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Planning Complex Text Instruction. Timothy Shanahan University of Illinois at Chicago www.shanahanonliteracy.com. Common Core Requires Complex Text. Students are leaving high school without the skills required to read texts that they need to able to read in college, workplace, and military
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Planning Complex Text Instruction Timothy Shanahan University of Illinois at Chicago www.shanahanonliteracy.com
Common Core Requires Complex Text • Students are leaving high school without the skills required to read texts that they need to able to read in college, workplace, and military • The reading demands of post-high school texts tend to be much higher than of high school texts • CCSS wrote standards that for the first time required that students at particular grade levels be able to read texts of particular levels of difficulty • The text readability standards that they set for each grade level are somewhat higher than the text levels that have been characteristic of grade level textbooks • Other states have followed
How schools have responded • Purchased new textbooks that are written at higher levels • But haven’t adjusted instruction • Many teachers continue to teach students at their “instructional levels” • The instructional level has been an idea in reading education since the 1940s • The basic idea is that students learn more when they are matched to texts in particular ways (95% accuracy and 75% comprehension) • If texts are easier or harder than that—then it is assumed that the students won’t learn to read very well
Matching texts to student levels doesn’t improve achievement • Powell (1968): same methodology as Killgallon, but more grade levels and different results • Dunkeld (1970) 2nd: 85.5-95%; 3rd: 89-97%; 4-6th: 91.5-96.8% and comprehension 60-90% • Jorgensen, et al. (1977): no relation between placement and achievement gains • Morgan, et al. (2000): frustration level placements led to greater learning gains • O’Connor et al (2002, 2010): only benefit was for students reading at grade 1 level, but this benefit went away if scaffolding was equated • Kuhn et al (2006): frustration level placement led to greater learning gains
Reconceptualize Reading • Texts are an attempt to communicate meaning • Reading is not the ability to answer particular kinds of questions • Authors structure their meanings through written language • Every feature that may facilitate the grasp of meaning for some readers will serve as a barrier for other readers • Reading is the ability to negotiate these barriers to meaning that are embedded in text to gain the author’s meaning
Scaffolding an Instructional Level Bonfiglio, Daly, Persampieri, & Andersen, 2006 Burns, 2007 Burns, Dean, & Foley, 2004 Carney, Anderson, Blackburn, & Blessings, 1984 Daly & Martens, 1994 Eckert, Ardoin, Daisey, & Scarola, 2000 Faulkner & Levy, 1999 Gickling & Armstrong, 1978 Hall, Sabey, & McClellan, 2005 Levy, Nicholls, & Kohen, 1993 McComas, Wacker, & Cooper, 1996 Neill, 1979
Scaffolding an Instructional Level O’Shea, Sindelar, & O’Shea, 1985 Pany & McCoy, 1988 Rasinski, 1990 Reitsma, 1988 Rose & Beattie, 1986 Sanford & Horner, 2013 Sindelar, Monda, & O’Shea, 1990 Smith, 1979 Stoddard, Valcante, Sindelar, O’Shea, et al., 1993 Taylor, Wade, & Yekovich, 1985 Turpie & Paratore, 1995 VanWagenen, Williams, & McLaughlin, 1994 Weinstein & Cooke, 1992 Wixson, 1986
Scaffolding Challenging Text Scaffolding Text Features • Complexity of ideas/content • Match of text and reader prior knowledge • Complexity of vocabulary • Complexity of syntax • Complexity of coherence • Familiarity of genre demands • Complexity of text organization • Subtlety of author’s tone • Sophistication of literary devices or data-presentation devices Other Approaches • Provide sufficient fluency • Use stair-steps or apprentice texts • Teach comprehension strategies • Motivation
The Princess and the Pizza by Mary Jane and Herm Auch • Fact or fiction? • Narrative or expository? • Literary or informational? • Tone? • Literary devices?
The Princess and the Pizza • Paulina needed a job. Her father had given up his throne to become a wood-carver and moved them to a humble shack in a neighboring kingdom. Since the king was still learning, his carvings didn’t sell, and Paulina’s garden barely kept enough on the table. • Paulina missed princessing. She missed walking the peacock in the royal garden, surveying the kingdom from the castle tower, and doing the princess wave in royal processions. • Paulina tried walking a stray chicken around her shack, but it only pecked at her bare toes. Surveying the kingdom from the shack’s leaky roof made even more holes. She tried princess-waving to the townspeople from her father’s cart, but nobody bothered to wave back. They just thought she was swatting at flies.
Background information Is the author presuming particular knowledge on the readers’ part? Is the reader likely to be able to bridge the gap? Difference between comprehension and full appreciation
The Princess and the Pizza by Mary Jane and Herm Auch • Text structure (organization) • Story map? • Setting • Main character • Problem • Attempt • Outcome • Fairy tale structure? • Challenge posed: You can marry prince(ss) if you… • Three problems… beheading if not accomplished… • All fail but the hero…
Syntax 1 • Since the king was still learning, his carvings didn’t sell, and Paulina’s garden barely kept enough on the table.
Syntax 1 • Since the king was still learning, his carvings didn’t sell, and Paulina’s garden barely kept enough on the table. • Why were they so poor?
Syntax 1 • Since the king was still learning, • his carvings didn’t sell, • and • Paulina’s garden • barely kept enough on the table.
Syntax 2 • As Paulina started for the table, the long-haired princess tripped her, then loaded up with food.
Syntax 2 • As Paulina started for the table, the long-haired princess tripped her, then loaded up with food. How did the long-haired princess trick Paulina?
