Using Text Structure

by Amber Miller

June 25, 2025

The variety of texts that students may encounter can be categorized into two broad structures: narrative and expository (also called informational). Narrative text tells a story; that story could be fiction or nonfiction. Expository text informs readers about a topic and can be organized in many different formats. Watch this short video for an overview of text structures:

You may also find these charts from the IES Practice Guide, Improving Reading Comprehension in Kindergarten Through Third Grade, helpful in differentiating between text structures (U.S. Department of Education, 2010).

How does knowing about text structure aid comprehension? It's easier to construct meaning as you read if you know what's coming - it helps you to organize your thinking and separate important information from less important information.

To teach text structure to children, choose high-quality, model texts that are clear examples of the structure you are teaching, build from simple, basic structures to more complex ones, and teach students how to use signal words to help identify the structure and predict what they might read next. Remember that not all texts will fit neatly into a structure. Determining the structure of every text a student reads is unnecessary. Consider if and when the structure would be helpful and use it as needed.

To read more about using text structure to aid comprehension, check out this article from Reading Rockets.