Text Complexity Kansas Common Core Standards English Language Arts

Text Complexity Kansas Common Core Standards English Language Arts
and the Kansas Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects Hopefully, this presentation will better explain what text complexity is and why it is important. We have tweaked this PowerPoint to better meet the needs of K-2 teachers.

The Common Core State Standards Initiative
Beginning in the spring of 2009, Governors and state commissioners of education from 48 states, 2 territories and the District of Columbia committed to developing a common core of state K-12 English-language arts (ELA) and mathematics standards. The Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The Kansas State Board of Education formally adopted the Common Core State Standards for mathematics and English language arts on October 12, 2010. The Kansas Common Core Standards have replaced our prior standards in the areas of reading, writing, and listening, speaking, and viewing. Those standards have been retired as of October 2010.

Kansas Advantages to Common Core Standards
A focus on college and career readiness Inclusion of the four strands of English Language Arts: Reading Writing Listening and speaking Language The benefits of an integrated literacy approach – all Kansas educators have a shared responsibility for literacy instruction, regardless of discipline or content area. 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).) Efficiencies of scale – common standards allow for greater collaboration among states in the areas of Professional development Resource development Teaching tools Focus on College and Career Readines 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).) Efficiencies of Scale

Text Complexity “The Common Core Standards hinge on students encountering appropriately complex texts at each grade level in order to develop the mature language skills and the conceptual knowledge they need for success in school and life” (p. 3). Comprehending complex texts is everywhere in the CCSS. This is why text complexity matters and we are spending time talking about it today.

Text Complexity Specifically, within reading standard #10: Anchor Standard: R.CCR.10 Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently. Example Grade-level Standard (2nd grade): RI.2.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories and poetry, and informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts in the grades 2-3 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. As stated in the Standards: Note on range and content of student reading To build a foundation for college and career readiness, students must read widely and deeply from among a broad range of high-quality, increasingly challenging literary and informational texts. Through extensive reading of stories, dramas, poems, and myths from diverse cultures and different time periods, students gain literary and cultural knowledge as well as familiarity with various text structures and elements. By reading texts in history/social studies, science, and other disciplines, students build a foundation of knowledge in these fields that will also give them the background to be better readers in all content areas. Students can only gain this foundation when the curriculum is intentionally and coherently structured to develop rich content knowledge within and across grades. Students also acquire the habits of reading independently and closely, which are essential to their future success. We are building readers with the end result, college, in mind.

So… What do the Kansas Common Core Standards mean by text complexity?
Guiding Questions So… What do the Kansas Common Core Standards mean by text complexity? What is a text complexity band? and How do we ensure the texts our students are reading are in the appropriate text complexity band? This presentation seeks to answer these questions. This may mean some changes in our curriculum.

Overview of Text Complexity
Text complexity is defined by: Quantitative Quantitative measures – readability and other scores of text complexity often best measured by computer software. Qualitative Qualitative measures – levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands often best measured by an attentive human reader. 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. Quantitative measures – readability and other scores of text complexity often best measured by computer software. Qualitative measures – levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands often best measured by an attentive human reader. 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. Source:

Quantitative Measures Ranges for Text Complexity Grade Bands
Kansas Common Core 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 What is a text complexity band? It’s a grade band with corresponding text levels assigned to it. * 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:

Where do we find texts in the appropriate text complexity band?
We could…. Choose an excerpt of text from Appendix B: Use available resources to determine the text complexity of other materials on our own. or… Where do we find texts in the appropriate text complexity band? We could choose an excerpt of text for Appendix B. Exemplars are not a required or suggested reading list. They are just examples for us to see. Even choosing excerpts from Appendix B is less effective because it removes the reader and task considerations from the equation. Or We can use the available resources and choose our own texts as we are the expert on our own kids.

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 Determine the quantitative measures of the text. Analyze the qualitative measures of the text. Reflect upon the reader and task considerations. Recommend placement in the appropriate text complexity band. What is important to note is that we need to re-evaluate and validate what books we do use. Recommend placement in the appropriate text complexity band.

Step 1: Quantitative Measures
Measures such as: Word length Word frequency Word difficulty Sentence length Text length Text cohesion What measures are they? Word length Word frequency Word difficulty Sentence length Text length Text cohesion This is where the various readability formulas fit. Be knowledgeable in which are best to use for the ages of your students. As part of Microsoft Office Word you have the Flesch Reading Ease and the Flesch-Kincaid readability formulas. The Flesch Reading Ease gives a score from 0 to The higher the number, the easier it is to read. A score between is considered easily understandable by an average 5th grader. Scores between 60.0 and 70.0 are considered easily understood by 8th and 9th graders. Scores between 0.0 and 30.0 are considered easily understood by college graduates. The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level outputs a U.S. school grade level; this indicates the average student in that grade level can read the text. The SPACHE Readability Formula is best used to calculate the difficulty of text that falls at the 3rd grade or below. Unfortunately this is one you have to purchase to use. Discussion of different leveling methods or materials available such as Fountas and Pinnell. We could break from the PowerPoint and use the handouts Sandee made about readability formulas. Or do we save this for later?

