1. What’s Our Vision for the Future of Learning?
What will the learning environment look like?
How will we shift the role of teachers and students
Building the end in mind – how do you see it? Does it scare you or excite you? How are you prepared for it?
What evidence from the video supports the need for our schools to shift from the way we currently work?

6. The Language Arts Florida Standards Text Complexity
Focus on Four Strands (reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language)
The benefits of an integrated literacy approach (both in terms of reaching out to content areas beyond ELA and also in terms of research and media skills being integrated into the four strands)
A focus on results rather than means (“the Standards leave room for teachers, curriculum developers, and states to determine how those goals should be reached and what additional topics should be addressed” (p. 4).)

7. Rate Your Understanding of Text Complexity
Canvas Ungraded Survey
Design Question 1: Communicating Learning Goals and Feedback

8. Directions for Responding
Participants have a learning scale for instructional shifts.
Read the scale and rate your understanding of the instructional shift: text complexity.
Then, log into Canvas and complete the survey.
Participants can take the quiz anonymously.
DQ 1: Communicating Learning Goals and Feedback
Element 1: Providing Clear Learning Goals and Scales

9. Activate Some Thinking
Think about texts you have used in your class in the past.
How have students responded?
What did you have students do with the text?
Why did you choose the text?
Turn and talk to your partner, then we will share out.

10. Learning Goal
Participants will use the shift of text complexity when designing standards-based learning experiences.
Provide participants with scales for instructional shifts and creating standards-based units of instruction.
Also, provide participants with the instructional framework.
DQ 1: Communicating Learning Goals and Feedback
Element 1: Providing Clear Learning Goals and Scales

11. Learning Targets Participants will know what makes a text complex.
Participants will be able to distinguish different levels of texts using the components of text complexity: qualitative, quantitative, and reader/task.
Participants will understand why this shift is relevant in moving students to life, career, and college readiness.
DQ 1: Communicating Learning Goals and Feedback
Element 1: Providing Clear Learning Goals and Scales

12. “Why Complex Text Matters?”
Engage in a cold read to become familiar with the text.
As you read, highlight evidence that supports why this instructional shifts is one of the foci.
15 minutes to read and process with a partner
Design Question 2: Helping Students Interact with New Knowledge
Elements: 6. 8, 10, 12

13. Design Question 2: Helping Students Interact with New Knowledge
3-Minute Pause
The Three-Minute Pause provides a chance for participants to stop, reflect on the ideas that have just been read, make connections to prior experiences and seek new understanding
I became more aware of . . .
I was surprised about . . .
Design Question 2: Helping Students Interact with New Knowledge
Elements: 10, 12, 13

14. Organizing and Processing Learning
Sources
Implications for the teacher
Implications for the student
Implications for designing standards-based learning opportunities
“Why Complex Text Matters” by David Liben
Text Complexity PowerPoint by JRF
“Simplifying Text Complexity” by Sarah Brown Wessling
Now, participants will go back through the text as an expert read and skim to find evidence for each of the topics on the graphic organizer. 8 minutes
Think, Pair, Share 3 minutes
Design Question 2: Helping Students Interact with New Knowledge
Elements: 10, 11, 12, 13

15. Design Question 3: Helping Students Practice and Deepen New Knowledge
Overview of Text Text Complexity
Text complexity is defined by:
Qualitative
Qualitative measures – levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands often best measured by an attentive human reader.
Quantitative
Quantitative measures – readability and other scores of text complexity often best measured by computer software.
Reader and Task
Reader and Task considerations – background knowledge of reader, motivation, interests, and complexity generated by tasks assigned often best made by educators employing their professional judgment.
Participants will read slides, process, information, discuss as a group, and record evidence on the graphic organizer
Design Question 3: Helping Students Practice and Deepen New Knowledge
Element: 14, 15

16. Determining Text Complexity
A Four-step Process:
Determine the quantitative measures of the text.
Qualitative
Quantitative
Analyze the qualitative measures of the text.
Reflect upon the reader and task considerations.
Reader and Task
Overview of the protocol
Recommend placement in the appropriate text complexity band.

17. Step 1: Quantitative Measures
Measures such as:
Word length
Word frequency
Word difficulty
Sentence length
Text length
Text cohesion

18. Step 1: Quantitative Measures
The Quantitative Measures Ranges for Text Complexity:
This document outlines the suggested ranges for each of the text complexity bands using:
Lexile Text Measures
---or---
ATOS Book Levels (Accelerated Reader)

19. Quantitative Measures Ranges for Text Complexity Grade Bands
Language Arts Florida Standards
Quantitative Measures Ranges for
Text Complexity Grade Bands
What is a text complexity band?

