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Unpacking Text Complexity Grades 4-5. Peg Isakson Legacy of Reading, LLC February, 2013. Common Core State Standards (CCSS). A thread of communication exists, with interpretations along the way:
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Unpacking Text ComplexityGrades 4-5 Peg Isakson Legacy of Reading, LLC February, 2013
Common Core State Standards(CCSS) • A thread of communication exists, with interpretations along the way: • Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)- University Professors – Publishers - Consultants – Curriculum Support – Teachers – Students – Community • So many documents, powerpoints, “pdbytes”, webinars, etc. online!!
The focus for us today:How do I “unpack” CCSS, Colorado Academic Standards, and text complexity in my classroom?
Begin by acknowledging all the good info you’ve learned about phonetic structure, morphology, semantics, syntax,and the creation of meaning while reading.
Compare two readings about “Life in the Desert” • Do you sense the different in levels right away? • What were your clues? • Which reading would have the higher Lexile score? • What do you think that?
“Life in the Desert” comparison • Reading (A) has a lexile of 870. • The mean sentence length is 14.09. • Reading (B) has a lexile of 550. • The mean sentence length if 9.73.
New “stretch” lexile bands • According to Metametrics, Inc, the founder and researcher of the Lexile Framework: • A Lexile of 870 currently would fall within band for grades 6 – 8. • With the new “stretch” bands, a lexile of 870 would fall within the band for grades 4-5.
“Life in the Desert” complexity? • Quantitative – Readability level. Reading A (550L) is in the 2nd-3rd grade range. Reading B (870L) is in the new “stretch” band for 4th-5th grade. • Qualitative – Level of meaning, structure, language conventions, clarity, knowledge demands. • Reader and Task – Reader variables are motivation, experiences, knowledge background. Task variables refer to interactions with content and assigned expectations.
Metametrics, Inc. Text Complexity Lexile bands • Caution: Metametrics uses the phrase “Text Complexity Grade Bands.” This is NOT about a student assessment NOR a cut score for student placement. • This IS about the level of text that might be used in a classroom and how a teacher would use the lexile of a text to determine the choice of instructional strategy and/or scaffolding.
Colorado Academic Standard: Reading for All Purposes • Use Range of Reading and Complexity of Text to: • Grade Four: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. • Grade Five: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas and poetry, at the high end of the grades 4-5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Colorado Academic StandardsReading for All Purposes • Use Range of Reading and Complexity of Text to: • Grade four: By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies/ science, and technical texts, in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. • Grade five: …………………., at the high end of the grades 4-5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Questions for another day: • What does “high end of the range” or “high end of the text complexity band truly mean? Metametrics did not mean the band or range to be a cut score. • Current Lexile BandCCSS “Stretch” Band cde.org 2-3 450L-725L 420L- 820L (450-790) 4-5 645L–845L 740L –1010L (770-980)
Before we finish “unpacking,” let’s discuss how teachers “change up” or differentiate in a classroom - based upon the text complexity. • How do you “change up” or differentiate the levels of reading for your students? • How do you “change up” the tasks you ask your students to do? • How do you “change up” the way you, the teacher, support and teach (scaffold) your students?
Name the variety of strategies we use to “change up” how we teach reading: • Read-aloud • Modeled reading • Shared reading • Guided reading • Interactive reading • Paired reading • Independent reading • Scaffolded - wait!! What does that mean?
So, what does “scaffolding” look and sound like? • Four examples today: • Vocabulary routine to introduce new vocabulary • Cloze activity for brainstorming vocabulary possibilities • Graphic Organizer for vocabulary connections • Vocabulary Stretch with students to use Tiered Vocabulary – show tiers in word walls?
“Three Tier Vocabulary” Tier One Words: Basic words commonly used and heard in daily language. • Tier Two Words: More descriptive or informative words used by more effective language users and can be used across content areas. Teacher direct instruction often needed. • Tier Three Words: Words that are specific to a particular topic, subject or domain. They have low frequency use and may be called “academic vocabulary.” Most often will require direct instruction. • Beck, Isabel, Bringing Words to Life, The Guilford Press
Wrap-Up • How will you share this info at your school? • How will this information on text complexity impact your second and third grade teachers? • How will this information influence the 6th and 7th grade teachers? • Brainstorm the vocabulary activities you currently use – share thoughts on how to incorporate the “Three Tier” approach to these activities.