The Quantitative Measures Ranges for Text Complexity: This document outlines the suggested ranges for each of the text complexity bands using: Lexile Text Measures Most of you will be familiar with Lexiles and the ATOS used by AR. What is interesting is when you look at both. ---or--- ATOS Book Levels (Accelerated Reader)

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 Trinka Hakes Noble’s The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash. You would not normally do this with a picture book, but we thought that this is a book that many of us are familiar with and so would be a common starting place for this process.

Finding a Lexile Measure for Text: Looking through the Lexile lens… You can search for a book by title, author or ISBN. If you are uncertain of a title, try using the keywords to search. You type in your information and click search. If the book is in the database it will pull it up, often with a picture of the cover and give you a brief description of the book as well as the lexile level. Be sure to double check the title and author as sometimes titles overlap. The book had a lexile score of AD 540 L.

The Lexile codes are: The Lexile Codes AD: Adult Directed
NC: Non-Conforming HL: High-Low IG: Illustrated Guide GN: Graphic Novel BR: Beginning Reading NP: Non-Prose The Lexile code gives you more information about a book that relates to its developmental appropriateness, reading difficulty, and common or intended usage. Word frequency and sentence length— the two text characteristics that determine a Lexile measure—do not describe all of the content of a book. Lexile codes provide some context to the numerical measure to further help you guide readers toward fruitful reading experiences. The Lexile Codes The Lexile code gives you more information about a book that relates to its developmental appropriateness, reading difficulty, and common or intended usage. Word frequency and sentence length—the two text characteristics that determine a Lexile measure—do not describe all of the content of a book. Lexile codes provide some context to the numerical measure to further help you guide readers toward fruitful reading experiences. The Lexile codes are: AD: Adult Directed NC: Non-Conforming HL: High-Low IG: Illustrated Guide GN: Graphic Novel BR: Beginning Reading AD: Adult Directed A book with an AD in the Lexile score means it needs to be Adult Directed. AD means that the book in question is actually trickier for the reader than the Lexile score reflects. Picture books are frequently considered for an AD or "adult directed" code because they are usually read to a child, rather than a child reading them independently. This is the classic example of parent and child sitting together on the couch with the book open in their laps. Although seemingly easy reading, picture books can still present a challenging independent reading experience to an age-appropriate reader for reasons of text difficulty and book layout or design. The text difficulty of picture books varies widely across the genre. For instance, Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are (HarperCollins Publishers) is a beloved read-aloud for preschoolers. Its Lexile measure of 740L, however, is around the average reading ability for someone ending fourth grade. Upon a closer look, the text comprises long sentences and contains some fairly high-level vocabulary such as "mischief," "private," "gnash," and "rumpus." The parent on the couch would help the preschooler sound these words out and decipher these long sentences. Therefore the book is coded adult directed and the measure is AD740L. Additionally, picture books can have design elements that may visually complicate reading for a child. Factors such as font size, typeface, page layout, legibility, and the relationship between pictures and text may significantly impact reading comprehension even if the text difficulty is well matched. Initially, a more advanced reader may need to read the “AD” book with a child. You can find out more about the various Lexile Codes at Source:

For texts not in the Lexile database, consider using the Lexile Analyzer: Registration is required (free) Allows user to receive an “estimated” Lexile score Accommodates texts up to 1000 words in length Texts of any length can be evaluated using the Professional Lexile Analyzer—educators can upgrade to this tool for free by requesting access If the book is not found and you really want a Lexile score for your book, you can type in text from the book and get an estimated Lexile score. This is free, but you must first register. It is found under the tools tab. Just follow the directions, submit and your information will pop up. Be sure the text you submit is in plain text or it will not work. After typing your piece in Word, save as plain text to your desktop. It will make it easy to find when you browse for your piece of text. This was easy to do and fast. Remember this is an estimated Lexile score.

Additional Resources for Lexile Measures: Overview video “What Does the Lexile Measure Mean?” “Lexile Measures and the Common Core State Standards” KSDE Lexile Resource Page Kansas Lexile Map The Lexile Measures and the Common Core State Standards site might be a good one to check out.

