1. ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS MODULE 4 FEBRUARY 2013 Reading Common Core Focus: Text Complexity

2. Activating Prior Knowledge http://acadvocabulary.weebly.com/index.html

3. Outcomes The participates will… understand how interacting with complex text helps advance a reader. gain understanding of the importance of text selection. become familiar with the criteria for determining text complexity.

4. The Instructional Shifts 50% Informational Text /50% Literary Texts Students read domain-specific texts independently to acquire content knowledge BUILDING KNOWLEDGE THROUGH CONTENT-RICH NON-FICTION Teachers facilitate rich and rigorous conversations that stay deeply connected to the text Students make evidentiary arguments both in conversation and writing Students respond in writing to texts they have read using evidence to inform or make an argument READING, WRITING, AND SPEAKING GROUNDED IN EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT Staircase of text complexity over grade levels Teachers create more time for close and careful reading of complex texts with scaffolding as needed Focus on building general academic vocabulary that students will encounter across the disciplines REGULAR PRACTICE WITH COMPLEX TEXT

5. Anticipation Guide

7. So, Why Is Text Complexity Important? Complexity of texts students are expected to read is below what is required to achieve college and career readiness: High school textbooks have declined in all subject areas over the last several decades Average length of sentences in K-8 textbooks has declined from 20 to 14 words Vocabulary demands have declined since the 1960s: 8 th grade textbooks=former 5 th grade texts 12 th grade anthologies=former 7 th grade texts Complexity of college and career texts has remained steady or increased, resulting in a gap

8. 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”.

9. Common Core State Standards CCR Anchor Standard 10 – Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

10. Ladder to Success Standard 1: Read closely to determine what the text says Standard 1o: Read and comprehend complex literary and informational text 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Standards 2 & 3 Key ideas and Details Standards 2 & 3 Key ideas and Details Standards 7,8, 9 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas Standards 7,8, 9 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas Standards 4, 5, 6 Craft and Structure Standards 4, 5, 6 Craft and Structure

11. Text Complexity A MULTIDIMENSIONAL LOOK AT CHOOSING THE RIGHT TEXT

12. Text Complexity is defined by: Qualitative 1.Qualitative measures – levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands Quantitative 2.Quantitative measures – readability and other scores of text complexity often best measured by computer software Reader and Task 3.Reader and Task – background knowledge of reader, motivation, interests, and complexity generated by tasks assigned

13. Quantitative Dimensions of Text Complexity These are typically measured by computer software. Examples: Word length Word frequency Sentence length Text cohesion Three Part Model for Text Complexity

14. Text Complexity Grade Bands Suggested Lexile Range Fountas & Pinnell levels K-1100L – 500L*A-I 2-3450L – 790LJ-P 4-5770L – 980LQ-V 6-8955L – 1155LW-Z 9-101080L – 1305L- 11-CCR1215L – 1355L- Quantitative Measures Ranges for Text Complexity Grade Bands The K-1 suggested Lexile range was not identified by the Common Core State Standards and was added by Kansas.

15. Qualitative Dimensions of Text Complexity These are best measured by a human reader. Examples: Levels of meaning or purpose Structure Language conventionality and clarity Knowledge demands Three Part Model for Text Complexity

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17. Reader and Task Considerations- Who and Why? Examples of variables specific to readers: Motivation Knowledge Experiences Examples of variables specific to tasks: Purpose Complexity Three Part Model for Text Complexity

18. 18 Determining Text Complexity – `Reader and Task Considerations

19. Here’s a sample… Lexile Level = 870L Lexile 740-1010 falls in grade band 4-5

20. Next: Examine the text for Qualitative Measures Measures such as: Text structure Language Conventionality Clarity Levels of Meaning Levels of Purpose Knowledge demands

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22. What are you thinking about the level now? Quantitative Measure L exile 87oL –gr. 4th-5th Qualitative Considerations This text is mostly complex.

23. Considerations such as: Cognitive Capabilities Reading Skills Motivation and Engagement with Task & Text Prior Knowledge and Experience Content and/or Theme Associated tasks Step 3: Reader and Task Considerations Reader and Task Considerations

24. Deciding on the grade placement What grade levels would be most appropriate for this text? Like any holistic scoring system, there is not a single correct answer.

25. Guess the grade band… Lexile 740 (gr. 4-5) Lexile 740 (gr. 4-5) Lexile 810 (gr. 4-5) Lexile 810 (gr. 4-5) Lexile 950 (gr. 4-5 or 6-8) Lexile 950 (gr. 4-5 or 6-8) Lexile 680 (gr. 2-3) Lexile 680 (gr. 2-3)

26. Guess the grade band… Lexile 390 (K-1) Lexile 390 (K-1) Lexile 170 (K-1) Lexile 170 (K-1) Lexile 170 (K-1) Lexile 170 (K-1) Lexile 970 (gr. 4-5) Lexile 970 (gr. 4-5)

27. Let’s Review the Anticipation Guide After Lexile ranges for grade bands will replace Fountas and Pinnell levels. In the near future, guided reading closets will have to be re-categorized using lexile levels. Struggling readers should be exposed to grade appropriate text. There are four factors used to assess text complexity in the Common Core Standards. Professional knowledge and experiences should be the major factor to determine if a text is complex. The CCSS staircase of text complexity begins at kindergarten. The CCSS emphasis on text complexity calls for students to be taught at frustration levels. The length of a text determines how complex a piece of text is. Scaffolding strategies or activities are not necessary to make complex text more accessible. false true false true false

28. How is reading complex text like lifting weights? “Just as it's impossible to build muscle without weight or resistance, it's impossible to build robust reading skills without reading challenging text.” ~Shanahan, Fisher & Frey

29. Try it – Apply It! Review text that you will be using with your students. With your teammates, identify some selections for read- alouds that would stretch your students’ thinking. With your teammates, identify some scaffolds necessary to put into place that would make this text accessible to a broader range of students. Be prepared to share out at our next module in May.

30. Next time we will… share experiences and thoughts about incorporating more complex text across the day. discuss the inter-related nature of the shifts. explore analytic reading and writing to source.