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Along with her background as a researcher, writer, and teacher, Joanne Meier is a mom. Join Joanne every week as she shares her experiences raising her own young readers, and guides parents and teachers on the best practices in reading.
Infographics for young kids
There seems to be an explosion of infographics these days! If you're not familiar with that term, an infographic is a visual representation of information or data. A lot of information can be displayed visually, both quickly and clearly (at least most times). As someone who has always been drawn to the visual display of information, I love a well done infographic. And I think they have potential value for the elementary classroom too, although most are designed for older students.
For an infographic to be fully appreciated, teachers will have to help students "read" the graphic. Just as they do when they read a nonfiction text, students will first need to pull back and determine what information is presented. Then they'll need to figure out how to navigate the graphic. Some use very simple lines to help the reader understand the flow; others use block structures or flow chart designs.
I created a Reading Rockets Pinterest board full of examples for young kids. Take a look! Which one is your favorite?
If you're interested in reading and learning more about teaching with infographics, this article from the NY Times is a great place to start!
