Linking Text Complexity to Student Success

LINKING TEXT COMPLEXITY TO STUDENT SUCCESS

Teaching and Learning Department

Kati Pearson, DirectorTammy Demps, Program Specialist

Rehana Insanally, Program SpecialistZhakima Spratley, Program Specialist

2011-2012 GOAL: 551=A

BELLWORK: I KNOW I KNOW..

•Utilize the following frame to activate your prior knowledge:

“I know I know something about Cognitive Complexity. I know that….”

•Share with the person sitting to your left and right.

Date: September 2011Bell work: I know I know...Benchmark: FL.TX.COG.2011

Objective: Today we are defining Text Complexity by linking its significance to our work and identifying individual next steps.Vocabulary: Academic Vocabulary, Cognitive Complexity Common Core, Text Complexity, Qualitative Measures, Quantitative Measures, Reader-Task Consideration

Agenda: Gradual Release Model I do: Review Cognitive Complexity & Define Text Complexity

We do: Determining and identifying areas of support within Text Complexity

You do: Develop a plan for students to receive frequent exposure to cognitively complex textsSummarizing Activity:

Homework: Collaborate within your PLC to develop a plan for students to receive frequent exposure to cognitively complex texts in your classroom..

Common Board Configuration

Exit Ticket: What connections have I made about text complexity and student achievement?

Essential Question: How does text complexity play a role in student achievement?

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WHAT IS WEBB’S DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE?

Webb’s Levels of Cognitive Complexity Low Complexity relies on the recall, observe, question, or

represent basic facts. Requires only basic understanding of the text. (Solving a one step problem)

Moderate Complexity involves two steps: comprehension and subsequent processing of text. Requires explanation, description, or interpretation. (Solving a two step problem)

High Complexity requires students to engage in more abstract reasoning, planning, analysis, synthesis, judgment, and creative thinking. Requires explanation, generalizations, or multiple connections. Must be able to support thinking.

POINTS TO REMEMBER…

• Cognitive Complexity is the demand of mental processing that must occur to answer a question, perform a task, or generate a product.

• Cognitive Complexity is different from task/item difficulty.

• Cognitive Complexity levels aid in alignment of standards and assessment, and therefore instruction.

80% of the question on FCAT 2.0 and End-Of-Course Exams require Moderate to High Levels of Complexity.

We must expose students to these

texts

REVISIT ESSENTIAL QUESTIONHow does text complexity play a role in student achievement?

ANDWhy is text complexity important for student success?

RATIONALE FOR TEXT COMPLEXITY• Reported decline in high-school level text:

More 8th & 10th graders are on track for college-level reading than late juniors/early seniors (ACT, 2006, Reading between the lines)

• Increase in text difficulty of college/career texts: College professors assign more periodical reading than high school teachers

(Milewski, Johnson, Glazer, & Kubota, 2005) Difficulty of scientific journals and magazines increased from 1930 to 1990

(Hayes & Ward, 1992)

• Claimed decline in school texts overall: “K–12 reading texts have actually trended downward in difficulty

in the last half century.” (CCSS/ELA, Appendix A, p. 2) Decrease from 1963 to 1975 in difficulty of Gr. 1, 6, & 11 texts (Chall, Conard

& Harris,1977) Decline in sentence length and vocabulary in reading textbooks (Hayes,

Wolfer, & Wolfe (1996)

READING BETWEEN THE LINES:What the ACT Reveals About College Readiness in Reading

Half of high school graduates are ready for college level reading.

Approximately 6 million secondary students read below grade level nationally.

Three thousand students drop out of school every day.

PERFORMANCE ON ACT BY DEGREE OF TEXT COMPLEXITY

THE GOAL OF TEXT COMPLEXITY IN RELATION TO COMMON CORE STANDARDS

Standard #10 of the Common Core State Standards: English/Language Arts: By the time they complete high school,

students must be able to read and comprehend independently and proficiently the kinds of complex texts commonly found in college and careers.

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT: TEXT COMPLEXITY

The inherent difficulty of reading and comprehending a text

combined with consideration of reader and task variables.

1. Structure2. Levels of Meaning3. Language Conventionality and Clarity4. Knowledge Demands

Readability Measures– Word length; word

frequency/familiarity

– Sentence length and text length

– Lexile

Reader Variables (motivation, knowledge, and experience) and task variables (purpose and the complexity generated by the task assigned

and questions posed) *YOU are the best judge of what your students can manage.

Three Factors for Measuring Text Complexity

STEP 1: QUANTITATIVE MEASURES

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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 (Advantage-TASA Open Standard) book level (or both).

For illustrative purposes, let’s choose Harper Lee’s 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mockingbirdfirst.JPG


Finding a Lexile Measure for Text: http://www.lexile.com/findabook/

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http://www.lexile.com/findabook/


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Lexile Text Measure:

ATOS Book Level:

870L

5.6

In which of the text complexity bands would this

novel fall?