Finding a ATOS Book Level for Text: Looking through the ATOS/AR lens… ATOS is the leveling system that AR uses. If you are more comfortable with this score, by all means use it. To use this site, just type in the title of the book. Click go. If it is in the data base it will pull it up. It will tell you the book level as well as other AR information such as the quiz number and instructional level. It will also bring up related books and their information. Again, double check the title and author as titles sometimes overlap. ATOS leveled the book at the 2.2 grade level.

For texts not in the AR Bookfinder database, consider using The ATOS Analyzer: No registration is required (however, you must provide an address to receive results) Three methods of analysis are available: ATOS for Books – for submitting complete text of a book I used the ATOS for Text on the Honey Bees article you can find on the ksde.org/kscommoncore website. It did not require an address. I just typed it up in Word and saved it to my desktop. I followed the directions on the page, submitted and the information popped up. It was very easy to use and fast. ATOS for Books with Estimated Word Count – does not require full text, just three 150-word passages ATOS for Text– works well for short, full-text submissions (short stories, magazine/newspaper articles, etc.)

Additional Resources for ATOS Book Level Measures: Accelerated Reader Website “Accelerated Reader and the Common Core State Standards” Kansas All Books Connect Website Additional Resources for ATOS Book Level Measures Accelerated Reader Website “Accelerated Reader and the Common Core State Standards” Kansas All Books Connect Website

AD 540 L Lexile Text Measure: 2.2 ATOS Book Level: Scholastic’s Book Wizard Level: 3.7 Because the Lexile score and the ATOS didn’t seem to be on the same page and we had a book with the AD code, we also ran this title through Scholastic’s Book Wizard leveling system to get more information. Scholastic put this book at a 3.7 grade level and at the K level in guided reading. (It was interesting to see the grade level scores so different, ATOS 2.2 and Scholastic’s This could be why the Lexile has an AD? Do any of Scholastic’s Lexile scores have codes?) In which of the text complexity bands would this novel fall?

Quantitative Measures Ranges for Text Complexity Grade Bands
Kansas Common Core 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 What is a text complexity band? It is a grade level band that has assigned readability levels. * 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:

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. 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. Now the fun begins.

Step 2: Qualitative Measures
Measures such as: Layers of meaning Levels of purpose Structure Organization Language conventionality Language clarity Prior knowledge demands Cultural demands Vocabulary What Are the Qualitative Measures? Only a human reader can analyze this. Layers of meaning Levels of purpose Structure Organization Language conventionality Language clarity Prior knowledge demands Cultural demands Vocabulary Another way to look at this: Is this an apple book where you can just bite into it, or Is it an onion book that you have to peel back the layers? Discussion or sharing of apple/onion books or titles.

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. As the kids we work with need basically a new book most days to read, the steps here are not feasible for us to do for every book we hand a child. However, if you assign a chapter book that several days will be spent reading and working with it, you may want to consider using some of the following resources to help you match a book to your readers. The first are the rubrics; one for literary texts and one for informational texts.

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 rubrics. Instead, four points along each continuum are identified: high, middle high, middle low, and low. Literary Rubric Explained The format is the same for both, but they have different factors that they look at. Because the factors are along a continuum, the points are High, Medium High, Medium Low and Low. Low does not mean K-2 nor does High mean high school. Low does not mean “bad.”

So… How is the rubric used? And how would The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash fair when analyzed through the lens of the Literary Text Rubric? So. . . How is the rubric used? And how would The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash fair when analyzed through the lens of the Literary Text Rubric?

Users read across the four columns for each row of checkboxes on the rubric, identifying which descriptors best match the text by marking a particular checkbox. As Appendix A states, “Few, if any, authentic texts will be low or high on all of these measures.” The goal is not for all of the checkmarks to be in a single column; the goal is to accurately reflect these factors of the text. The marked rubric can then serve as a guide as educators re-evaluate the initial placement of the work into a text complexity band. Such reflection may validate the text’s placement or may suggest that the placement needs to be changed.

From examining the quantitative measures, we knew: AD 540 L Lexile Text Measure: 2.2 ATOS Book Level: Scholastic’s Book Wizard Level: 3.7 But after reflecting upon the qualitative measures, we believed: So far this process reinforces that educators must use their professional expertise to balance the considerations to appropriately place a book in a complexity band. Please note that even though our book stayed in the same grade band from the blue to green, it has moved higher within that grade band. The way the sequence of events is presented in this book, makes it more challenging. This also would be more challenging for kids who have no or limited farm experience.

