Constructing Knowledge About and With Informational Texts: Implications for Teacher-Librarians Working With Young Children

Whitney Fischer

ET

Reference:
Filipenko, M. (2004). Constructing Knowledge About and With Informational Texts: Implications for Teacher-Librarians Working With Young Children. School Libraries Worldwide, 10(1/2), 21-36.

Summary:
This article explores how children learn information literacy skills by analyzing video transcripts of children ages 2 - 5 engaging with informational texts.  The author determined that children can engage with these texts that are often overlooked or deemed too complicated for that age group. The key lies in presenting the information in a context that children are able to reconcile with their world view.  When children are able to understand how a complex issue affects them personally or they can easily grasp the notion of cause and effect, they will approach the literature with enthusiasm.

Evaluation:
This article is valuable to teachers and teacher librarians alike because it demonstrates that it is a mistake to think that informational texts may be too complicated for younger readers.  After reading this article, teachers have the know-how to present these texts to students in a manner that is less intimidating by highlighting how the subject relates to them and the world around them.