Amy Walker, Ph.D.IU4 PIIC Mentoramy.walker@miu4.org

Coaching Teachers to Understand “Text Complexity”

1. What is text complexity and why is it important for coaches to understand?

2. How are we helping teachers integrating quantitative with qualitative and individual reader variables to make informed decisions as they select text for instruction?

3. How are we helping teachers support all students as they grapple with complex text.

Essential Question

Choose one of the illustrations on your table. Decide how that picture might relate to the concept of Text Complexity. Share your ideas with someone else at your table.

Please Do Now

“Students will read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.”

Reading Anchor Standard 10

An Educator’s Lament 2013

Sometimes my life is so full of shift!

College and Career Readiness Through the Lens of Lexiles

Educational Materials

• GED Test 1060L• SAT/ACT 1180L• Military training Manuals 1180L• College texts 1395L• Majority of High School Materials 1100-1300L

Newspapers

• USA Today 1200L• Wall Street Journal 1320L• NY Times 1380L

Entry-level Occupational Materials• Agricultural/Natural resources 1270-1510L• Technology 1110-1190L• Business Admin 1210-1310L• Education 1320-1370L• Health Science 1260-1300L• Hospitality/tourism 1230-1260L• Retail 1180-1270L• Human Services 1050-1200L

Misc. Reading Tasks

• GM Protection plan 1150L• Child Safety Seat 1170L• Medical Insurance Benefit Package 1280L

Text complexity = difficulty

Misconceptions

Three part model for determining Text complexity

eQualita

tive Quantitative

Reader & Task

word lengthWord frequencyWord difficultySentence lengthText lengthText cohesion

Quantitative Measures

Based on word frequency and sentence length. Word frequency is calculated based on words in a lexile data bank (almost

one billion)

So What is a lexile?

Text Complexity Grade Bands

Suggested Lexile Range

K-1 ---------2-3 420-820L4-5 740-1010L6-8 925-1185L9-10 1050-1335L11-CCR 1185-1385L

Wind in the Willows activity--A

Wind in the Willows—B

Wind in the Willows

Form A Form B

Sentence length 22.5 7.13

Word Frequency 3.71 3.70

Lexile 1200 360

Text complexity End of grade 10 Beginning grade 1

Bugs!When I saw the bug, I screamed for help!

When I saw the bug, I remembered my first car.

When I saw the bug, I wondered who was spying on me.

Layers of meaningLevels of purposeStructureOrganizationLanguage conventionalityLanguage clarityPrior knowledge demandsCultural demandsvocabulary

Qualitative Measures

Staircase of Complexity

How it really works

Reader variables (such as motivation, knowledge and experiences) and task variables (such as purpose and the complexity generated by the task assigned and the questions posed.)

Reader and Task Considerations

1.What aspects of the text will likely pose the most challenge for my students? (reader)

Content or theme concerns or challenges? Text structure challenges? Language feature challenges? Knowledge and experience demands? Motivation for and interest in the text?

3 Factors to consider with respect to reader and task

• What are the natural areas of focus for this text?

• With what standards do my students need the most practice?

2. What PA Core standards should I focus on when teaching this text?(task)

3. What Supports do I need to provide so that all of my students( even struggling readers) can access the text?

Read the text. As you read, pay attention to the strategies you are using to make sense of the text. Also, note your emotional responses as you grapple with this piece.

Experiment with Complex text

• Modeling• Offering explanations• Inviting student participation• Verifying and clarifying student understandings• Inviting students to contribute clues

5 techniques for scaffolding(Hogan and Pressley, 1997)

Debrief: What techniques did we use to scaffold your work with the text? How did those techniques affect your learning?

A Model of Scaffolding

• 3 things you will share with teachers about scaffolding complex text

• 2 things you would like more information about regarding complex text

• One suggestion for improving this presentation.

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