How we choose NON-FICTION articles for Junior English
Finding suitable non-fiction articles for junior English can be surprisingly time-consuming. There's no shortage of material available, but finding something that will interest students and provide useful learning opportunities isn't always straightforward. Some articles are interesting but don’t provide much in the way of analysis, and others are full of language features but are unlikely to engage a class of teenagers.
We've been creating more non-fiction text studies for Years 9-10, and we’ve become quite picky about the articles we use. We don't have a rigid set of rules, but there are a few things we bear in mind before deciding on a text. Here's how we choose non-fiction articles for junior English.
Is it interesting?
This is probably the first thing we consider. If we find an article boring, we can't really expect a class of teenagers to get excited about it! We tend to steer clear of articles that have obviously been written for educational purposes. We prefer something that makes students curious or introduces them to something they haven't come across before.
Margee Kerr’s article, Why Is It Fun to Be Frightened? discusses something most students can relate to. Why do people deliberately choose frightening experiences? Ian Williams' article about smart clothes is another example. It looks at wearable technology and some of the surprising things it can do.
We also like articles that give students something to have an opinion about. Martha Gill's Zoos Are the Opposite of Educational is a good example. The title is enough to get a discussion going, especially if students have visited zoos themselves. Students are bound to have different opinions, which gives us plenty to discuss.
When we're looking at a possible article, we consider:
Will students find the topic interesting enough to have something to say about it?
Is there room for different opinions or interpretations?
Could the ideas lead to more discussion or activities?
We don't expect every article to tick every box, but we do want students to have something to think about beyond answering a few comprehension questions.
Is there enough to work with?
An interesting topic is a good start, but we also need something to get our teeth into. If there’s nothing much to say about the writer's language or how they've put the article together, it's probably not going to work for a text study.
One of the things we particularly like about non-fiction is that it gives students the chance to consider purpose, audience, and perspective in texts written for real readers. We want them to consider why the writer has chosen a particular topic, who they're writing for, and what they're hoping to achieve.
Persuasive articles often give us plenty to work with because the writer usually has a clear opinion and is trying to convince the reader. However, personal essays and informative articles can be just as useful. Whatever the type of article, we're looking for opportunities to explore the writer's choices and how these affect the reader.
It's not just about spotting language features, either. We want students to think about why a writer has chosen particular words or techniques and whether they've been effective.
What else can we do with it?
We also like to think about how an article might be useful beyond the text study. If students have spent time looking at how a writer builds an argument or uses language to influence readers, it makes sense to put that knowledge to use in their own writing.
Different types of non-fiction can lead to different activities and assessments:
Persuasive articles are useful for speeches, debates, and persuasive writing. Students can look at how writers develop their arguments and then try some of those techniques themselves.
Personal essays and articles can provide examples of how writers use their own experiences, which students can draw on when writing personal responses or autobiographical pieces.
Informative articles can be starting points for further research or presentations, especially when they introduce students to an unfamiliar topic.
Of course, not everything needs to lead to a formal assessment. Sometimes an article is simply a good starting point for another activity or discussion.
So, what if it's not easy?
We also consider whether an article is suitable for junior students, but that doesn't mean everything has to be an easy read. Zoos Are the Opposite of Educational, for example, has some challenging vocabulary and arguments. We thought it was worth studying, so we included a vocabulary list to help students get to grips with the text.
We don't expect students to understand every word or idea the first time they read an article. Sometimes the more challenging texts lead to the best discussions, especially when students have to work a bit harder to understand the writer's point of view. We'd rather give some extra support than pass over an interesting article simply because it might be difficult.
Where do we find our articles?
Finding the right article can take a bit of hunting around! We tend to look at online newspapers and publications rather than websites specifically aimed at schools. Here are a few places we've found useful:
The Conversation publishes articles written by academics and researchers on a huge range of topics. It's where we found Why Is It Fun to Be Frightened? and Smart Clothes.
The Guardian has plenty of opinion pieces and articles on current issues. Martha Gill's Zoos Are the Opposite of Educational is one we've used.
Newsroom is a New Zealand news website with articles covering local issues and events.
E-Tangata features stories and perspectives from Māori and Pasifika writers, including personal essays and articles exploring identity and culture.
The Spinoff is a New Zealand publication covering a wide range of topics, including culture, society, and current issues. Its personal essays are particularly useful. We found Airana Ngarewa's Born and Raised in Pātea there.
There's no magic formula for finding a good article. Sometimes we come across something that looks promising straight away, and other times we spend ages searching before finding one that works.
We also check that the original article is accessible, as we link to the texts rather than reproduce them in our resources.
AI can be handy here too. If we're looking for an article on a particular topic, we can ask it to suggest suitable texts for the age group we're teaching. It's also useful for finding articles with a particular viewpoint or style of writing. Of course, we still need to read the articles ourselves to decide whether they're suitable, and check that the links actually work!
A few final thoughts
We don't expect every article to meet all our criteria. Some are worth studying because of the writer's approach to a subject, others because they introduce students to something they might not have come across. What is important is that there's enough to make the article worth spending time on.
And if we find it boring? We keep looking!
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