module 3: text complexity

© 2013 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

Module 3: Text Complexity

Tennessee Department of EducationCTEHigh School

Supporting Rigorous CTE Teaching and Learning

© 2013 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH 2

Course of Study

1. Analysis of a Research Simulation Task in CTE

2. Engaging in Rigorous CTE Lessons

3. Text Complexity4. Academically Productive Talk

5. Arguments and Explanatory Writing

Packet 1: CTE Materials, page 37


Goals

• Deepen understanding of text complexity by

– analyzing the complexity of various texts and

– identifying supports to help students read and understand more complex texts.

• Reflect on learning.

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Norms for Working Together

• Keep students at the center.• Be present and engaged.• Monitor air time and share your voice.• Challenge with respect.• Stay solutions oriented.• Risk productive struggle.• Balance urgency and patience.



Review of Module 2

1. How can we start shifting CTE teaching and learning to reflect the key Common Core State Standards (CCSS) shifts?

2. How should the shifts influence the changing emphasis in CTE teaching and learning?

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Text Complexity: Background


Publishers’ Criteria

• Take five minutes to individually read the Introduction and Text Selection (section I). Think about…– What does the Publishers’ Criteria say about

complexity, range, and quality of texts in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects?

• Discuss the question with a partner.• Be prepared to share you thoughts with the whole group.

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Packet 3: CCSS Resources, pink, pages 14-16


Key Requirement for Reading

All students must be able to independently read and comprehend texts of steadily increasing complexity as they progress through school.

Packet 3: CCSS Resources, blue, page 2


Student Reading Across The Grades*

Grade Literary Informational**

4 50% 50%

8 45% 55%

12 30% 70%

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*The percentages on the table reflect the sum of student reading across the school day (Page 5 of CCSS Introduction).

**Informational texts in ELA include literary non-fiction.

Packet 3: CCSS Resources, goldenrod, page 5


Why Text Complexity Matters

• Reading demands in college, workforce, and life have increased while complexity of K-12 texts have declined.

• Clearest differentiator on ACT was students’ ability to answer questions on complex texts.

• “A high school graduate who is a poor reader is a post-secondary student who must struggle mightily to succeed.”

• “The consequences of insufficiently high text demands…in K-12 school are severe for everyone.”

Packet 3: CCSS Resources, blue, pages 2-4


A Three-Part Model for Measuring Text Complexity

1. Qualitative dimensions—levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands (human reader).

2. Quantitative dimensions—readability and other scores of text complexity (computer scored).

3. Reader and task considerations—background knowledge of reader, motivation, interests, and complexity generated by tasks assigned (educators employing professional judgment).

Packet 3: CCSS Resources, blue, page 4


• Purpose• Text Structure

• Organization of Main Ideas• Text Features• Use of Graphics

• Language Features• Conventionality• Vocabulary• Sentence Structure

• Knowledge Demands• Subject Matter Knowledge• Intertextuality

Part 1: Qualitative Dimensions

Packet 1: CTE Materials, yellow, pages 41 and 42


• Word length• Word frequency• Word difficulty• Sentence length• Text length• Text cohesion

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Part 2: Quantitative Dimensions

Packet 1: CTE Materials, salmon, pages 43 and 44


Part 3: Reader and Task Considerations

• Motivation• Knowledge and

experience• Purpose for reading• Complexity of task

assigned regarding text• Complexity of

questions asked regarding text

Packet 1: CTE Materials, blue, pages 45 and 46


Setting the Context

• We are looking for a couple of texts to help students understand the use of vapor barriers in buildings. We know common misconceptions exist about the function of a vapor barrier, so the texts should help students to understand how they work and what type would you want to use in a building in a given location.

• We also want to build students’ literacy skills to meet/exceed the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects reading and writing standards.

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Packet 1: CTE Materials, pink, page 47


How to Find the Lexile® ScoreStep 1: Find a text and convert it to a Word document.

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How to Find the Lexile® ScoreStep 2: Prepare the text for measurement.

• Keep all complete sentences.• Remove all non-prose content.

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How to Find the Lexile® ScoreStep 3: Convert and save as “Plain Text” file.

18Packet 1: CTE Materials, page 49

Note: Page cannot be reproduced or distributed.


How to Find the Lexile® ScoreStep 4: Use the Lexile Analyzer to analyze your text and get results.

• Go to http://www.lexile.com.• Register and login.• Select Lexile® Tools.• Select Lexile® Analyzer.• Choose and Submit your file.• Get Your Results.

