English · Year 3 · Unlocking Information · Term 2

Text Features: Headings & Subheadings

Using text features like glossaries, indexes, and subheadings to locate information efficiently.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9E3LY03
• AC9E3LY04

About This Topic

Non-fiction texts are organized differently than stories, and learning to navigate them is a vital research skill. This topic focuses on text features such as glossaries, indexes, subheadings, and tables of contents. Students learn that they don't always have to read a non-fiction book from cover to cover; instead, they can use these tools to find exactly what they need.

This connects to ACARA's emphasis on identifying the purpose and structure of informative texts. In Year 3, students move from just looking at pictures to using subheadings to predict content and glossaries to understand technical language. This topic is best taught through 'information scavenger hunts' where students must use specific text features to solve a puzzle or find a fact.

Key Questions

1. Explain how subheadings help a reader predict what a section will be about.
2. Analyze the purpose of a table of contents in an informational text.
3. Differentiate between the main idea and supporting details within a section.

Learning Objectives

• Explain how subheadings help a reader predict the content of a text section.
• Analyze the purpose of a table of contents for locating specific information within an informational text.
• Identify the main idea and supporting details presented within a text section organized by subheadings.
• Compare the information found using a text's index versus its table of contents.

Before You Start

Identifying the Main Idea

Why: Students need to be able to find the main point of a paragraph before they can differentiate it from supporting details within a larger text section.

Understanding Text Structure (Beginning)

Why: Students should have some foundational understanding that texts have a structure, which prepares them to learn about specific organizational tools like headings.

Key Vocabulary

Heading	A title at the beginning of a text or section that tells the reader what it is about.
Subheading	A smaller title that divides a section of text into smaller parts, giving more specific information about each part.
Table of Contents	A list at the beginning of a book that shows the titles of chapters or sections and the page numbers where they can be found.
Index	An alphabetical list of topics or names mentioned in a book, with the page numbers where they can be found, usually at the end of the book.
Main Idea	The most important point the author is trying to make about a topic in a specific section.
Supporting Detail	Information that explains or elaborates on the main idea of a text section.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Students often think a Glossary is just a dictionary.

What to Teach Instead

Explain that a Glossary is a 'mini-dictionary' just for that specific book. Use a matching game where students match technical words from a text to their glossary definitions to see how they are linked.

Common Misconception

Students may try to read non-fiction books linearly, like a story.

What to Teach Instead

Teach the 'Z-scan' or 'Skimming' technique. Active tasks like 'Speed Finding' encourage students to jump straight to the relevant section using subheadings rather than reading every word.

Active Learning Ideas

Inquiry Circle: Feature Scavenger Hunt

Give groups a variety of non-fiction books and a checklist of features (e.g., 'Find a word in the glossary', 'What page is Chapter 3 on?'). The first group to find all items using only the navigation tools wins.

25 min·Small Groups

Stations Rotation: The Subheading Predictor

At one station, students are given a text with the subheadings removed. They must read the paragraphs and work together to create new, accurate subheadings that summarize each section's main idea.

30 min·Small Groups

Think-Pair-Share: Index vs. Contents

Show students a Table of Contents and an Index. Pairs discuss when they would use each one (e.g., 'I want to find the whole section on sharks' vs 'I want to find the one page about shark teeth').

15 min·Pairs

Real-World Connections

• Librarians use tables of contents and indexes daily to help patrons quickly find books and specific information within them, assisting researchers and students.
• Journalists writing for newspapers or online news sites use headings and subheadings to organize articles, making them easier for readers to scan and find topics of interest.
• Recipe developers and cookbook authors organize recipes with clear headings and subheadings so cooks can easily find ingredients, instructions, or specific cooking techniques.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Provide students with a short, fact-based article (e.g., about a specific animal or historical event) that includes headings and subheadings. Ask: 'What do you think the section 'Habitat' will be about? Read the section and write down one fact that supports this idea.'

Exit Ticket

Give students a simplified table of contents for a fictional book. Ask them to write down: 'Which chapter would you read to find out about [specific topic]? Explain why you chose that chapter.'

Discussion Prompt

Present students with two paragraphs on the same topic, one with a clear subheading and one without. Ask: 'Which paragraph was easier to understand quickly? Why? How did the subheading help you?'

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most important text features for Year 3?

We focus on the Table of Contents, Subheadings, Glossary, and Index. These are the primary tools students need to navigate information reports. We also introduce bold or italicized text as a signal that a word is important or can be found in the glossary.

How do subheadings help with reading comprehension?

Subheadings act as 'signposts'. They tell the reader what is coming next, which helps the brain organize the information. For Year 3 students, subheadings break large amounts of text into manageable 'chunks', making the information less overwhelming and easier to remember.

How can active learning help students navigate non-fiction?

Active learning turns a dry textbook into a map. By participating in scavenger hunts or 'text feature races', students practice using the index and contents page under time pressure. This builds 'fluency' in navigation, so when they do real research, they don't get bogged down reading irrelevant pages.

What is the difference between an index and a table of contents?

The Table of Contents is at the front and shows the order of chapters. The Index is at the back and lists specific topics in alphabetical order with page numbers. We teach students that the Contents is for 'big ideas' and the Index is for 'tiny details'.