Promote Nonfiction Literature

Nonfiction is often billed as being boring or uninteresting for many students. When you take the time to consider many of the types of nonfiction literature that many students are required to read, it is not hard to understand why many feel this way. Many of the options available are outdated, especially when it comes to literature selections for English classes. Historical texts are better for a subject like Social Studies, but many English students are forced to read them anyway. However, there are other options for nonfiction works of literature. The key is to promote literature which is of a high interest level.

Court cases provide some of the best forms of nonfiction literature available. They often center around raw emotion, and they present facts in a sequential manner. Some court cases directly effect students, so they have a vested interest in what is taking place. A prime example is the Trayvon martin murder case which occurred in Florida. That case was a hot topic among all students in schools, because he was a teenager just like them. Additionally, the case was centered around race relations and racial stereotypes. The court documents and articles related to the case are great examples of nonfiction literature, and many students took the time to analyze the proceedings.

Another great form of nonfiction literature is magazine articles. These can be found online or in print form, and they offer a glimpse into bot the past, and the present. A magazine is more appealing than many traditional texts. Students are often taught that magazines do not offer contextual value to a school system, but this mode of thinking is actually false. Perhaps tabloid magazines and other gossip magazines do not offer anything valuable to the reading community, but magazines such as TIME or National Geographic are excellent options for students to read to learn more about the world that they live in.

Teachers often fail to realize that the promotion of nonfiction involves choice. This is why it is so important for them to allow their students to choose the types of nonfiction literature that they would like to read. It allows them to locate information that they truly care about. One way to do this is to offer a project which allows this freedom of choice. They can select their subject matter and then teach what they learned about a historical figure, for example, to the rest of the class.

It is important for parents and teachers to promote nonfiction literature effectively through providing many options. Some of the best nonfiction texts are found online, so this is a great option for people to utilize. There are scholarly journals which provide access as well. Research information can be found in many trustworthy sources online, and you just have to know where to look for them. Students appreciate when they can look for the type of nonfiction reading material that they ultimately desire the most, and we must provide guidance through that process.