What are Informative texts?
- The term Informative text covers a diverse range of texts with their main purpose to convey meaning and information about the world (Hill, 2006; Seely Flint, Kitson, Lowe & Shaw, 2014).
- These text types can be deconstructed and reconstructed during shared, guided and independent reading and writing opportunities (Wing Jan, 2009).
- These texts provide readers with informative content that is culturally important and valued within society (ACARA, 2013).
- The Australian Curriculum addresses and includes Informative text types from Foundation year (ACARA, 2013).
Informative text types and characteristics
Concept text types explore the characteristic of abstract ideas such as colours and numbers (Seely Flint et al., 2014). These texts use minimal written text preferring to relay their message through visual aids (Seely Flint et al., 2014). Concept texts are highly engaging and purposeful for young children (Seely Flint et al., 2014).
Procedural texts provide the reader with a set of logically sequenced actions to achieve a goal for example a science experiment, recipe or rules of a game (Wing Jan, 2009). At the beginning of the text a clear aim or goal is described followed by a sequence of steps under headings and subheadings (Wing Jan, 2009). Procedural texts typically use temporal language written in imperative sentences (commanding sentences that begin with a verb) using connectives (Seely Flint et al., 2014; Wing Jan, 2009).
Information reports provide the reader with generalised information about a class of things either living or non living. This text type use processes that involve classifying, identifying, describing or defining information (Humphrey, Droga, Feez, 2012; Wing Jan, 2009). Information reports use formal and objective styles of writing under headings, where a variety of sentence types, visual aids and comparative language is used (Wing Jan, 2009).
News Bulletins are typically written for the purpose of providing the reader with an accurate, objective record of observations or information about an event (Wing Jan, 2009). Characteristically, these text types are written using an arousing headline followed by paragraphs that cover the who, what, when, where, why and how information about the event (Wing Jan, 2009).
Biographies are texts that provide the reader with information about a person’s life and their experiences (Wing Jan, 2009). These texts are written in chronological order using past tense (Wing Jan, 2009).
Procedural texts provide the reader with a set of logically sequenced actions to achieve a goal for example a science experiment, recipe or rules of a game (Wing Jan, 2009). At the beginning of the text a clear aim or goal is described followed by a sequence of steps under headings and subheadings (Wing Jan, 2009). Procedural texts typically use temporal language written in imperative sentences (commanding sentences that begin with a verb) using connectives (Seely Flint et al., 2014; Wing Jan, 2009).
Information reports provide the reader with generalised information about a class of things either living or non living. This text type use processes that involve classifying, identifying, describing or defining information (Humphrey, Droga, Feez, 2012; Wing Jan, 2009). Information reports use formal and objective styles of writing under headings, where a variety of sentence types, visual aids and comparative language is used (Wing Jan, 2009).
News Bulletins are typically written for the purpose of providing the reader with an accurate, objective record of observations or information about an event (Wing Jan, 2009). Characteristically, these text types are written using an arousing headline followed by paragraphs that cover the who, what, when, where, why and how information about the event (Wing Jan, 2009).
Biographies are texts that provide the reader with information about a person’s life and their experiences (Wing Jan, 2009). These texts are written in chronological order using past tense (Wing Jan, 2009).
The importance of Informative texts in the classroom
- This text type encourages students to extend their vocabulary and scaffold their learning of how information can be displayed in graphic elements such as diagrams and charts (Hill, 2006).
- Informative texts encourage children to build on their comprehension and critical thinking skills (Seely Flint et al., 2014).
- It is important to immerse students with a variety of Informative text types as these texts demonstrate that information can be presented in diverse ways (Wing Jan, 2009).
- Research indicates that children are naturally drawn to reading Informative texts however the inclusion of these texts is minimal in classrooms until year 4 (Seely Flint et al., 2014).
- Student’s lack of engagement with Informative texts is linked to the fourth year slump therefore the developers of the Australian Curriculum have included Informative text types from Foundation year to try and eliminate this slump in students (Seely Flint et al., 2014).