Questions for teachers to use as they are planning lessons for teaching text structure.

1. Text Structure Questions
in the Content Areas
How can you help all readers to succeed?
By helping students to understand content
area text, you can give them the tools they
need to learn new concepts today, next year,
and into the future.
Content area text is often difficult for
students. One reason is that this kind of text
is written using various expository text
structures. The text structure is the internal
organization of the text. When readers don’t
understand text structure, they often fail to
understand the concept the author is trying to
explain.
As you share various content area texts
with students, draw their attention to the text
structures that they may see. Textbook
passages often contain a variety of text
structures from paragraph to paragraph. Use
these questions to help start discussions with
students to help them understand what they
are reading.
Questions to ask of
Chronological Order text
Chronological order text is text that is written
in sequence, or time order. This kind of text
can show how to solve a math problem, the
events in the Battle of Gettysburg, or the life
cycle of a fruit fly.
 Which event is the most important?
 Which event happened before_________________?
 Which event happened after
_____________________?
 What would happen if _______________ didn’t
happen?
 What is the span of time from beginning to end?
 Why is this process or event important?
E. Kissner 2014 http://emilykissner.blogspot.com

2. Questions to ask of Cause and
Effect Text
Text that is written as cause and effect
presents a cause, and then explains one or
more effects. This text also has important
characteristics of chronological order text,
because causes come before effects! Cause and
effect text can explain scientific concepts, like
animal adaptations, or historical events, like
the effects of immigration.
 Why did ___________ cause ___________?
 Which effects were not expected?
 What might have happened if ________ were
changed?
 How did the author explain the causes and
effects?
 Is there only one effect, or are there many?
Questions to ask of
Problem/Solution Text
This kind of text is written to explain a problem
and one or more solutions. It might be
explaining how a past problem was solved, or
it might be showing how a current problem
could be solved. This kind of text can often be
found in troubleshooting guides, text about
environmental problems, and social studies
texts about historical problems.
 How is the problem solved?
 What were some causes of the problem?
 Did the solution have unintended effects?
 How does the author signal problem and solution?
 What was the problem in the text?
E. Kissner 2014 http://emilykissner.blogspot.com

3. Questions to ask of Compare and
Contrast Text
This kind of text is written to show how items
are similar and different. A text written in
compare and contrast might show how
something has changed over time, comparing
the item in the past with the item today. Or a
text might show differences between two
commonly confused items. Another purpose
for compare and contrast text is to introduce a
new and difficult concept by comparing it with
something familiar.
 What is being compared?
 Are the items more similar, or more different?
 How does the comparison help you to understand
_____?
 Which is the most important similarity? Difference?
 How does the author signal compare and contrast?
Questions to ask of Statement
and Support Text
Statement and support text is very common in
textbooks. In this kind of text, the author
makes a statement or generalization, and then
supports it with reasons or details. Statement
and support may be used to show why a
person was an important historical figure or
why a process is interesting or important.
 What is the main idea?
 How do the details support the author’s
generalizations?
 Which detail is the most important? Why?
 How does the author connect the ideas?
 Do you agree with the author’s claim? Why or why
not?
E. Kissner 2014 http://emilykissner.blogspot.com

4. Questions to ask of Text with
Multiple Structures
Some texts include multiple structures. A page
of history text, for example, might have an
overall structure of chronological order, with
some paragraphs showing a clear cause and
effect structure. In fact, most texts use a
variety of structures.
 How do the parts of this text fit together?
 How can a reader find the answer to ____?
 Which paragraph is of a different structure than
the others? Why did the author include it?
 How does _____ help you to understand the main
ideas in the text?
More for teaching text structure and
content area reading
Text Structure Powerpoint
A presentation that introduces readers to common
expository text structures.
http://www.slideshare.net/elkissn/understanding-text-
structures
Easy Text Structure Powerpoint
A presentation adapted for younger readers.
http://www.slideshare.net/elkissn/text-structure-for-young-
readers
Cause and Effect Texts
A collection of texts at various reading levels, with
before and after reading activities.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Cause
-and-Effect-Activity-and-Texts-for-Teaching-Text-
Structure-46801
E. Kissner 2014 http://emilykissner.blogspot.com