Text Structures Examining how the text is structured enhances student’s ability to comprehend.

Textbooks and other content-related materials that students are given to read is difficult.

Students lack familiarity with expository text structures Expository or informational texts use many facts and details to inform the reader about a topic

How do we help students better understand expository text structure?

Teaching students about different types of text structures can help them better read and understand content-area texts more easily

Expository text structures include: Description Chronological sequence Cause and effect Problem/solution Concept/Definition Compare/Contrast

Description Text Structure Description organizes facts that describe the characteristics of specific persons, places, things, and events. These characteristics do not need to be given in any special order. Uses language to help the reader form images or visualize processes.

Description Guiding Questions What specific person, place, or thing is being described? What are the most important characteristics or descriptors? Why is this description important?

Text Example Description: The Loggerhead has a reddish-brown upper shell and a dull brown to yellowish lower shell. The adult Loggerhead weights from 200 to 350 pounds and lives in temperate and subtropical waters.

This turtle is the most common sea turtle that nests on the shores of the United States. The Loggerhead sea turtle feasts on shellfish, clams, horseshoe crabs, and mussels. The Loggerhead turtle is classified as threatened.

Description Graphic Organizer Graphic organizers support students in visually determining text importance

Chronological sequence Ideas are organized in the order in which they happen, chronologically, with details to support key ideas or understandings.

Chronological Guiding Questions: What sequence of events or process is being described? What are the major steps that occur? In what order are the steps presented?

Chronological Signal words: First, Second Before, After Finally Then Next Earlier, Later Last

Chronological Graphic Organizer Graphic organizer for the following example:

Text Example: During the months from May to September, the Loggerhead turtle comes ashore to nest at night. First the turtle crawls out of the sea to the beach in search of the right place to build a nest for its eggs. Once the location is identified, the turtle digs a hole with its flippers that measures 8" wide and 18" deep.

Next, the turtle lays around 120 eggs the size of ping pong balls Next, the turtle lays around 120 eggs the size of ping pong balls. The turtle then covers the nest by throwing sand over the nest with its flippers. The turtle does this to protect the eggs from predators. Finally, the turtle makes its way back to the sea, and does not return to attend to the nest.

Cause and Effect Cause and effect organizes information into a causal sequence that leads to a specific outcome.

Cause and Effect Guiding Questions: What outcome, process, or result is being explained? What are the outcomes or results of what occurred? What are the causes for what happened?

Cause and Effect Signal Words Because Since Thus So that If. . . Then Therefore Nevertheless Due to This led to As a result Then . . . So For this reason On account of Consequently

Cause and Effect Text Example Text Example Cause and Effect: Natural predators such as snakes, sea gulls, and raccoons are considered threats to the sea turtles. But human beings are considered to pose the greatest threat to the sea turtles. People threaten the turtles if they disturb the nesting sites or harm the sea turtles at sea. Because of these dangers, the Loggerhead sea turtle is considered threatened.

Problem-Solution Text Structure Writers of informational texts often identify problems and pose solutions.

Problem-Solution Signal Words Propose Conclude A solution The problem or the question Research shows The evidence is A reason for Also include the cause and effect key words

Problem-Solution Text Example Text Example - Problem and Solution: The Loggerhead sea turtle is threatened. Possible solutions conservationists are using to help the survival rate of the Loggerhead turtles is educating the public about the nesting habits of the sea turtles and passing gill netting regulations for fishermen.

Relationship: Cause/effect and problem-solution Problem-solution includes an examination of cause and effect, thus making cause and effect and problem-solution related structures. Cause and effect are heart of the structure used to solve problems You may, however, have cause and effect without a problem or solution

Cause and Effect/Problem and Solution Organizers

Concept/Definition Text Structure Organizes information about a word or phrase that represents a generalized idea of a class of persons, places, things, or events (e.g., dictatorship, economics, culture).

Concept/Definition Guiding Questions: What concept or word is being defined? What are its characteristics? How does it work or what does it do? What examples are given for the characteristics?

Concept/Definition Graphic Organizer

Concept/definition text structure defines a concept by presenting its characteristics or attributes and sometimes examples of each.

Concept Graphic Organizer

Compare/Contrast Discusses two ideas, events, or phenomena, showing how they are similar and different. Within the text the writer uses description as well as comparison/contrast to make points.

Compare/Contrast Guiding Questions: What items are being compared? What is it about the items that are being compared? What characteristics do they have in common? How are the items alike? In what ways are they different? What conclusion does the author reach about how they are alike and different?

Compare/Contrast Signal Words While Yet But Most Either Like or unlike Same As opposed to As well as Likewise On the other hand Although The same Similarly Opposites

Reflection and Application: When students recognize the ways that writers of informational texts help them understand ideas, they not only comprehend at a higher level but also may learn to use those structures in their own writing.

Understanding Text Structure: Strategy Implementation before reading Step 1: Survey the Text. Have students scan the text and note the general purpose of the text. Step 2: Identify the Signal Words. Have students circle transition words in the text.

Understanding Text Structure: Strategy Implementation before reading Step 3: Identify the Structure of the Text. Individually or in a small group, students should discuss what they think the main structure of the text may be (cause and effect, compare and contrast, description, concept/definition, problem and solution, and/or chronological order). They would ask themselves: “What kind of thinking will be necessary to understand the information in the text? and “How would I best display the information after reading?”

Understanding Text Structure: Strategy Implementation before reading Step 4: Predict the Main Idea of the Passage. Using what students know about the signal words and the structure of the text, have them write a sentence stating what they think the main idea of this passage may be.

Understanding Text Structure: Strategy Implementation during reading Step 5: Read the Text. Have students read the passage actively identifying important information of that text structure.

Understanding Text Structure: Strategy Implementation after reading Step 6: Revisit the Main Idea Prediction. After reading, students should go back to their prediction of the main idea of the passage. They may then use a graphic organizer to display the information, write a summary, or in some other way organize what they have read.

Student reflection: Ask students what they think they could do to improve their ability to make predictions about a text’s main ideas by using structure and signal words before they read. Ask students how creating a text structure graphic organizer can better help them understand what they read.

Assignment Create a Keynote or Powerpoint presentation to introduce your students to the text structures of a particular reading. See checklist of components. Send the presentation to the instructor. How does the use of structural graphic organizer and signal words enhance the comprehension of the student you are following? Write a two paragraph reflection.