Navigating Non-Fiction Texts Using Text Features

Khan Academy

This educational video provides a clear and comprehensive guide to understanding text features in non-fiction writing. The narrator uses the analogy of a map to explain how authors organize information to help readers navigate texts like textbooks, encyclopedias, and news articles. Using a sample article titled "About Pets," the video systematically introduces and defines common text features including titles, headings, subheadings, bold text, sidebars, tables of contents, indices, bulleted lists, and hyperlinks. The content focuses on key literacy themes such as reading comprehension, information literacy, and text structure. It breaks down the specific function of each feature—how headings group information, how bold text highlights vocabulary, and how sidebars provide supplementary details. The video also bridges print and digital literacy by demonstrating how hyperlinks function in online texts, taking the viewer to an external veterinary website as an example. For teachers, this video is an excellent tool for introducing or reviewing informational text standards. It visually demonstrates abstract concepts, making them concrete for young readers. Classroom applications include anchoring lessons on research skills, supporting non-fiction writing projects where students must use these features, and helping students become more efficient at locating information within dense texts.