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Supporting Your Child’s Literacy Development: Craft and Structure

Reading is not just about recognizing words on a page; it’s also about understanding how those words are used to tell a story.


One of the key skills in reading literacy is understanding Craft and Structure. This domain focuses on how a story is written, things like the author’s word choices, the tone they set, and how they organize the ideas.


These elements help build a deeper understanding of the text, making it more enjoyable and easier to comprehend. Today, we’re going to explore a fun and interactive way to practice this skill with your child: the Author Detective strategy!


What Is Craft and Structure?

Craft and Structure is an important area of reading literacy that measures how well a student can understand the various elements that shape a story. This includes:

  • Word Choice: How does the author choose specific words to convey meaning or set a mood?

  • Tone: What feeling or attitude is created through the author’s writing style?

  • Text Structure: How is the story organized? Does it follow a sequence of events, or is it structured around a problem and solution?


Mastering Craft and Structure helps children not only improve their reading comprehension but also encourages them to think critically about how stories are constructed. It also makes reading more engaging, as they become more aware of the author's choices and how those choices influence the reader’s experience.


Strategy: Author Detective

We’ll dive into an engaging activity called Author Detective, which helps children explore Craft and Structure in a fun and interactive way. In this strategy, you’ll guide your child to pay close attention to the words, tone, and structure of a text, much like a detective solving a mystery.


Here’s how you can practice this skill in just seven minutes:


Step 1: Choose a Passage

Select a short passage or paragraph from a story that you and your child are reading. This could be a part that features interesting word choices or a specific tone. Ideally, it should be a section that encourages questions and conversation.


Step 2: Read Together

Spend the first 1-3 minutes reading the passage together. As you read, pay close attention to any descriptive or interesting words that stand out. These words might be ones that evoke a specific feeling or help set the scene. You can either read aloud to your child or take turns reading. The goal is to stay engaged with the text and start thinking about how the author is shaping the story.


Step 3: Highlight Key Words and Sentences

After reading, highlight any words or sentences that seem particularly interesting or descriptive. These might be words that create vivid imagery or words that seem carefully chosen for their impact on the reader. This is where your child gets to act like a detective, looking for clues in the text about the author’s choices.


Step 4: Ask Key Questions

Spend the next 1-2 minutes asking your child questions that focus on understanding the author’s craft. Some sample questions might include:

  • “Why do you think the author chose this word?”

  • “What feeling or mood does this part of the story create?”

  • “What does this word tell us about the character or the setting?”

  • “How do the author’s word choices help us understand what’s happening?”


These questions encourage your child to think critically about how the author’s choices affect the story and how they shape the reader’s experience. By thinking like an author, your child can learn to appreciate the power of words and tone in storytelling.


Step 5: Discuss Text Structure

In the final 2-3 minutes, talk about how the story is organized. You might ask questions such as:

  • “How does the author organize the events in this story?”

  • “Is this a problem and solution story? Or does it follow a sequence of events?”

  • “What part of the story is the most exciting or interesting, and why?”


This discussion helps your child understand the structure of the story and how the author chooses to arrange events to build tension, deliver a message, or keep the reader engaged.



Why This Works

The Author Detective strategy is effective because it taps into your child’s natural curiosity. Children love solving mysteries, and this activity allows them to explore the “mystery” of how an author uses language and structure to craft a story. By asking questions and encouraging them to think critically, you’re helping your child develop a deeper understanding of the text and hone their analytical skills.


This strategy also makes reading more interactive and fun. Instead of just reading passively, your child becomes an active participant in the process, analyzing the text and thinking about the author’s choices. This builds their comprehension skills and keeps them engaged in the story.


If you’d like to see the Author Detective strategy in action, check out our model lesson video! In this video, we demonstrate how to implement the strategy with a child. It’s a great way to visualize the steps and learn how to make the activity engaging and enjoyable for your child.


Craft and Structure is a critical component of reading literacy, and the Author Detective strategy makes it fun and accessible. By helping your child pay attention to word choice, tone, and text structure, you’re supporting their ability to analyze and appreciate the craft of storytelling. Try out the Author Detective activity today, and watch your child’s comprehension skills and love for reading grow!


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