Overview
This lesson covers textual aids—non-text elements like organizers, titles, and visuals—and explains how they help readers better understand written texts.
Introduction to Textual Aids
- Textual aids are non-text elements that support reading comprehension.
- Examples include titles, subtitles, bold/italicized/underlined text, illustrations, maps, tables, graphs, and charts.
- Textual aids help direct attention to key ideas and provide supplementary information.
Advanced Organizers
- Advanced organizers introduce lessons and guide students' thinking.
- Types include expository organizers (state lesson goals), narrative organizers (start with a story), and skimming or picture walks (preview information/visuals).
- Graphic organizers structure information visually (e.g., tree diagrams for rainforest layers).
- Other types: persuasion map, sequence chart, story map, biography organizer, learning map, vocabulary organizer, problem-solving organizer, timeline, T-chart, hierarchy chart, star diagram, cluster diagram, lotus diagram, cause and effect organizer, mind map, double bubble map, and Venn diagram.
- KWL charts (Know, Want to know, Learned) help students activate prior knowledge and set learning goals.
- Analogies connect new information to familiar concepts for easier understanding.
Titles and Emphasis in Text
- Titles are textual aids that improve comprehension and memory.
- Passages with titles are easier to recall than those without.
- Bold, colored, or italicized text draws attention to keywords and important information.
Non-Linear Illustrations
- Non-linear illustrations combine text with visuals, such as flowcharts, tables, and graphs.
- Tables organize data in rows and columns for comparison.
- Bar graphs use bars to show values; longer bars mean higher values.
- Line graphs display data changes over time and highlight trends.
- Pie charts show parts of a whole as percentage slices.
- Pictographs use images or symbols to represent data amounts.
- Visuals like maps and illustrations aid comprehension and memory.
Maps and Other Visual Textual Aids
- Maps visually represent places and features.
- Types: Physical maps (mountains, water) and political maps (cities, states, boundaries).
Key Terms & Definitions
- Textual Aids — Non-text elements that help readers understand the text (e.g., titles, visuals).
- Advanced Organizer — Tools that preview or introduce learning content.
- Graphic Organizer — Visual representations of information (e.g., charts, maps).
- KWL Chart — Three-column chart for Know, Want to know, Learned.
- Analogy — A comparison showing similarity between new and familiar concepts.
- Non-Linear Illustration — Visuals (charts, graphs) that supplement written text.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review examples of different graphic organizers.
- Practice creating KWL charts and using textual aids while reading.
- Study a passage and identify the textual aids used.