Text Complexity Grade Bands

Suggested Lexile Range

Suggested ATOS Book Level Range**

1-3 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

Quantitative Measures Ranges for

Text Complexity Grade Bands

Common Core Standards

* 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: http://doc.renlearn.com/KMNet/R004572117GKC46B.pdf

STEP 2: QUALITATIVE MEASURES

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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.

Structure:Complicated text-structures (chronological, problem-solution, cause-effect, etc.) will add to a text’s complexity level.

Levels of Meaning or Purpose:Texts that contain multiple levels of meaning or purpose (connotative or implicit language, satire in narrative texts; informational texts with implicit purposes) have a greater text complexity than texts with a singular meaning or purpose.

Language Conventionality & Clarity:Texts that rely on literal, clear, contemporary, and conversational language tend to be easier to read than texts that rely on figurative, ironic, ambiguous, purposefully misleading, archaic or otherwise unfamiliar language or on general academic and domain-specific vocabulary.

Knowledge Demands:“Texts that make that make few assumptions about the extent of readers’ life experiences and the depths of their cultural/literary and content/discipline knowledge are generally less complex than are texts that make many assumptions in one or more of those areas.”


Lexile Text Measure:

ATOS Book Level:

870L

5.6

From examining the quantitative measures, we knew:



BUT AFTER REFLECTING UPON THE QUALITATIVE MEASURES, WE BELIEVED:

STEP 3:READER AND TASK CONSIDERATIONS

http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=4605

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.




The questions included here are largely open-ended questions without single, correct answers, but help educators think through the implications to of using a particular text in the classroom.

STEP 3:READER AND TASK CONSIDERATIONS


STEP 4: RECOMMENDED PLACEMENT

Based upon all the information—all three legs of the model—the final recommendation for To Kill a Mockingbird is….


NOW YOU TRY I will perform Step One of determining

Text Complexity process. You will work with a shoulder buddy to

discuss steps two and three: Step two: Qualitative measures Step three: Reader and task

Considerations Determine the overall placement of the

text based upon your discussion.


The Grapes of Wrath by John SteinbeckQuantitative Measurement (Fry): 4.9


The Grapes of Wrath by John SteinbeckQuantitative Measurement (Fry): 4.9

Qualitative Measurement: The heavy use of symbolism and allusion result in multiple inferences and author commentaries.

Adjusted text-complexity value: 9-10

What are the things to consider regarding text complexity, reader, and task?

1. Percent of expository reading assigned

2. Degree of independence required when reading

3. Vocabulary!

INCREASE EMPHASIS ON EXPOSITORY TEXT

Increase percentage of expository text available to students

Eliminate shallow reading from complex expository texts

Increase authentic learning and reading from expository texts

Provide more opportunities for students’ independent reading of expository texts

NEED TO FOSTER INDEPENDENT READING

Students are given considerable scaffolding to comprehend texts in K-12.

General movement should be toward decreasing scaffolding and increasing independence because that is what will be demanded in college and the workplace (and on new tests).

FOSTER INDEPENDENT READING Gradual Release of Support

Provide opportunities for structured independent reading

Variety of books at differing interest levels, genres, readability levels, and complexity levels

Spread the love of reading

SYSTEMATICALLY FOCUS ON VOCABULARY

• Vocabulary is empirically connected to reading comprehension.

• Successful instruction incorporates and integrates morphology, phonology, etymology, orthography, and syntax as well as meanings.

• Instruction needs to be developed from text• Instruction needs to teach how meanings of words

vary with context (e.g., Florida was admitted to the union, he admitted his errors, admission was too expensive).

• Devote special focus on academic vocabulary

ACADEMIC VOCABULARY Utility and Importance

Words that are likely to appear frequently in a wide variety of texts/disciplines

Instructional Potential Words that are necessary for understanding a

text and allow for rich representations Conceptual Understanding

Words that relate to other words and offer students more precise ways of referring to ideas they already know

WHAT BIG IDEAS SHOULD WE TAKE AWAY, FROM THE “TEXT EXEMPLAR” LIST & THE NEW COMMON CORE?

Begin NOW to bring more INFORMATIONAL text into your curriculum.

Make an effort to “bridge the gap” for your students by making 20% of your classroom reading grade-level- challenging text.

Be sure to offer an appropriate amount of “scaffolding” in order for students to be able to access this challenging text!

COMMON CORE APPENDIX B Text exemplars

Illustrates the complexity, quality, and range of reading appropriate for various grade levels with accompanying sample performance tasks.

SUMMARIZING ACTIVITY: EXIT TICKET Essential Question: How does text complexity

play a role in student achievement?

Objective: Today we are defining Text Complexity by linking its significance to our work and identifying individual next steps.

Exit Ticket: What connections have I made about text

complexity and student achievement?

REFERENCES Finding a Lexile Measure for Text:


Finding a ATOS Book Level for Text: http://www.arbookfind.com/

Common Core Text Exemplars-Appendix B http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_B.pdf



http://www.arbookfind.com/

Teaching and Learning

DirectorKati Pearson

Program SpecialistsTammy Demps

Rehana InsanallyZhakima Spratley

352-253-6528

Linking Text Complexity to Student Success

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