MODULE 2:CONTENT-AREA LITERACY

Adolescent Literacy – Professional DevelopmentUnit 3, Session 2

TEXT CONSIDERATIONS, PART 1

Exploring Text Structure

Essential QuestionsModule 2 Question

What role can content-area teachers play in helping adolescents acquire general and discipline-specific literacy skills?

Unit 3, Session 2 QuestionsWhat are some of the most common text structures in

expository texts?

How might explicit instruction of text structures help increase students’ understanding of content-area material?

Module 2: Unit 3, Session 2 3

Warm Up: What Should We Consider? Vocabulary Sentence Structure Length Elaboration Coherence and Unity Text Structure Familiarity of Content and Background Knowledge Required Audience Appropriateness Quality and Verve of the Writing Interestingness

Graves, M., & Graves, B. (2003). Chapter 9: Assessing text difficulty and accessibility.

These components are discussed in greater detail in other sessions

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Vocabulary Sentence Structure Length Elaboration Coherence and Unity Text Structure Familiarity of Content and Background Knowledge Required Audience Appropriateness Quality and Verve of the Writing Interestingness

Graves, M., & Graves, B. (2003). Chapter 9: Assessing text difficulty and accessibility.

In pairs, or trios, take a few min. to review what Graves & Graves had to say about these elements – be prepared to report back to the group!

Warm Up: What Should We Consider?

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Signal Words and Text Structure The following categories represent a few major text

structures (organizing principles) found in content-area texts:

DescriptionCause and EffectComparison and ContrastOrdering and SequencingProblem and Solution

What words would you expect to see in a text that might signal the presence of one or more of these structures?

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Signal Words

Words that often reveal the presence of a particular text structure

Helping students identify signal words/structures may reveal the overall purpose of the text they are reading

What words did you suggest for each category?

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Description or Concept DefinitionPosition Words• Above• Across• Behind• Below• In front of• Outside• Under

Adjectives• Acidic• Fluffy• Rough• Shiny• Spherical• Oblong• Yellow

Sensory Phrases• Appears to be• Feels like• Looks like• Sounds like• Tastes like

For additional signal words, see: http://www.somers.k12.ny.us/intranet/reading/signalwords.html

Question Words: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How?

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Cause and Effect Accordingly As a result of Because Begins with Consequently Effects of Finally First For this reason

How to How If...then In order to Is caused by Leads/led to May be due to Next So that

Steps involved Therefore Thus When...then

For additional signal words, see: http://www.somers.k12.ny.us/intranet/reading/signalwords.html

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Comparison and Contrast Although As well as As opposed to Both But Compared with Different from Either...or Even though

However Instead of In common On the other hand Otherwise Similar to Similarly Still Yet

For additional signal words, see: http://www.somers.k12.ny.us/intranet/reading/signalwords.html

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Ordering/Sequencing After Afterward As soon as Before During Finally First Following Immediately

Initially Later Meanwhile Next Not long after Now On (date) Preceding Second

Soon Then Third Today Until When

For additional signal words, see: http://www.somers.k12.ny.us/intranet/reading/signalwords.html

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Problem/Solution or Process/Cause Accordingly As a result of Because Begins with By…(action) Concerned Consequently Cost Could be Despite Effects of

Fault Finally First For this reason How to How If...then In fact In order to Is caused by Leads/led to

May be due to Next Prior Problem So that Steps involved Therefore Thus When...then

For additional signal words, see: http://www.somers.k12.ny.us/intranet/reading/signalwords.html12Module 2: Unit 3, Session 2

Understanding Text StructuresA slideshow of sample paragraphs,

structures, and signal wordsBy Emily Kissner

http://www.slideshare.net/elkissn/understanding-text-structures

A Few Examples

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Are These the Only Text Structures?

Certainly not … In fact, more complex texts, within discipline-specific purposes, may have more complicated structures.

Advanced Structure: Propositions/SupportsSignal words such as: opinion, belief, idea,

hypothesis, theory, proof, evidenceHow might this structure operate in advanced

Math, Science, and History texts?14Module 2: Unit 3, Session 2

So, Why Does this Matter?

Researchers have found:“Text structure and student awareness of text

structure are highly related to reading comprehension”.

“Explicit instruction in the physical presentation of text and/or text structure facilitates reading comprehension”.

Dickson, Simmons, & Kame’enui (1995). Text organization and its relation to reading comprehension: A synthesis of research.

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So, How Do We Teach Structure?Provide Explicit Instruction

Introduce categories of text structuresProvide model paragraphsAsk students to write model paragraphsAsk students to find “signal words”Ask students to determine the major purpose of

textProvide graphic organizers related to structure

For more ideas, see: http://www.adlit.org/strategies/23336

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So, How Do We Teach Structure?

Model Different Text Structures Overheads/PPT/smart board/handoutsRead-alouds of sample paragraphs“Think Aloud” about signal words“Think Aloud” about particular purposesModel highlighting of words/note-takingModel the use of graphic organizers

For more ideas, see: http://www.adlit.org/strategies/23336

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So, How Do We Teach Structure?Examining Samples and Creating Our Own

Presenting students with sample paragraphs for each structure you teach (to be put in a folder)

Examining topic sentences for clues to structureModeling the writing of particular structures, including

key signal wordsAsking students to write their own sample paragraphs

(different structures) for the same content-area material

From the National Education Association: http://www.nea.org/tools/18412.htm

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So, How Do We Teach Structure?

Create and Use Graphic OrganizersWhich organizers might best suit particular

readings, purposes, text-structures?

Web: Description/Concept-definitionFlowchart: Ordering/SequencingVenn Diagram: Comparison/Contrast

For sample structures/graphic organizers, see: http://www.adlit.org/strategies/2333619Module 2: Unit 3, Session 2

Examples of Graphic Organizers

Problem-Solution

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Examples of Graphic Organizers

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Examples of Graphic OrganizersComparison / Contrast

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Text Analysis

Consider the Texts You Brought to this SessionWhat major text structures do you notice?

What signal words would you want to highlight?

Which graphic organizer might help students?

Using a content-area text brought to the session, how might you highlight the structure of the text to help students better understand the concepts/content?

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Wrap-Up

Things to Remember:Explicitly highlighting/teaching text structure

in content-area classes may improve students’ understanding of discipline-specific texts.

Teaching text structure is just one of many strategies for helping students understand content-area materials

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Further Study

Try introducing text structure/signal words/ structure-oriented graphic organizers in your classes. Then note the following:What happened? What worked well? What

challenges did you encounter?Which text structures are most common in your

discipline?What discipline-specific structures might you

identify and teach?25Module 2: Unit 3, Session 2

ReferencesDickson, S. V., Simmons, D. C., & Kameenui, E. J. (1995).

Text organization and its relation to reading comprehension: A synthesis of research. Eugene, OR: National Center to Improve the Tools of Educators.

Piccolo, J.A. (1987). Expository text structure: Teaching and learning strategies. The Reading Teacher, 40, 838–847.

Adlit.org — Text Structure

National Education Association – Text Structure

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