20. Quantitative Measures Ranges for Text Complexity Grade Bands
Language Arts Florida Standards
Quantitative Measures Ranges for
Text Complexity Grade Bands
Text Complexity
Grade Bands
Suggested
Lexile Range
Suggested ATOS
Book Level Range**
K-1
2-3
450L – 790L
2.0 – 4.0
4-5
770L – 980L
3.0 – 5.7
6-8
955L – 1155L
4.0 – 8.0
9-10
1080L – 1305L
4.6 – 10.0
11-CCR
1215L – 1355L
4.8 – 12.0
What is a text complexity band?

21. Step 1: Quantitative Measures
Let’s imagine we want to see where a text falls on the quantitative measures “leg” of the text complexity triangle, using either the Lexile text measures or the ATOS book level (or both).
For illustrative purposes, let’s choose the text, Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass.

22. Step 1: Quantitative Measures
Lexile Text Measure:
1080L
ATOS Book Level:
7.9
In which of the text complexity bands would this text fall?

23. Quantitative Measures Ranges for Text Complexity Grade Bands
Common Core Learning Standards
Quantitative Measures Ranges for
Text Complexity Grade Bands
Text Complexity
Grade Bands
Suggested
Lexile Range
Suggested ATOS
Book Level Range**
K-1
100L – 500L*
1.0 – 2.5
2-3
450L – 790L
2.0 – 4.0
4-5
770L – 980L
3.0 – 5.7
6-8
955L – 1155L
4.0 – 8.0
9-10
1080L – 1305L
4.6 – 10.0
11-CCR
1215L – 1355L
4.8 – 12.0
* The K-1 suggested Lexile range was not identified by the Common Core State Standards and was added by Kansas.
** Taken from Accelerated Reader and the Common Core State Standards, available at the following URL:

24. Where do we find texts in the appropriate text complexity band?
We could….
Choose an excerpt of text you have used in instruction.
Use available resources to determine the text complexity of the text you have chosen.
or…
Design Question 3: Helping Students Practice and Deepen New Knowledge
Element: 19

25. Step 1: Quantitative Measures
Additional Resources
Use your chosen text to determine the quantitative measure.
Lexile Measures and the Language Arts Florida Standards
Accelerated reader and the Common Core State Standards
Coh-Metrix
Coh-Metrix calculates the coherence of texts on a wide range of measures. It replaces common readability formulas by applying the latest in computational linguistics and linking this to the latest research in psycholinguistics.

26. Step 1: Quantitative Measures
Remember, however, that the quantitative measures is only the first of three “legs” of the text complexity triangle.
Our final recommendation may be validated, influenced, or even over-ruled by our examination of qualitative measures and the reader and task considerations.

27. One Minute Conversation
Check for Understanding
Participants take one minute per person to explain your understanding of Quantitative Measures.
Be sure to include additional learning on your graphic organizer.
Design Question 3: Helping Students Practice and Deepen New Knowledge
Element: 15, 20

28. Step 2: Qualitative Measures
Measures such as:
Structure
Language Demands and Conventions
Knowledge Demands
Levels of Meaning/Purpose
Design Question 3: Helping Students Practice and Deepen New Knowledge
Element: 14, 15

29. Step 2: Qualitative Measures
The Qualitative Measures Rubrics
for Literary and Informational Text:
The rubric for literary text and the rubric for informational text allow educators to evaluate the important elements of text that are often missed by computer software that tends to focus on more easily measured factors.
Participants read slide as we pass out the two documents.

30. Step 2: Qualitative Measures
Because the factors for literary texts are different from information texts, these two rubrics contain different content. However, the formatting of each document is exactly the same.
And because these factors represent continua rather than discrete stages or levels, numeric values are not associated with these rubric. Instead, six points along each continuum is identified: not suited to the band, early-mid grade level, mid-end grade level, early-mid grade level, mid-end grade level, not suited to band.
Participants have discussion about the two documents.

31. Step 2: Qualitative Measures
How is the rubric used?
And how would Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass fair when analyzed through the lens of the Text Rubric?
Provide participants the analysis of Frederick Douglass

32. What are the qualitative measures?
We could….
Use the same excerpt of text you used to measure quantitative.
Use available resources to determine the text complexity of the text you have chosen.
or…
Design Question 3: Helping Students Practice and Deepen New Knowledge
Element: 19

33. Design Question 3: Helping Students Practice and Deepen New Knowledge
Oral Questioning
Check for Understanding
With your partner, discuss the following questions:
How are qualitative measures different from quantitative measures?
What are the characteristics of measuring text qualitatively?
Design Question 3: Helping Students Practice and Deepen New Knowledge
Element: 15, 20

34. Design Question 3: Helping Students Practice and Deepen New Knowledge
Step 3: Reader and Task
Considerations such as:
Motivation
Knowledge and experience
Purpose for reading
Complexity of task assigned regarding text
Complexity of questions asked regarding text
Design Question 3: Helping Students Practice and Deepen New Knowledge
Element: 14, 15

35. Step 3: Reader and Task Ten Guiding Principles
Make close reading and rereading of texts central to lessons.
Provide scaffolding that does not preempt or replace text.
Ask text dependent questions from a range of question types.
Emphasize students supporting answers based upon evidence from the text.
Provide extensive research and writing opportunities (claims and evidence).

