1. Module 4: Text Complexity
Instructional Leadership
College and Career Ready Standards for Literacy
Time: <1 minute
Briefly introduce the module and yourself.
Module 4: Text Complexity

2. Learner Outcomes The outcomes are that school leaders can:
Articulate the importance of text complexity as it relates to CCRSL implementation
Support teachers as they continue to adjust instructional planning to reflect the shifts and the appropriate level of text complexity
Time: 1 minute
These are our goals for Module 4. (Provide time for participants to read)
We have discussed text complexity for over a full year with the introduction of these modules for leaders and also through our work with Catapult Learning.
Elementary administrators, while this may be somewhat new to you, depending on participation in the prior modules for leaders, we have provided additional resources for reference as we work through this module today.

3. 3 Shifts Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction
Reading, writing, and speaking grounded in evidence from text, both literary and informational
Regular practice with complex text and its academic language
Time: <1 minute
Again, from prior modules, we have discussed these three shifts, which when coupled with the new CCRSL, will work together to make change happen for our students.

4. Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
CCRS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.10 Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
Time: <1 minute
Standard 10 is the focus of today’s module.
Remember from previous modules that one system of measurement is not sufficient in and of itself – each system has limitations. This is why it is important to look at qualitative, quantitative, and reader/task consideration measures when determining text complexity.

5. CCRS and Text Complexity
Qualitative
1. Qualitative measures – levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands often best measured by an attentive human reader.
Time: 4 minutes
(This slide is from an earlier module for leaders.)
Facilitator Notes:
Anchor Standard 10 is the Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity. The complexity of a text is determined by the application of a Tri-part model.
Qualitative Measures are the factors that have to be determined by educators. While a book may be at the “reading level” of a student based on Quantitative Measures, the content may not be age appropriate and other factors (such as knowledge and language demands and levels of meaning/purpose) should come into play.
Quantitative Measures are factors of the text that can be counted (number of words in a sentence, length of passage, word repetition and comparison of words versus a word list separated by grade level) and typically are measured electronically. This is the method with which most texts have been rated for complexity in the past. However, there are problems with relying solely on Quantitative measures to determine text complexity. For example, The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway and Captain Underpants come out around the same grade level range. Hemmingway uses a lot of short snippets of dialogue and Captain Underpants uses a unique word that artificially pushes the readability up.
The Reader and Task are incredibly important factors of this determination. While a text may be appropriate for a certain grade level overall, a teacher may know that a certain group of students have more/less background knowledge on the subject, for example.

6. Shifts in Action: Complex Text and Non-Fiction
According to those who knew him, Lincoln was a man of many faces. In repose, he often seemed sad and gloomy. But when he began to speak, his expression changed. “The dull, listless features dropped like a mask,” said a Chicago newspaperman. “The eyes began to sparkle, the mouth to smile, the whole countenance was wreathed in animation, so that a stranger would have said, ‘Why, this man, so angular and solemn a moment ago, is really handsome.’”
Lincoln was shaken by the presidency. Back in Springfield, politics had been a sort of exhilarating game; but in the White House, politics was power, and power was responsibility. Never before had Lincoln held executive office. In public life he had always been an insignificant legislator whose votes were cast in concert with others and whose decisions in themselves had neither finality nor importance. As President he might consult with others, but innumerable grave decisions were in the end his own, and with them came a burden of responsibility terrifying in its dimensions.
Time: 4 minutes
(This slide is from an earlier module for leaders.)
Facilitator Notes:
This is also from an earlier module where we discussed the appropriate level of text complexity.
Allow participants 1 minute to read both texts. Then allow a few minutes to discuss their responses.
Answer: the text on the right in more complex for a 11th grade students. (Complex sentences, Lack of words, sentences or paragraphs that review or pull things together for the student, dense information, sophisticated vocabulary, sophisticated subject matter and concepts)
(Texts were excerpted from CCSS Appendix B. The text on the right is an informational text for 11th – CCR and the text on the left is an information text for grades 2nd – 3rd)

7. Exploring Resources Time: 4 minutes Facilitator Notes:
We are now going to spend some time exploring resources to learn more about text complexity. We are going to start with an introduction to this site, which is a resource you can access anytime when you or your teachers need additional support on text complexity.
Facilitator: go to this website and show them the seven sections, sharing the subtitles for each section; let participants know they will have time today to explore this site more, later in the session.

8. Exploring Resources Use the links… to complete the organizer…
Time: 25 minutes
Materials: handout “Links to Resources” and “Support-Refute Organizer” – digital preferred, printed viable
Facilitator Notes:
Recommend that participants use one of the first three links when completing the support/refute organizer and then they can use the bottom two links during the next activity.
We are now going to take some time to use the links on this handout to complete the support/refute organizer, which is a strategy from the Core Six. With a support/refute organizer, as you find information to support one of the statements, you would add it to the left column. You would do the same in the right column for evidence that refutes the statements. You will not have time to review all of these resources. Please focus on one or two and complete what you can on the organizer.

9. Share with Colleagues
What is one “a-ha” you had while reviewing information on text complexity?
Time: 5 minutes
Facilitator Notes:
Provide time for participants to share responses and ask them to reference the link they used to find the evidence they are citing.

10. Addressing comments and questions
Time: 20 minutes
Materials: handout “Common Comments/Questions from Teachers” – digital preferred, printed viable
Facilitator Notes:
As leaders, you are often on the receiving end of many questions that need consistent responses to clarify the expectations of CCRSL – especially around text complexity. In the handout - “Common Comments/Questions from Teachers” – there are 8 questions that you could encounter as we continue our journey with CCRSL. Take some time with the links to resources and this time, develop your response for the teacher who posed the question/comment. Also note where you found your support to provide additional resources for the teacher.

11. Share with colleagues…
Time: 20 minutes
Facilitator Notes:
Go through each of the 8 questions/comments and share responses. Leaders may hear different perspectives based on grade levels and will have an opportunity to share the resources they found helpful. If appropriate, the district can collect and combine these responses to further align messages around common text complexity questions.
The facilitator’s version of this document is available on Module 4’s website with responses and resources if there is one question leaders struggled with specifically.

12. Moving forward… Time: 5 minutes, pending discussion
Facilitator’s Notes:
What additional steps are needed for your teachers regarding text complexity?
Elementary: What are your next steps regarding text complexity as we begin our CCRSL journey in SY ?
Secondary: What barriers related to text complexity are you experiencing and how have you addressed them?
Close out the session and remind them about the resources for finding out more on text complexity.