Our initial placement of The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash into a text complexity band has not changed when we examined the qualitative measures. Quantitative Qualitative Reader and Task Remember, however, that we have completed only the first two legs of the text complexity triangle. The reader and task considerations still remain. Qualitative Results Our initial placement of The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash into a text complexity band has not changed when we examined the qualitative measures. Remember, however, that we have completed only the first two legs of the text complexity triangle. The reader and task considerations still remain.

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 With the AD in the lexile score, we must be careful to really look closely at the reader and task considerations when matching this book to the right reader. This is really important. It is where you as a professional educator use your judgment in matching the right book, to the right kid, at the right time. You also need to look at who your readers are. What background experiences do they bring or not bring to the book in question?

Step 3:Reader and Task Considerations
Questions for Professional Reflection on Reader and Task Considerations: The questions provided in this resource are meant to spur teacher thought and reflection upon the text, students, and any tasks associated with the text. (Please keep in mind, this process is really designed for teachers of kids who already are independent readers of novels.) Questions we need to be asking ourselves: What do I have to preteach? What scaffolding will be needed and for whom? Bloom’s Taxonomy will be helpful here. What are any ESL needs I must address? Are they motivated to do their best work?

Step 3:Reader and Task Considerations
The questions included here are largely open-ended questions without single, correct answers, but help educators to think through the implications of using a particular text in the classroom. At our grade levels, we will want to also look at what comprehension skills are we wanting to teach with this text. If you are introducing a trickier skill, you may want to use a book that will not overly challenge them with the actual reading of it so they have brain space to use applying the skill.

Step 3: Reader and Task Considerations
Based upon our examination of the Reader and Task Considerations, we have completed the third leg of the text complexity model and are now ready to recommend a final placement within a text complexity band. We must remember that even though a book might work with one group of kids, it may not be right for the next group. You have to look at the individuals who are in the group.

Step 4: Recommended Placement
After reflecting upon all three legs of the text complexity model we can make a final recommendation of placement within a text and begin to document our thinking for future reference. Using this protocol, we progressed through each leg of the text complexity model: (1) quantitative measures, (2) qualitative measures, and (3) reader and task considerations. Now we are ready to review all three legs one last time and make a final recommendation for placement of this text into a text complexity grade band. (Drum roll please…)

AD 540 L Lexile Text Measure: 2.2 ATOS Book Level: Scholastic’s Book Wizard Level: 3.7 If we were going to use this text in a guided reading group to work on cause and effect, and we wanted the students to read and work for the most part independently, we could use this text with on-grade level readers in the late second or early third grades. If we were going to use this as a read aloud to introduce cause and effect, we could do so with kindergarten or first grade. This book would also be great for sequence of events.

Template for Text Complexity Analysis and Recommended Placement Form: The one-page template provides an opportunity to record the thinking involved in recommending the placement of a specific text into a text complexity band. Keeping a record of such analysis and thinking might be useful documentation in the case that any questions arise in the future. Once the recommended placement has been decided upon, educators might also find it useful to document some the thinking that led them to their conclusion. This is also good to revisit if the lesson flops and we are wondering, “What in the world was I thinking of?!” The template offers space to record information for each of the three legs of the model. This and the following forms can be found on the KSDE Common Core website.

An example of a completed template for To Kill a Mockingbird
An example of a completed template for To Kill a Mockingbird. Unfortunately there are not any for books of younger readers at this time.

Additional Resources for Text Complexity
Text Complexity Bookmarks Additional Examples of Completed Final Recommendations for Older Readers. Diamond Willow Hunger Games How to Steal a Dog Countdown To Kill a Mockingbird The form to the right is to be a bookmark. Print it on cardstock. As you read you can make notes to help you place it. Other examples for older readers you can access on the site are… Diamond Willow Hunger Games How to Steal a Dog Countdown To Kill a Mockingbird

Additional Ideas for Extending the Utility of the Text Complexity Model
Involving students in analyzing text complexity Connecting text complexity to MTSS initiatives Involving students in analyzing text complexity is obviously an idea for the older students. Connecting text complexity to MTSS… What are your thoughts?

For more information: Matt Copeland Language Arts and Literacy Consultant Career, Standards, and Assessment Services Kansas State Department of Education (785) Jackie Lakin Information Management Program Consultant Career, Standards, and Assessment Services Kansas State Department of Education (785) If you would happen to fall in love with this process and actually use the forms on books appropriate for younger students, please share. These folks will help you post your great ideas to the KSDE Common Core website to share with us all. I know I would be very grateful. Any questions? Kris Shaw Language Arts and Literacy Consultant Career, Standards, and Assessment Services Kansas State Department of Education (785)

Text Complexity Kansas Common Core Standards English Language Arts

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