Examples of Expository Text

Whether it's reading scientific studies, learning about historical events, or examining social issues, being able to interpret expository text is a vital developmental step for students. It helps them grasp academic concepts and make sense of information in everyday life. 

What Is Expository Text?

Expository text is nonfiction writing that aims to teach readers about a specific topic by providing clear facts and information. It's commonly found in subjects like science, history, and social studies because it helps explain and organize important details in an easy-to-understand way.

Where narrative text focuses on storytelling, expository text aims to educate and inform students about specific topics, concepts, or events. This helps students understand subjects better, think critically, and learn effectively.

The Importance of Teaching Expository Text

When educators use expository text in their lessons, it can help students develop critical thinking skills, learn effectively, prepare for their future, write clearly, and feel more confident in their learning long term. Here’s a closer look at the impacts: 

1. Comprehension and Critical Thinking: Expository texts require readers to comprehend and analyze information while reading. This means they are reading for information, rather than simply reading the text. Exposure to expository text gives students the opportunity to gain the skills needed to find key ideas, identify main arguments, and evaluate evidence. Not only are these skills necessary for understanding subject content, but also for making decisions in everyday life. 

2. Academic Achievement: Expository skills are fundamental to subjects that hinge on factual accuracy, like science, history, and social studies. Students who can understand expository text structure and how to analyze it are more likely to grasp complex topics more easily, perform better on assessments, and retain information for longer periods. This tends to lead to better overall academic performance. 

3. Preparation for College and Career: Throughout their schooling, students will encounter a wide range of expository texts, including textbooks, research papers, technical manuals, and reports. As students become more familiar with reading and understanding expository texts, they are better prepared to handle the demands of college and the professional world. 

4. Development of Writing and Communication Skills: Expository texts often serve as models for effective writing. By studying how authors structure their arguments, present evidence, and maintain coherence, students learn essential writing techniques. They can apply these skills to their own compositions, whether writing essays, research papers, or reports. Understanding expository texts also enhances students' ability to communicate ideas clearly and persuasively.

5. Promotion of Lifelong Learning: Reading expository texts can help students become independent learners who enjoy learning new things throughout their lives. By engaging with informational texts regularly, students develop the skills to find information on their own and keep learning outside the classroom. 

Types of Expository Text and Writing

There are several common types of expository writing that serve distinct purposes in both academic and everyday contexts. If students struggle to understand the variations, Voyager Sopris Learning^® offers Step Up to Writing^®, a writing strategy program that breaks writing down into a hands-on, step-by-step process. 

1. Description

Descriptive expository text provides detailed characteristics, traits, and sensory information to describe a topic or theme to the reader. This type of expository text still includes accurate data, while also including imagery and specific details. A great example of this would be a description of a historical monument that includes phrases like "majestic columns" or "ornate carvings.” 

2. Sequence

Sequential expository text outlines steps or events in a specific order, often indicated by signal words such as "first," "next," or "finally.” This type is seen in how-to guides or instructions, like in school workbooks or recipes. For example, learning how to write an essay would be an example of sequential expository text, because it outlines the step-by-step process for writing a paper from initial brainstorming to proofreading the final draft. 

3. Comparison

Comparative expository text is presented by detailing the similarities and/or differences between two events, concepts, or theories. Students may identify phrases such as "similarly" or "on the other hand.” An example of compare and contrast may be a text about playing traditional games vs. video games.  

4. Cause and Effect

Cause and effect text structures are when the cause comes before the effect. Students may identify this structure by spotting phrases like “because,” “therefore,” or “as a result.” An example may be a study on the effects of eating too much unhealthy food. 

5. Problem and Solution

Problem and solution expository text is designed to identify a particular issue and propose ways to address it. This can be done by using signal words like "problem," "solution," and "recommendation.” The author in this type of text outlines a problem, analyzes its causes, and suggests practical solutions. For example, having a messy room, considering why that is, and then determining the best way to clean it.

