DETERMINING TEXT COMPLEXITY (6-12)

Small Group Discussion How do you select grade level appropriate, sufficiently complex text that engages the reader? For instruction? For assessment?

ELA/Literacy Shifts at the Heart of PARCC Design: Complexity Evidence Knowledge

CCSS AND PASSAGES Complex, Rich Texts Passage Selection Guidelines Appendix B

Reading Standards include exemplar texts (stories and literature, poetry, and informational texts) that illustrate appropriate level of complexity by grade. Text complexity is defined by: Qualitative 1.Qualitative measures – levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands Quantitative 2.Quantitative measures – readability and other scores of text complexity Reader and Task 3.Reader and Task – background knowledge of reader, motivation, interests, and complexity generated by tasks assigned Overview of Text Complexity

LITERARY CRITERIA Meaning Text Structure Language Features Knowledge Demands Optional: Use of Graphics Audio Stimulus Visual/Video Stimulus INFORMATIONAL CRITERIA Purpose Text Structure Language Features Knowledge Demands Optional: Use of Graphics Audio Stimulus Visual/Video Stimulus Text Complexity Worksheets

Lets Explore… Take a look at the Literary Complexity Analysis Worksheet (blue) and the Informational Complexity Analysis Worksheet (yellow). Note the differences between the two worksheets. Note the differences among the readily accessible, moderately complex, and very complex columns.

How to Use the Complexity Analysis Worksheets: Record your quantitative measures: Lexilewww.lexile.comwww.lexile.com 6-8 ( ) 9-10 ( ) ( ) Source Rater ( ) 9-10 ( ) ( ) **Some passages/texts cannot be effectively quantified!!**

How to Use the Complexity Analysis Worksheets: Determine an initial grade placement based on the quantitative numbers (if applicable). Use the qualitative analysis rubric to determine text complexity. Record text complexity and evidence for rating

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Excerpt: Quantitative measures: Lexile: 950 Source Rater: 13.6 Qualitative measures: Meaning: Moderately/Very Complex Text Structure: Moderately Complex Language Features: Moderately Complex Knowledge Demand: Moderately/Very Complex Overall Rating: Moderately Complex Multiple levels of meaning with subtle theme; two or more story lines; some academic and archaic language and use of figurative language; text makes references/allusions that are only partially explained

Lets Practice Please read Oh Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman (handout). The initial placement of this poem is at grade 9. Use the Literary Complexity Analysis Worksheet to determine the complexity level of the poem. (Poems cant be quantified using current systems such as Lexile and Source Rater.) Be prepared to share your text complexity determination (use evidence from the rubric).

The results? Complexity Level: Reasons:

Other Considerations when choosing appropriate text: Does the passage/excerpt/book lend itself to the grade level Common Core Standards? Is the passage/excerpt/book engaging? Will the students gain knowledge through their interaction with the passage/excerpt/book?

Questions?

More Practice Science: How Underground Rodent Wards Off Cancer: Second Mole Rat Species Has Different Mechanism for Resisting Cancer (Lexile: 1430; Source Rater:11.1)