The Study
When the traditional "storybook" approach to reading wasn't working for certain students, two educators who tutored struggling readers discovered the key to success for some was the use of expository texts. Nell K. Duke, assistant professor of teacher education at Michigan State University, and Linda J. Caswell, a doctoral candidate in the Program in Language and Literacy at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, observed how non-narrative texts helped two boys find a "way in" to literacy that they had not found through narrative texts.

The Findings
The two boys featured in the paper both struggled with reading when they were taught with narrative texts, but as the use of expository texts were increased in their lessons, they made great improvement. Upon further examination, the researchers found that the boys' enthusiasm was mainly for topics that are most often covered in information books, such as space, dinosaurs, and volcanoes. When given the opportunity to choose books, whether at home, at school, or in the library, they both gravitated toward non-narrative forms, even when narratives involving the same topic were available. They became more involved with their lessons through activities such as reading instructions for science experiments and searching texts for desired information. When working with non-narrative texts they were more motivated to read and more determined to work through reading problems. Furthermore, Duke and Caswell found that non-narrative texts better connected with the boys' home literacy environment, which included mainly non-narrative forms such as bills, newspapers, notes, lists, forms and signs.

What It Means to You
By expanding the repertoire of texts available to children, educators may enhance all children's literacy experiences and increase the likelihood of "turning on" as many children as possible to literacy. Are children at your school introduced to non-narrative texts as they learn to read? Do they have classroom access to these types of texts? Giving children examples of how literacy is used, not only through story telling but through ways people communicate information to each other, may show less story-oriented students how literacy can have meaning in their lives. Such examples and experiences can motivate them in ways that narrative texts may not.

More Information
To read further, consult Caswell, L.J. and Duke, N.K., "Non-Narrative as a Catalyst for Literacy Development," Language Arts, February 1998, Vol. 75, No.2, pp. 108-117.

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