Syntax 2 • As Paulina started for the table, • the long-haired princess tripped her, • then loaded up with food.
Cohesion Paulina needed a job. Her father had given up his throne to become a wood-carver and moved them to a humble shack in a neighboring kingdom. Since the king was still learning, his carvings didn’t sell, and Paulina’s garden barely kept enough on the table. Paulina missed princessing. She missed walking the peacock in the royal garden, surveying the kingdom from the castle tower, and doing the princess wave in royal processions. Paulina tried walking a stray chicken around her shack, but it only pecked at her bare toes. Surveying the kingdom from the shack’s leaky roof made even more holes. She tried princess-waving to the townspeople from her father’s cart, but nobody bothered to wave back. They just thought she was swatting at flies.
Cohesion Paulina needed a job. Her father had given up his throne to become a wood-carver and moved them to a humble shack in a neighboring kingdom. Since the king was still learning, his carvings didn’t sell, and Paulina’s garden barely kept enough on the table. Paulina missed princessing. She missed walking the peacock in the royal garden, surveying the kingdom from the castle tower, and doing the princess wave in royal processions. Paulina tried walking a stray chicken around her shack, but it only pecked at her bare toes. Surveying the kingdom from the shack’s leaky roof made even more holes. She tried princess-waving to the townspeople from her father’s cart, but nobody bothered to wave back. They just thought she was swatting at flies.
Cohesion Paulina needed a job. Her father had given up his throne to become a wood-carver and moved them to a humble shack in a neighboring kingdom. Since the king was still learning, his carvings didn’t sell, and Paulina’s garden barely kept enough on the table. Paulina missed princessing. She missed walking the peacock in the royal garden, surveying the kingdom from the castle tower, and doing the princess wave in royal processions. Paulina tried walking a stray chicken around her shack, but it only pecked at her bare toes. Surveying the kingdom from the shack’s leaky roof made even more holes. She tried princess-waving to the townspeople from her father’s cart, but nobody bothered to wave back. They just thought she was swatting at flies.
Cohesion Paulina needed a job. Her father had given up his throne to become a wood-carver and moved them to a humble shack in a neighboring kingdom. Since the king was still learning, his carvings didn’t sell, and Paulina’s garden barely kept enough on the table. Paulina missed princessing. She missed walking the peacock in the royal garden, surveying the kingdom from the castle tower, and doing the princess wave in royal processions. Paulina tried walking a stray chicken around her shack, but it only pecked at her bare toes. Surveying the kingdom from the shack’s leaky roof made even more holes. She tried princess-waving to the townspeople from her father’s cart, but nobody bothered to wave back. They just thought she was swatting at flies.
Cohesion Paulina needed a job. Her father had given up his throne to become a wood-carver and moved them to a humble shack in a neighboring kingdom. Since the king was still learning, his carvings didn’t sell, and Paulina’s garden barely kept enough on the table. Paulina missed princessing. She missed walking the peacock in the royal garden, surveying the kingdom from the castle tower, and doing the princess wave in royal processions. Paulina tried walking a stray chicken around her shack, but it only pecked at her bare toes. Surveying the kingdom from the shack’s leaky roof made even more holes. She tried princess-waving to the townspeople from her father’s cart, but nobody bothered to wave back. They just thought she was swatting at flies.
Cohesion Paulina needed a job. Her father had given up his throne to become a wood-carver and moved them to a humble shack in a neighboring kingdom. Since the king was still learning, his carvings didn’t sell, and Paulina’s garden barely kept enough on the table. Paulina missed princessing. She missed walking the peacock in the royal garden, surveying the kingdom from the castle tower, and doing the princess wave in royal processions. Paulina tried walking a stray chicken around her shack, but it only pecked at her bare toes. Surveying the kingdom from the shack’s leaky roof made even more holes. She tried princess-waving to the townspeople from her father’s cart, but nobody bothered to wave back. They just thought she was swatting at flies.
Cohesion Paulina needed a job. Her father had given up his throne to become a wood-carver and moved them to a humble shack in a neighboring kingdom. Since the king was still learning, his carvings didn’t sell, and Paulina’s garden barely kept enough on the table. Paulina missed princessing. She missed walking the peacock in the royal garden, surveying the kingdom from the castle tower, and doing the princess wave in royal processions. Paulina tried walking a stray chicken around her shack, but it only pecked at her bare toes. Surveying the kingdom from the shack’s leaky roof made even more holes. She tried princess-waving to the townspeople from her father’s cart, but nobody bothered to wave back. They just thought she was swatting at flies.
Cohesion: Synonyms • Paulina = her = princess = she • Father = his = wood-carver • Paulina and father = them • Chicken = it • Princessing = walking the peacock in the royal garden = surveying the kingdom from the castle tower = doing the princess wave in royal processions • Townspeople = they
Cohesion: Comparisons .walking the peacock in the royal garden = walking a stray chicken around her shack surveying the kingdom from the castle tower = surveying the kingdom from the shack’s leaky roof doing the princess wave in royal processions = tried princess-waving to the townspeople from her father’s cart, but nobody bothered to wave back.
What if I decided some students would have decoding problems with this text? • Most 4th graders would be likely to be able to “read” this text, though possibly with poor comprehension • However, if some of my students were likely to struggle to read the words to such an extent that it would undermine comprehension (or participation)… then I would have some pre-comprehension fluency work…
Resources Shanahan, T., Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2012), March. The challenge of challenging text. Educational Leadership. Shanahan, T. (2013). Letting the text take center stage. American Educator, 4-11, 43.
