Reading for

Information

American Sign Language

Procedural Text

Whats the Connection?

Storry of
The Sto

ie
My Lif
Helen Keller

the one on which

remember in all my life is
he most important day I
filled with
Sullivan, came to me. I am
my teacher, Anne Mansfield
the two lives
immeasurable contrasts between
wonder when I consider the
three months before
the third of March, 1887,
which it connects. It was
1
I was seven years old.
porch, dumb,
eventful day, I stood on the
On the afternoon of that
from the
from my mothers signs and
expectant. I guessed vaguely
was about to
house that something unusual
hurrying to and fro in the
The afternoon
door and waited on the steps.
the
to
went
I
so
happen,
covered the porch, and fell
the mass of honeysuckle that
on the
10 sun penetrated
fingers lingered almost unconsciously the sweet
on my upturned face. My
to greet
which had just come forth
familiar leaves and blossoms
of marvel or surprise
know what the future held
for weeks
southern spring. I did not
had preyed upon me continually
a
for me. Anger and bitterness
2
this passionate struggle.
and a deep languor had succeededdense fog, when it seemed as if a
in a
Have you ever been at sea
ship, tense and
shut you in, and the great
tangible white darkness

1. dumb: unable to speak;

mute.

2. deep languor had succeeded:

834

a complete lack of energy

What can you infer

about the relationship
between Helen Keller
and Anne Sullivan
by looking at this
photograph of them?

AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Reread lines 615.
In what way does the
first-person point of
view help show Kellers
thoughts and feelings?
tangible (tBnPjE-bEl) adj.
possible to touch; real

had followed.

Youve just read an excerpt from Helen Kellers autobiography The

Story of My Life, in which she describes what it was like to be deaf
and blind. She also explains how she learned the concept of words
from her teacher Annie Sullivan. Now you will learn about a method
of communication used by deaf people called sign language.

autobiogr aphy
unit 7: biogr aphy and

Use with The Story of My

Life, page 834.

Skill Focus: Interpret Information in

Procedural Texts
Information on how to complete a task, or procedure, can be
presented in a variety of ways. Procedural information may include
a statement of the task to be performed

READING 12 Understand how

to glean and use information in
procedural texts and documents.
12B Interpret factual, quantitative, or
technical information presented in
charts, illustrations, and diagrams.

a list of materials or tools needed

a series of numbered or sequenced instructions
a diagram or an illustration
By reading a procedural document and following the steps it
outlines, you should be able to complete the task it describes. To be
effective, a procedural text should be written in simple, imperative
sentences, such as do this, do that. The steps must be conveyed in
chronological order, from the first to the last step in the procedure.
Sometimes, a procedural text may be a simple chart containing
illustrations or diagrams that show you what to do with some
accompanying text. Sometimes, all the information you need is
in the visuals, and the illustrations or diagrams may contain no
additional text. If this is the case, you need to glean, or gather
information from the visuals to complete the task.
When reading procedural texts, first scan the text to identify the
type of information presented. Then, focus on the specific content
of that information. You might use a chart like the one below to list
types of information and notes on what you learn from each.
Type of Information

Notes on Content

Title
Introductory or explanatory text
Diagrams or illustrations
Numbered or sequenced items
840

unit 7: biography and autobiography

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Reading for Information

10

merican Sign Language (ASL) is a visual language that

incorporates gestures, facial expressions, head movements,
body language, and even the space around the speaker. Hand signs
are the foundation of the language. Many signs are iconic, meaning
the sign uses a visual image that resembles the concept it represents.
For instance, to express the concept of deer in ASL, you would
hold your hands up to either side of your head, fingers spread, to
represent antlers. Actions are often expressed through hand signals
that mimic the action being communicatedif you wished to
sign the concept eat, you would bring your fingers and thumb of
your dominant hand together as if holding food and then move
your hand toward your mouth. a

EAT

DEER

OCUS ON FORM

A procedural text is
written to describe
how something
is done. Recipes,
repair manuals, and
how-to instructions
are all examples of
procedural texts. To
aid comprehension,
many procedural
texts include visuals,
such as illustrations or
diagrams. Procedural
texts may also include
titles, numbered or
sequenced steps, and
lists of materials.

TEKS 12B

INTERPRET
INFORMATION
A procedural text is a
text that explains how
to complete a task.
Text and illustrations
work together to
convey information
in a procedural text.
Lines 812 describe
how to sign the word
eat. The accompanying
diagram shows you
how to sign the words
eat and deer. Use the
information in the text
and diagrams to sign
the word eat. Then,
use the information
in the diagram to sign
the word deer.

reading for information

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INTERPRET
INFORMATION

Use the information in

this chart to sign your
name.

INTERPRET
INFORMATION

What do you think the

arrows that accompany
the J and the Z
illustration represent?

PROCEDURAL TEXT
What is the purpose
of this procedural
document?

842

20

The alphabet is an important series of signs. Some hand signs

for letters resemble the written form of the respective letter. When
you use the hand signs for letters to spell out a word, you are
finger spelling. Finger spelling is useful to convey names or to ask
someone the sign for a particular concept. ASL uses one-handed
signals for each letter of the alphabet (some other sign languages
use both hands for some letters). Many people find finger spelling
the most challenging hurdle when learning to sign, as accomplished
speakers are very fast finger spellers. d

unit 7: biography and autobiography

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Reading for Information

After Reading

Comprehension
1. Recall What is American Sign Language?
2. Clarify How is American Sign Language different from other some other
sign languages?
3. Summarize What is finger spelling?

Critical Analysis

READING 12 Understand how

to glean and use information
in procedural texts and
documents. 12B Interpret
factual, quantitative, or
technical information presented
in charts, illustrations, and
diagrams.

4. Evaluate a Procedural Text A strong procedural text gives clear, detailed

instructions on how to do something. How do you think the information
given with the chart could be improved? What would you add or change
to make the instruction more clear? Look at the chart you filled in as you
read to see if there are places where additional information might improve
the text.
5. Analyzing Visuals How do the visuals add to your understanding of the
text? Explain.

Read for Information: Create a Procedural Text

writing prompt
The procedural text you just read explains what American Sign
Language is and explains the process of fingerspelling. Use the
information from the article and do some more research on American
Sign Language to create instructions for students to sign My name is
[Jennifer]. Write directly to the reader, and think about what type of
information should be included in your final document.

To answer this prompt, follow these steps:

1. First, do some research in the library or on the Internet to find out more
about American Sign Language. You need to find the signs for the words
My name is. Write down the information you find, and determine if you
need to include a visual along with a written description.
2. Write instructions for fingerspelling a persons name.
3. Review your instructions to see if they are clear. Do you need to add
numbered steps to the process? What visuals will make the task more
clear?
4. Have groups of students work together to follow your instructions to sign
My name is. . . . If your instructions are clear, they should be able to
follow them. If not, ask the students what information might make the
instructions easier to follow and revise your work.
reading for information

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