Entry #9

I reviewed two first grade leveled books. "Lets Look at Animals" was a non-fiction selection about how some animals use specific body parts to help them survive. The fiction (fantasy) book titled "Hedgehog and Beaver," was about using a list to help them pack for a picnic. In my review, both books built background, was previewed and a purpose set. At this point, fiction and non-fiction became two separate entities. Those features are listed as it pertains to the ELL learner.

Fiction

• Stories usually follow the same structure-story elements
• Usually read for pleasure, quickly, several times
• Easy to remember what has been read, along with creating mental pictures
• Some vocabulary instruction

Non-Fiction

• In depth vocabulary instruction-6 step systematic approach stated by Marzano and Pickering (2005)
• Read for a purpose, slowly and deliberately many times
• Details and note taking involved, difficult to remember
• Text structure, table of contents, charts, graphs, heading, support comprehension 
• Technology-informational sites, and Discovery Ed

In the future, when I present fiction and non-fiction selections to ELL learners, I will be more aware of these differences to drive my instruction. Again, what is good for the diverse students and all learners is just best practices.