This presentation explains the what, why and how of text complexity. The presentation was given at the Ca Reading Association Fall Conference Nov 2013.

1. Text Complexity
The What, the Why, and the How
California Reading
Association
November 2, 2013
This presentation can be found on
SlideShare at

2. Approaches to Reading Instruction:
A quick history lesson
1500’s
1800’s
McGuffey Third Reader, Junior High Level
A leveled reader

3. Text Complexity- A quick history
lesson
1930’s Dick and Jane
A basal reader- whole word
reading approach
Basal Readers 1960’s-70’s
Adapted text
1980’s-90’s Whole Language
Child derives the text

4. Text Complexity- A quick history
lesson
1990’s-2000’s Guided
Reading
2000’s-2013
Anthology’s and
Scripted Instruction
2014 Common Core
Implementation
Exemplar Texts
Type of instruction?

5. Why is Text Complexity
Important?

6. Common Core and
Fundamental Shifts
Write from
Sources
Build
Knowledge in
the Disciplines
The Common Core brings a renewed
focus on Text-Complexity

7. CCSS Standard 10-Text Complexity

8. What makes this difficult?
Or is it?

9. Text Complexity
WHAT IS IT?

10. Elements of Text Complexity

11. Quantitative Elements of Text
The quantitative element of text complexity refers to
factors of text that are easier for a computer to assess;
• word length or frequency,
• sentence length,
• and text cohesion.

12. Quantitative Elements of Text
How do most readability formulas determine the
quantitative aspect of text?
– Number of syllables in words
– Number of words in sentences
The dog ran home.
The frisky puppy scampered toward the moss covered
colonial mansion.

13. How to Check Readability in Word
• What would you predict
is the readability (FleschKincaid) level of this
passage?
– 14.2

14. What is the Readability Level of
this Passage?

15. Ways to calculate the Quantitative
element
Flesch-Kincaid:
• In Word 2010, click on File
• Click on Options
• Click on Proofing
• Select, “show readability statistics”
Other Methods:
• Scholastic- you can use book wizard
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/
• Lexile- you can use the lexile analyzer
http://www.lexile.com/analyzer/

16. Common Core Lexile Levels

17. Qualitative Elements of Text
• What are other
reasons this text
might be considered
difficult?

18. Qualitative Elements of Text
The qualitative element of text refers to factors best
assessed by a human;
• Levels of meaning (literary) or purpose
(informational)- surface or deeper levels
• Structure- simple vs complex; i.e., sequential
order vs flashbacks; simple graphics vs complex
• Language conventionality and clarity- simple vs
complex; conversational language vs figurative

19. Qualitative Elements continued
• Visual device demands- types of graphics used
• And knowledge demands- does the reader have
the background experiences to relate to the text?

20. Qualitative Elements of Text
This is a Grade 9-10 exemplar
from the CCSS.
How would you assess it
qualitatively?
• Levels of meaning or
purpose,
• Structure,
• Language conventionality
and clarity,
• Visual device demands,
• And knowledge demands

21. Reader/Task Considerations
Reader considerations:
• Cognitive capabilities- analytical ability,
inferencing, visualization
• Motivation- purpose, interest, self-efficacy
• Knowledge- vocabulary and topic,
comprehension strategies
• Experiences

22. Reader/Task Considerations
continued
Task considerations:
• The reader’s purpose
– Skimming
– Studying
• The intended outcome
– Increase in knowledge
– A solution to some real-world problem (driver’s test)
– Engagement with the text (reading for pleasure)

23. Things to Consider…
Heibert, E. (2013). Supporting students’ movement up the staircase of
text complexity. The Reading Teacher, 66(6).

24. Types of Texts? Genres?
Appendix A & B of the CCSS
• http://www.corestandards.org/ELALiteracy/introduction/how-to-read-the-standards
Media Text:
• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/relativit
y-and-the-cosmos.html

25. English Language Arts Standards »
Standard 10: Range, Quality, & Complexity » Range of Text Types for K-5
Students in K–5 apply the Reading standards to the following range of text types, with texts selected from a broad range of cultures and periods.
Literature
Informational Text
Stories
Dramas
Poetry
Literary Nonfiction and Historical,
Scientific, and Technical Texts
Includes
children’s
adventure
stories,
folktales,
legends,
fables, fantasy,
realistic fiction,
and myth
Includes
staged
dialogue and
brief familiar
scenes
Includes
nursery
rhymes and
the subgenres
of the
narrative
poem,
limerick, and
free verse
poem
Includes biographies and
autobiographies; books about history,
social studies, science, and the arts;
technical texts, including directions,
forms, and information displayed in
graphs, charts, or maps; and digital
sources on a range of topics

26. Grades 6-12

27. Let’s Try it!
We’ll use the 3 elements
Volcano!
Ben Franklin

28. Let’s Try it!
We’ll use the 3 elements
Quantitative Elements first:
• word length or frequency,
• sentence length,
• and text cohesion.
Volcano!
• Quantitative: Lexile level 750L
(450-790 is Grade 2-3)
Ben Franklin: His Wit and
Wisdom from A-Z
• Quantitative: Lexile level 820L
(770-980 is Grade 4-5)

29. Evaluating text using the three
elements of text complexity
Qualitative Elements second:
• Levels of meaning or purpose,
• Structure,
• Language conventionality and clarity,
• Visual device demands,
• And knowledge demands
Volcano!
•
•
•
•
•
Purpose- informational- straight
forward message
Structure- common informational text
structure; easy to read graphic,
supplemental to understanding
Language- moderate with regard to
vocab; clear
Visual device- maps (depends on
student and grade)
Knowledge demands- moderate
Ben Franklin
•
•
•
•
•
Purpose- informational- explicit
purpose
Structure- not a common format,
pictures aid in understanding
Language- difficult with regard to vocab.
Format is also unconventional.
Visual device- no graphs or charts
Knowledge demands- moderate

30. Evaluating text using the three
elements of text complexity
You Teach:
• Third Graders
• Some are below grade level
• Some are on grade level
• Some are language learners
• Some are English Only
• A few have been assessed as
gifted
Reader Elements third:
• Cognitive capabilities
• Motivation
• Knowledge
• Experiences
Volcano!
•
•
•
•
Appropriate for a reader who can
comprehend explicit grade 3 text.
Needs a student who is interested in
informational text, particularly science
and other peoples.
Reader needs some knowledge of maps,
the topic and comprehension strategies
(sequential order, cause and effect).
The reader would needs some background
knowledge of earthquakes, people from
other lands…
Ben Franklin
•
•
•
•
Appropriate for a reader who can
comprehend grade 4-5 text.
Needs a student who is interested in history
and new word meanings and where words
and sayings derive from.
Reader needs some knowledge of how to
follow unfamiliar text structure and
comprehension strategies (using context).
The reader would need some background
knowledge of US Presidents, the
Revolutionary War, and colonial times.

31. Evaluating text using the three
elements of text complexity
Task Elements third:
• The reader’s purpose
• The intended outcome
For both books:
• You would like to use for guided reading
• You want to focus on comprehension of informational
text, sequencing in particular.

32. So, which book do you choose?
• Would you only select one?
OR
• Could you choose both, but use them for
different purposes?

33. Resources for Text Complexity
and the CCSS
 Can be found in iTunes- Common Core State Standards app
 On the Ca Dept of Ed website:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc/
The Common Core State Standards website:
http://www.corestandards.org/resources