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http://www.lexile.com/




Text Complexity Analysis

Using the Text Complexity Analysis form, do the following:• Add title, author, and text description.• Add the following information to the Quantitative

Measures box:– Range: 1050-1385– Lexile: 1150

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Read and Analyze Text 1 Using the Informational Text Rubric • Take a few minutes to individually read Understanding

Vapor Barriers (Packet 2, goldenrod)• Working with a partner, use the Text Complexity:

Qualitative Measures Rubric Informational Text (Packet 1, yellow, page 41) to identify the complexity of the text.

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Packet 2: CTE Texts, goldenrod Packet 1: CTE Materials, yellow, page 41


How does your analysis compare?

Packet 1: CTE Materials, yellow, page 41


Text Complexity Analysis Revisited

• Add notes to the Qualitative Measures box.– Purpose– Text Structure– Language Features– Knowledge Demands

• Add notes to the Considerations for Reader and Task box. – Potential Challenges– Major Instructional Areas of Focus– Differentiation/Supports for Students

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The Challenge of Challenging Text


The Challenge of Challenging Text

• Please take 10 minutes to individually read the article The Challenge of Challenging Text.

• With a partner, discuss the questions within the text:– What makes text complex?– What can teachers do about text complexity?

• Be prepared to share your thinking with the whole group.

Packet 2: CTE Texts, yellow pages


Task SheetInstructional Scaffolds and Supports

Part I—Partner Work1. Review the categories on the

rubric (Packet 1, yellow, page 41) as well as the questions on the back of the rubric.

2. Discuss strategies/supports that you use (personally or with students) to help comprehend complex text. Generate a list of strategies/supports.

1. Purpose2. Organization of Main

Ideas3. Text Features4. Use of Graphics5. Conventionality6. Vocabulary7. Sentence Structure8. Subject Matter

Knowledge9. Intertextuality10. General



Task SheetInstructional Scaffolds and SupportsPart II—Categorize StrategiesTen charts are organized around the room.

• Start at one of the 10 charts, add strategies, then move.• Read, add, and move.• Rotate through all 10.

6. Vocabulary7. Sentence Structure8. Subject Matter

Knowledge9. Intertextuality10. General

1. Purpose2. Organization of Main

Ideas3. Text Features4. Use of Graphics5. Conventionality



Task SheetInstructional Scaffolds and Supports

Part III—Whole Group Questions and Clarifications Share questions and clarifications about the strategies/supports listed on the charts.

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Practice Analyzing Texts forText Complexity


Task SheetPractice Analyzing Texts for Text Complexity

Part I—Individual Work1. Add title, author, and text description for each text on a Text

Complexity Analysis form (pink, pages 55 and 57).2. Add the range (1050-1385) and Lexile score for each text to

the Quantitative Measures box.a. Side Bar: Hygrothermal Regions (Packet 2, pink) Lexile:

2470b. Selecting Vapor Barriers (Packet 2, buff) Lexile: 1030

3. Individually read each text and complete the Text Complexity: Qualitative Measures Rubric Informational Text (yellow, pages 59 and 61) and the Text Complexity Analysis form (pink, pages 55 and 57).

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Packet 2: CTE Texts, pink and buff pagesPacket 1: CTE Materials, page 53, 55, 57, 59, and 61



Part II—Comparing and Discussing Analysis1. With your partner, compare and discuss your

analysis of each text.2. As a table group, compare and discuss your

analysis of each text.



Side Bar: Hygrothermal Regions



Selecting Vapor Barriers




Part III—Selecting a Text• Which text would you use? Why?• Based on your analysis, what supports might students

need?• Which Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Literacy

reading and writing standards might this text address?

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Part IV—Whole Group Discussion1. Take a few minutes to individually reflect on the

following:a. What insights did you gain from engaging in

analyzing texts for complexity?b. What do you see as implications for teaching

and learning in CTE?2. Be prepared to engage in a whole group

discussion.


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Reflection

Take a few minutes to reflect personally and/or share with a partner what you learned from this session.

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Takeaways

An understanding that• there are three facets to assessing text complexity:

qualitative, quantitative, and reader/task (quantitative measures alone are not sufficient); and

• analyzing texts is useful in both making text selection decisions as well as determining scaffolds for students.

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Gots and Needs

• Think about the module takeaways and your current level of understanding for each takeaway.

• What messages are clear (you got it)? Use a “sticky” note to share your “Gots.” Write one “Got” per sticky note.

• What questions do you still have? Use a “sticky” note to share your “Needs.” Write one “Need” per sticky note.

• Post your “Gots” and “Needs” on the appropriate chart.



Participant Reflection Form

Take a few moments to respond to the Reflection Form on page 65.

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Packet 1: CTE Materials, yellow, page 65

module 3: text complexity

Documents

university of pittsburgh10

university of pittsburgh3norms

cte materials

text complexity byanalyzing

ccss resources

complex texts

school day page

rigorous cte teaching