Understanding Complex Text UNDERSTANDING COMPLEX TEXT ALABAMA COLLEGE AND CAREER READY STANDARDS MEGA 2013 CITING EVIDENCE CLOSE READING COMPLEXITY ARI ELA LIT

ELA History/ Social Studies Science & Technical Subjects

How do we measure text complexity? QualitativeQuantitative Reader and Text Qualitative dimensions of text complexity. In the Standards, qualitative dimensions and qualitative factors refer to those aspects of text complexity best measured or only measurable by an attentive human reader, such as levels of meaning or purpose; structure; language conventionality and clarity; and knowledge demands. Quantitative dimensions of text complexity. The terms quantitative dimensions and quantitative factors refer to those aspects of text complexity, such as word length or frequency, sentence length, and text cohesion, that are difficult if not impossible for a human reader to evaluate efficiently, especially in long texts, and are thus today typically measured by computer software. Reader and task considerations. While the prior two elements of the model focus on the inherent complexity of text, variables specific to particular readers (such as motivation, knowledge, and experiences) and to particular tasks (such as purpose and the complexity of the task assigned and the questions posed) must also be considered when determining whether a text is appropriate for a given student. Such assessments are best made by teachers employing their professional judgment, experience, and knowledge of their students and the subject.

Quantitative Measures

Finding a Lexile Measure for Text: Quantitative Measures 5

Background Prior Cultural Vocabulary Standard English Variations Register Genre Organization Narration Text Features Graphics Density and Complexity Figurative Language Purpose Levels of Meaning Structure Knowledge Demands Language Convention and Clarity QUALITATIVE MEASURES

Closely Read the Text First read: look for key ideas and details Second read: look for qualitative measures of text (linguistic, semantic, structural, and cultural) Third read: look for applications and connections you will want students to make

Reader and Task Guiding Principles Considerations such as: Motivation Knowledge and experience Purpose for reading Complexity of task assigned regarding text Complexity of questions asked regarding text 8

Make close reading and rereading of texts central to lessons. Based on your close reading of text, why is this important?

Provide scaffolding that does not preempt or replace text. What does this statement mean?

How Should Instruction Address Text Complexity? RA! RA! RA! Reading! Read Aloud Modeling of decoding and fluency Heavy scaffolding for vocabulary and comprehension Read Along Some scaffolding, as needed, for decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension Read Alone Independent, autonomous reading Little to no scaffolding Teacher Scaffolding Gradual Release of Responsibility (I do, we do, you do)… Student Autonomy

Argumentation and Discussion

Now… How would you scaffold this text for your students?

Requires students to return to the text to formulate responses Moves from literal to interpretive Ask text dependent questions from a range of question types.

Progression of Text-dependent Questions Opinions, Arguments, Intertextual Connections InferencesAuthor’s PurposeVocab & Text StructureKey DetailsGeneral Understandings Part Sentence Paragraph Entire text Across texts Word Whole Segments

Text-Dependent Questions? In “Casey at the Bat,” Casey strikes out. Describe a time when you failed at something. In “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” Dr. King discusses nonviolent protest. Discuss, in writing, a time when you wanted to fight against something that you felt was unfair. In “The Gettysburg Address” Lincoln says the nation is dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Why is equality an important value to promote? What makes Casey’s experiences at bat humorous? What can you infer from King’s letter about the letter that he received? “The Gettysburg Address” mentions the year According to Lincoln’s speech, why is this year significant to the events described in the speech?

Sample Literary Questions Pre CCRS Question From The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Have the students identify the different methods of removing warts that Tom and Huckleberry talk about. Discuss the charms that they say and the items (i.e. dead cats) they use. Ask students to devise their own charm to remove warts. CCRS Question From The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Why does Tom hesitate to allow Ben to paint the fence? How does Twain construct his sentences to reflect that hesitation? What effect do Tom’s hesitations have on Ben?

Emphasize students supporting answers based upon evidence from the text

Which of the following questions require students to read the text closely and cite evidence from the text? 1.If you were present at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, what would you do? 2.What are the reasons listed in the preamble for supporting their argument to separate from Great Britain?

1.If you were present at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, what would you do? 2.What are the reasons listed in the preamble for supporting their argument to separate from Great Britain?

Writing text dependent questions Using your text, work with a partner to write 1-2 text dependent questions Work with another set of partners to assess your questions using the Checklist for Evaluating Question Quality Choose one question and write on a sentence strip for display YOUR TURN

Provide extensive research and writing opportunities (claims and evidence).

Close writing requires close reading. UNDERSTANDING WRITING ALABAMA COLLEGE AND CAREER READY STANDARDS

“…writing is treated as an equal partner to reading, and more than this, writing is assumed to be the vehicle through which a great deal of the reading work and assessments will occur.” Pathways to the Common Core, pg. 102

Closely Read the Anchor Standards First read: look for key ideas and details Second read: look for evidence of how the reading and writing standards support one another Third read: look for applications and connections you will want students to make

What’s new with CCRS? PREVIOUSLY Students wrote periodically What are some examples? What were some of the challenges? What were some of the consequences? NOW Now students must write routinely What are some examples? What are some of the opportunities? What are some of the rewards? So what is another change you see in the writing standards?

What is the instructional shift in writing? What is the instructional shift in writing?  Increased emphasis on  Analysis of individual texts  Argument and evidence  Informative/explanatory writing  Frequent short, focused research projects  Comparison and synthesis of multiple sources  Decreased emphasis on  Narrative, especially personal narrative  Writing in response to decontextualized prompts 28

Argument Informational/ Explanatory Narrative

Close Reading to Write Closely read the text Use RISC strategy to write about the text Essential Question: What makes the American Dream so important?

Argumentation and Discussion Extended Writing Close Reading

THANKS! Contact: Reeda Betts Wendy Warren