4
There are many informational texts that blur the lines
between genres. Biographies may include imagined
conversations or be told from an unusual point of view.
These blended genres can be difficult to classify, but can
increase student engagement in the content and provide
opportunities for deeper analysis (Stevenson, 2009).
Students can use a tool similar to Penny Colman’s Visual
Model for Analyzing Fiction and Nonfiction Texts (2007).
Table 2 presents a simplified version of Colman’s model
for use with students.
Just the Facts
All from the Author’s Head
No Narrative Text
All Narrative Text
No Literary Devices
Many Literary Devices
Significant Front and Back
Matter
No Front and Back Matter
A Great Deal of Visual Material
No Visual Material
Table 2.
Simplified version of Colman’s (2007) Visual Model for
Analyzing Nonfiction Texts
The biography series from Alfaguara,
Personajes del
Mundo Hispanico
provides an excellent example in Edna
Iturralde’s award-winning
Conoce a Simón Bolivar.
Table
3 shows an analysis of this book using the preceding
model.
Just the Facts
All from the Author’s Head
No Narrative Text
All Narrative Text
No Literary Devices
Many Literary Devices
No Front and Back Matter
Significant Front and Back
Matter
No Visual Material
A Great Deal of Visual Material
Table 3.
Analysis of
Conoce a Simón Bolivar
using the adapted Visual
Model for Analyzing Nonfiction Texts (Iturralde, 2012; Colman, 2007)
Kn
ow
le
dg
e
in
the
D
is
ci
pl
in
e
s
At first glance, requiring knowledge in the disciplines
states the obvious; teachers should make connections
with other subject areas while teaching their own content
area. However, a close inspection of the Common Core
State Standards reveals that content-area teachers are
expected to include high-quality literacy experiences
in their planning and instruction. Teachers can include
primary sources, Internet sources such as
Kalipedia
Figure 2.
¿Cómo se produce un terremoto?
From
El Abecé Visual de la Tierra
(Santillana, 2013)