6. Definition

Definition expository text explains the meaning of a term or concept, often employing phrases like "defined as" or "refers to.” They help students understand a subject by providing a clear, comprehensive explanation, as seen in textbooks and dictionaries. 

7. Classification

Classification expository text organizes information into categories based on shared characteristics, with phrases such as "categorized by" or "includes.” This helps students understand the structure and relationships within a subject. A good example of this is organizing music by genres, such as rap, rock, pop, and classical.

8. Process

Process expository text details a series of actions or steps to achieve a specific outcome. This typically involves using signal words like “to begin,” "first" "next," and "after that.” Like sequence texts, this type explains how something is done, but it provides a deeper focus on the underlying principles or reasons for each step.

Teaching Strategies for Expository Text

Helping students understand expository text can be done effectively by honing in on single text structures or specific expository passages. From there, the methods used to analyze the text and support reading comprehension can include using graphic organizers to visually model information, integrating hands-on content exploration to connect text with real-world experiences, and applying expository texts through interactive classroom activities.

These approaches will help students better understand structured thinking and retain information while developing critical thinking and communication skills. As author and educator Dr. Natalie Wexler emphasizes, “...the more knowledge you've got, the better you are at understanding whatever you're trying to read.” By incorporating these strategies, educators can enhance students' grasp of complex concepts and improve their overall learning experience.

Using Graphic Organizers for Teaching Expository Text

Graphic organizers are essential in teaching expository texts. By visually structuring complex information, they aid in comprehension and retention and help students break down and organize key concepts, relationships, and details clearly and systematically. 

For instance, Venn diagrams can illustrate similarities and differences between two concepts, while flowcharts can outline processes or sequences of events. Visualization techniques can significantly improve readers' ability to recall information particularly in expository texts.

Incorporating Content Exploration in Expository Text Teachings

Integrating content exploration into teaching expository texts can greatly enhance students' understanding because it connects abstract concepts to real-world experiences. In other words, this technique gives them the vocabulary and context they need to understand what they’re reading. As Dr. Wexler suggests, “One way to familiarize [students] with [new vocabulary] is through reading aloud from complex texts that they may not be able to read yet themselves. But even more powerful is to teach them to use that kind of vocabulary and that kind of syntax in their own writing.”

This approach is also great for helping students read smarter because you’ll be able to gauge what they do or don’t know and encourage them to ask questions if they don’t. Content exploration involves engaging students with hands-on activities, multimedia resources, and interactive simulations that relate to the content of the text. 

Applying Expository Text in the Classroom

If students are struggling with grasping the concepts of expository text, Voyager Sopris Learning has multiple solutions. REWARDS Plus^® is a foundational program designed to enhance reading comprehension and fluency for struggling readers in grades 6–12. The program integrates evidence-based strategies, including the teaching of vocabulary, text structure, and reading comprehension techniques. 

REWARDS Plus can assist in effectively teaching expository text through its structured approach to reading comprehension and fluency. It teaches students text structure awareness, such as cause and effect, compare and contrast, and problem and solution. Understanding these structures aids in comprehending the organization and purpose of expository texts.

The program includes examples of vocabulary instruction, and as mentioned in this blog post, is essential for grasping concepts in expository texts. By expanding students' word knowledge, REWARDS Plus helps them understand and retain the content more effectively.

Benefits of Expository Text Comprehension

Comprehension of expository text sustains students’ ability to comprehend and analyze a wide range of informational content. By understanding the different types, they can better engage with academic material and real-world information. Solutions like Voyager Sopris Learning’s REWARDS Plus support this by providing explicit instruction and practice in reading and vocabulary skills. Additionally, programs like Step Up to Writing provide explicit instruction in writing expository essays using a step-by-step process and incorporating engaging tools like graphic organizers. Learn more here about how these solutions help educators create strong, sustainable foundations to ensure academic success for all students.