Text Is Foundation Presenter: Nicole A. Zdeb, Director of Academic Services at NWEA

Welcome and Introductions Importance of Texts to Building Literacy Defining Complex Texts Common Core Text Complexity Model Taking a look at exemplars Take-away: Text Complexity Evaluation Rubric(s) Agenda

Importance of Text in Building Literacy Skills? Foundational to becoming an agile, powerful reader AND a knowledge builder

Regular practice with complex text. Includes these instructional focuses: staircase of complexity writing from sources academic vocabulary literacy instruction in content areas Common Core ELA Focus Area

What are Candidate Texts? It depends on the instructional focus: challenge, skill development, and practice and support At every instructional level, texts should engage thinking, spark imagination, and build knowledge. They should progressively and intentionally increase in complexity.

Challenge: Texts above grade-level complexity (read aloud or with other scaffold) Skill Development: Texts at the student’s independent reading level—challenging but comprehensible. Practice and Support : Texts that meet the student’s needs, offering support such as more visual aids, glossaries, audio options, while still engaging higher-order thinking skills. Instructional Needs Texts Serve

There’s a RANGE of appropriate texts for each learner. Choosing appropriate texts is part art and part science. There are tools to help. The Challenge is Finding the Rainbow For every learner, there’s a range, a spectrum, a RAINBOW of candidate texts…

Fortunately, there are tools and resources to help us. Models Exemplars Quantitative tools Assessment data Rubrics Each other Students

What Is Complex Text? Pair and Share Activity What are features of complex text? How can you recognize a complex text?

Features of Complex Text Transitions Multiple and/or subtle themes and purposes Density Unfamiliar settings/topics/events Lack of repetition, overlap, or similarity in words or sentences Complex sentence structures

Features of Complex Text Uncommon vocabulary Lack of explicit review, or summarizing, for readers Longer paragraphs Less narrative Multiple text structures

Understanding the Common Core Model of Text Complexity Small Group Activity

Common Core Text Complexity Model

First swipe: Use QUANTITATIVE measures to locate a text within GRADE BAND Using the CCSS text complexity model best practices

Second swipe: QUALITATIVE MEASURES be used to locate a text to a specific grade Levels of meaning Structure Language Conventionality and Clarity Knowledge demands Using the CCSS text complexity model best practices

Qualitative Measures Rubric Why is qualitative measures the only dimension of the text complexity model with a rubric?

Group Activity: Practice with the Evaluative Rubric EXTENSION: Use the Rubric to Develop Rich Questions

Best Resource for Text Complexity: Achieve the Core

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