For many readers, nonfiction books are the perfect gateway to get them interested in the written word. While fiction is often entertaining and enlightening, there is also a certain amount of reality and psychology that often comes hand-in-hand with the subject matter. Reading non-fiction can provide a pathway to:
- Acquire knowledge and information
- Learn life lessons from the success or mistakes of others
- Self empowerment
- Increase brain complexity and resilience
In particular, history is a particularly relevant form of knowledge for readers who are interested in developing a solid understanding of world events. Reading nonfiction books with a focus on world history helps readers to learn important lessons about how the past affects current affairs. It also helps students benefit from the full rewards of reading nonfiction, and this isn’t always simply about learning new information but also exploring a writer s original take on historical facts in a manner that will further deepen a reader s understanding of both the world and those people in it.
One of the most powerful benefits of reading nonfiction is the ability to develop an understanding of the common core. Many writers begin by studying the basics of world history and current affairs and then work their way into more complex areas of analysis. For some writers, this means they study world literature while for others it means they seek out articles, histories, and even poems about specific topics. Regardless of the particular format that a writer uses to gather information, there are many common core ideas that are explored in all sorts of materials.
These lessons can range from how different countries and cultures view basic human rights to the different ways that various political philosophies affect social standing and individual lives. Learning these lessons helps readers see how other cultures view the same issues and how those views can affect their own personal experiences. This is valuable in terms of teaching students to be aware of and question assumptions and behaviors in the larger social context of their lives. It also helps to provide a foundation for understanding concepts like power, control, and freedom.
Another benefit of learning these lessons helps writers think critically about the choices that they make in their own lives. As writers examine how their decisions have affected their lives, they are presented with the opportunity to explore possible reasons behind those choices. Some writers choose to write about a traumatic experience that they themselves may have had to deal with. Others look to authors who have gone through similar experiences in their own lives. These sources can give writers an opportunity to reflect on what their own experiences have been. They can examine how their decisions have affected the people around them and how these decisions could have been different.
Reading worksheets and books like “Why We Want You To Be Rich” provide some great opportunities for writers to think critically about the goals they have in mind. This critical thinking process is important to the overall goal of writers presenting information to readers. However, it is equally important for writers to teach students the process of critical thinking as well. If a teacher does not include this process as part of a lesson plan, then it is likely that the teacher’s students will fail to learn much of anything from the teacher.
When it comes to reading nonfiction worksheets or books in the course of a college degree program, there are even more benefits to reap. For one, these types of materials will introduce students to important concepts that they will use in higher level courses. For example, if the author is teaching college-level English, she may include several essays that discuss different ideas about the place of nonfiction in the college curriculum. These discussions can introduce students to the common core standards that all colleges use in their teaching of English.
Using essays as examples of literature that students can read aloud also provides them with another opportunity to learn the structure of writing. Most writers will need to work on their writing before they will be submitting their completed pieces for publication. Students can get an introduction to the structure of academic writing by reviewing passages that are read aloud by other writers. Even those writers who have not previously considered themselves to be writers may find that their students read aloud several times, and thus are introduced to the basics of writing.
Finally, students might find that they benefit most from reading nonfiction worksheets or books in groups. In large classes, a teacher might provide the text of a book as an example of the discussion that students are to undertake. The student can then compare and contrast the ideas that are discussed among students with those that they might encounter elsewhere. Thus, in groups, nonfiction writers can develop their writing skills by observing commonalities among different people.
