1. Assessing Texts to Plan and Differentiate Instruction
EDC423
Dr. Julie Coiro

2. Today’s Learning Objectives
Synthesize key ideas about narrative and expository text structures
Textbook, Karen Wixson, and Barbara Moss
See a model of explicit instruction around expository text (I Do)
Practice planning explicit instruction around expository text (We Do)
Connect with more practice and application of ideas to your group’s text (You Do)

3. Turn and Talk
What are the differences between narrative and expository texts?
Which texts are more challenging to readers and why? Use evidence from your readings to support your reasoning.
In this context, what do you think is the meaning of the phrase “fourth grade slump” ?

4. How might we counteract the fourth grade slump?
Exposure to more informational texts (Wixson)
Increases vocab, comprehension, motivation
Builds knowledge of expository text structures
Improves reading, writing, content knowledge and home-school literacy connections
Exposure and explicit instruction (Moss)
Model and practice retelling as precursor to synthesis
Attend to text structure, signal words, and relationships between ideas
Take advantage of enthusiasm and link to real world

5. Narrative Texts (tell a story) … (characters confront problems > which sets up a plot)
Setting: When and where does the story take place?
Character: Who is the story about? Who wants something? By the end, who changes the most?
Plot: What is the problem? What happened? Why? How was the problem solved?
Theme: What is the text really about? What’s the universal message?
Point of view: Who is telling the story?
Stylistic Elements: How are words used in special ways (e.g., fig. lang, mood, humor, irony)

6. Expository texts (to explain, inform, or persuade)
Nonfiction (accurate) Vs Informational (blends non-fiction with some narrative elements)
Expositional = “explanatory” writing with common thinking patterns > which pattern(s) does the author use to make his arguments?
What are the common expository text patterns? What signal words are associated with each pattern?

7. Expository Text Patterns
Compare/Contrast
Cause/Effect
Description/Explanation
Sequence
Problem-Solution
both, in contrast, while..
So, therefore; if/then…
For example; details…
First, second, next, finally…
Problem, question, answer…

8. Modeling Explicit Instruction of Expository Text Comprehension
Can you imagine digging a hole in your backyard to plant some flowers and, to your surprise,
you uncover treasures from more than 1,000 years ago??
What would you do? Would you tell anyone? Why or why not?
Let’s read The First Discovery to find out what happened when a farmer named Enzecchetta digs out a well in southern Italy to discover something unbelievable!

9. Now you try…
Use what you’ve learned about narrative and expository text features AND how to scaffold understanding of challenging text to…
Locate & note challenging features and/or content
Propose an instructional practice that could be used to explicitly teach about expository text while building comprehension and motivation to read further at each of these challenging points?
Identify when in the teaching cycle you would integrate this practice (before, during, and/or after)

10. Homework
Read Common Core Standards materials in relation to this task