Reading Nonfiction and Informational Texts

Middle school students read more textbooks, articles and websites than stories. This course teaches the skills to read them well: identifying text structure, finding the central idea, understanding the author’s purpose and point of view, evaluating claims and evidence, and comparing sources.

What you will learn

• Five common text structures
• How to find and track a central idea
• How to identify author’s purpose and point of view
• How to evaluate claims, evidence and reasoning
• How to compare sources and spot unreliable ones

Who this course is for

• Sixth to eighth graders
• Students who find textbooks hard to follow
• Parents supporting research and homework reading

Every lesson includes a short explanation with examples, a practice activity to do together, a tip for grown-ups and a quiz, and your reader earns a certificate when they finish.