavy content, informational articles tend to repeat the pattern
described above. Another interlude of high interest snippets is interjected
into the flow of the article, to encourage the reader to continue with
this piece. Then more content is presented. Readers can often expect
several leaps back and forth between segments that have an entertaining
and emotional tinge and segments that are packed with critical details.
- “Splashy Highlights” – informational articles also
frequently exhibit other eye-catching aspects that are intended to captivate
attention. Headings that feature glib or catchy phrases are common,
a sharp contrast to the carefully written, rather dry and straightforward
headings and subheadings customary of textbooks. Unlike textbook headings,
which are designed to clearly signal main ideas, article headings are
written to attract the reader, and they may or may not forecast the
general thrust of the following segment. As a result, Stephanie Harvey
notes, as many as half of the headings in informational articles require
interpretation involving inferential thinking. Such headings may be
clever, but they also place a greater premium on the reader’s ability
to interpret them.
Other splashy highlights might include pull quotes, a graphic representation
of information, or some other visual. All are designed to keep a reader
engaged, but the reader must also determine how these features clarify
or enhance the central message of the article.
Step 2: Because students will be constantly balancing interesting
with important material, Harvey recommends a three-column notetaking system
for analyzing informational articles.
The left column – “What is Important” – requires
some synthesis of major ideas, as students list what a person really needs
to know from the article.
The middle column – “What is Interesting” – is a
personal reaction to the article, and students may differ on which items
most struck their fancy.
The right column – “What is Both Interesting and Important”
– recognizes transcendent ideas and insights that are highly compelling
as well as worthy of being remembered.
Step 3: Take periodic opportunities during instruction to model
reading short informational articles that are related to your curriculum.
As you think aloud with students about what is interesting versus what
is essential, students will improve comprehension strategies such as determining
importance, synthesizing, and inferring.
Posted September 27, 2002