36. Step 3: Reader and Task Ten Guiding Principles
Offer regular opportunities for students to share ideas, evidence and research.
Offer systematic instruction in vocabulary.
Ensure wide reading from complex text that varies in length.
9. Provide explicit instruction in grammar and conventions.
10. Cultivate students’ independence.

37. How does taxonomy help with Reader & Task?

38. Organizing and Processing Learning
Sources
Implications for the teacher
Implications for the student
Implications for designing standards-based learning opportunities
“Why Complex Text Matters” by David Liben
Text Complexity PowerPoint by JRF
“Simplifying Text Complexity” by Sarah Brown Wessling
Think, Pair, Share:
Examine, explain, and revise previous content on the graphic organizer in order to deepen understanding.
DQ3 Element 20
Now, participants will go back through the text as an expert read and skim to find evidence for each of the topics on the graphic organizer. 8 minutes
Think, Pair, Share 3 minutes

39. Rate Your Understanding of Text Complexity
Design Question 1: Communicating Learning Goals and Feedback

40. “Simplifying Text Complexity: Just Fit Text”
Stop at 5:45 “Just Fit Text”
Stop at 12:48 “Components of Text Complexity”
Stop at 16:44 “Designing Learning Opportunities with Text Complexity in Mind”

41. Organizing and Processing Learning
Sources
Implications for the teacher
Implications for the student
Implications for designing standards-based learning opportunities
“Why Complex Text Matters” by David Liben
Text Complexity PowerPoint by JRF
“Simplifying Text Complexity” by Sarah Brown Wessling
Now, participants will go back through the text as an expert read and skim to find evidence for each of the topics on the graphic organizer. 8 minutes
Think, Pair, Share 3 minutes

42. “Simplifying Text Complexity: Components of Text Complexity”

43. Organizing and Processing Learning
Sources
Implications for the teacher
Implications for the student
Implications for designing standards-based learning opportunities
“Why Complex Text Matters” by David Liben
Text Complexity PowerPoint by JRF
“Simplifying Text Complexity” by Sarah Brown Wessling
44 “Designing Learning Opportunities with Text Complexity in Mind”
Now, participants will go back through the text as an expert read and skim to find evidence for each of the topics on the graphic organizer. 8 minutes
Think, Pair, Share 3 minutes

44. “Simplifying Text Complexity: “Designing Learning Opportunities with Text Complexity in Mind”

45. Organizing and Processing Learning
Sources
Implications for the teacher
Implications for the student
Implications for designing standards-based learning opportunities
“Why Complex Text Matters” by David Liben
Text Complexity PowerPoint by JRF
“Simplifying Text Complexity” by Sarah Brown Wessling
44 “Designing Learning Opportunities with Text Complexity in Mind”
Now, participants will go back through the text as an expert read and skim to find evidence for each of the topics on the graphic organizer. 8 minutes
Think, Pair, Share 3 minutes

46. Designing Standards-Based Units of Instruction
Look at Quarter One, Unit 1 focus standards – KUDs, Scales, and Sample Tasks
One way to start thinking about matching texts and readers is to begin with what you already have.
Take a text you use frequently.
Now consider how you would make that text more complex by changing the task for students to master standards.

47. Designing Standards-Based Units of Instruction
Look at Quarter One, Unit 1 focus standards – KUDs, Scales, and Sample Tasks.
Now take a standard (skill) that students often struggle with and determine how you will scaffold the task for the student to become proficient with the standard (skill).
What implications does designing standards-based lessons this way have for students?
Participants rate themselves on the Creating Units of Standards-Based Instruction Scale before starting this activity.

48. Designing Standards-Based Units of Instruction
Look at Quarter One, Unit 1 focus standards – KUDs, Scales, and Sample Tasks.
Another way to increase complexity is in juxtaposing or comparing texts.
How can you make a central text more complex through comparison? More accessible?

49. Rate Your Understanding of Text Complexity

50. Planning Forward - Design Question 4
Element 21: Participants will understand the importance of how working together supports the generating and designing of standards-based units of instruction, that intentionally includes text complexity.
Discuss in your group, what this will look like as you plan in your groups?
Element 22: Participants will engage in cognitively complex tasks that require them to generate and design standards-based units of instruction, that intentionally includes text complexity.