You learned about the diverse needs and developmental characteristics of K-6 students in the previous sections of this unit. Since your students differ in their rates of physical, emotional, and intellectual growth, you will see the need for reading selections that are as diverse as your students' needs. Their interests and reading levels may vary greatly. By reading selections that are a good match for their reading ability, your students will improve their reading skills. When your students read accessible materials, their familiarity with written and oral language will grow, as will their confidence.

Every student reads at a specific level regardless of the grade in which he or she is placed. Thus it becomes your task to engage your students in active reading. How can this be done? What tools already exist to aid you in this task? How will you offer selections for a variety of interests and needs? There are many categories (or genres), ranging from fairy tales to biographies. You might even include newspapers. Your journey to find selections that meet your students' needs is about to begin!

Objective

In this section you will undertake an in-depth exploration of literary genres. Your knowledge of these categories will help you choose reading materials that meet a variety of student needs and interests.