Michael D. Robinson Text Complexity 101

Text Complexity is… Difficult vocabulary or text structure/features Academic vocabulary Text structure (e.g. Cause/Effect; Question/Answer; Chronological order; etc.) Text features (e.g. Complex plot lines; graphs, charts, tables, sidebars; etc) Lexile Level Numbers or letters to measure readability e.g. RR/Fountas & Pinnell Length of text Genre of text And more…

A growing body of research presents a challenge to current K-12 reading/ English-language Arts instruction. In essence, we need to “up” the level of text complexity and provide greater opportunities for independent reading.

Text Complexity – Here’s the why… Williamson found a 350L (Lexile) gap between the difficulty of end-of-high school and college texts. This amounts to over a full year or grade level. Williamson, G. L.. A Text Readability Continuum for Postsecondary Readiness. in Journal of Advanced Academics Volume 19 Issue 4 (Summer 2008). p

Text Complexity In the past, any picture - style book was viewed as a simple text. Often these books were delegated to lower-grade elementary classrooms. Let’s take a quick look a this text, The Magic School Bus – Lost in the Solar System by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen It was trip day again In Mrs. Frizzle’s class. Everyone was excited. We are going to the planetarium to see a sky show about the solar system..

Text Complexity It was trip day again In Mrs. Frizzle’s class. Everyone was excited. We are going to the planetarium to see a sky show about the solar system. Primary Story Line (Narrative/Chronological Order) Secondary Text Line (Expository Structure) Primary Illustration of Expository Text Line Secondary Illustration (Demonstration of Expository Line) Grade 6 High Complexity

Text Complexity and Text Based Questions: The Common Core Standards and success on FCAT, ACT and SAT require students to read increasingly complex texts with increasing independence and understanding as they progress towards career and college readiness.

Text Complexity, Text Based Question and Student Success Texts for each grade should align with the complexity requirements outlined in the Standards Appendix A in the Common Core Standards gives further information on how text complexity can be measured. Instructional samples of complex text can be found in Appendix B of the Common Core Standards for all curriculum areas. All students, including students who are behind, have extensive opportunities to encounter and comprehend grade level text as required by the Standards “…In responding to the needs of students who are farthest behind, materials should reduce the complexity of the text as a last resort...” Guided reading instruction; fluency practice; and vocabulary building

Additional materials provide opportunities for students to engage in regular independent reading of materials that appeal to their interests in order to develop both their knowledge and joy in reading Materials need to include texts at students’ own reading level as well as texts with complexity levels that will challenge and motivate students Shorter, challenging texts that elicit close reading and re- reading must be provided regularly at each grad. Texts students can read and re-read deliberately and slowly to probe and ponder the meanings of individual words, the order in which sentences unfold, and the development of ideas over the course of the text Novels, plays, and other extended readings should also used with opportunities for close reading as well as research Developing cognitive endurance is essential to all text based instruction Scaffolds must enable all students to experience the complexity of the text, rather than avoid it The scaffolding should not itself become an alternate, simpler source of information that diminishes the need for students to read the text itself carefully.

Range and Quality of Texts Requiring a significant shift in early literacy materials and instructional time so that equal time and weight is given to scientific and historical text as is given to literary text Grades 6-12: Instruction should include substantially more literary non-fiction Including essays, speeches, opinion pieces, biographies, journalism, and historical, scientific or other documents written for a broad audience Teachers and students are guided to analyze dense arguments and information at the heart of complex literary non-fiction Extended argument or provides dense scientific, historical, or technical information Quality of the suggested texts is high—they are worth reading closely and exhibit exceptional craft and thought or provide useful information Texts selected should be worthy of close attention and careful re-reading for understanding

High Quality Text Dependent Questions and Tasks A significant percentage of questions/tasks are text dependent Can and should be applied to building knowledge from multiple sources as well as making connections between texts and learned material High quality sequences of text dependent questions elicit a sustained attention to the specifics of the text and their impact. Effective question sequences ensure that students learn to stay focused on text so they can learn fully from it Questions and tasks require use of textual evidence, including supporting logical inferences from the text Drawing evidence from the text and explaining that evidence orally and in writing Questions and tasks requiring careful comprehension of the text before asking for further connections, evaluation, or interpretation Students can and should make connections between texts - but this activity must not supersede close examination of each specific text

Rather than emphasizing more general strategies and questions, text specific questions and tasks reinforce focus on the text and cultivate independence Recommended reading strategies as well as broader questions and themes should be embedded in actual reading of text rather than being taught as a separate body of material

In conclusion In planning the implementation of the ELA Common Core Standards with kindergarten and first grade teachers for the school year, ongoing lesson plan development should be based upon the discussion and reflection of student learning. ELA Standards Reading Standards for Literature K–5 on page 11, Reading Standards for Informational Text K–5 on page 13, Writing Standards K–5 on page 19, Speaking and Listening Standards K–5 page 23 and the Language Standards K–5 on page

Available on the Curriculum Webpage