Bridge the Gap in Reading Comprehension Between Narrative and Informational Text

This article explores the challenges K-12 literacy teachers face in balancing students’ engagement with narrative texts and the Common Core State Standards’ (CCSS) emphasis on informational texts. While narratives naturally capture students’ attention and enhance comprehension through relatable experiences, many struggle with understanding informational texts due to their abstract content, domain-specific vocabulary, and complex structures. Drawing on classroom observations and research, this article identifies three key factors influencing comprehension: (1) world knowledge as a foundation for meaning-making, (2) text features as tools for structural understanding, and (3) decoding skills as essential for processing complex texts. The study highlights the “fourth-grade slump,” where comprehension difficulties arise as students transition to more informational reading, and discusses strategies for integrating informational texts into literacy instruction effectively. By aligning instructional methods with students’ cognitive development, educators can enhance comprehension across genres, bridging the gap between narrative engagement and informational literacy.