WHY ARE EXPOSITORY TEXTS DIFFICULT? Janice F. Almasi, Ph.D. University of Kentucky © 2011.

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WHY ARE EXPOSITORY TEXTS DIFFICULT?Janice F. Almasi, Ph.D.University of Kentucky © 2011

For Further InformationContact:

The information contained within the following presentation was developed by:

Janice F. Almasi, Ph.D.

University of KentuckyJanice.almasi@uky.edu

Why Is Expository Text Structure Difficult?

© 2011Janice F. Almasi, University of Kentucky

We don’t have a lot of informational texts in our classrooms

We don’t provide explicit instruction to teach children how to read these structures

Authors’ signal text structure in varied ways: Introductory paragraphs, sentences, or

headings to signal structure Explicit connectives (cue words) to create

“reader friendly” texts Implicit connectives create “unfriendly” texts

04/10/23Janice F. Almasi, University of Kentucky

Why are Expository Texts Hard?

Publishing companies rely on readability formulas to determine the difficulty of their texts

Readability of expository texts is generally very high

Informational texts have many polysyllabic content words e.g.,

photosynthesisFry, E. (2002). Readability versus leveling. The Reading Teacher 56(3) 286-291

Why are Expository Texts Hard?

© 2011Janice F. Almasi, University of Kentucky

Spiders are not insects. They belong to a group of animals called arachnids. Arachnids have eight legs. Insects have only six. Arachnids do not have wings. Insects do. Spiders use hairs on their bodies to sense the world around them. Insects sense things with feelers, called antennae, that grow on their heads (pp. 6-10).

Comparison structure implied

Why are Expository Texts Hard?(Revised Version of Spiders are not Insects)

Many people think spiders are insects. However, they are not. They belong to a group of animals called arachnids. Spiders differ from insects in many ways. Spiders have eight legs, whereas insects have only six. Spiders do not have wings. However, insects do. Spiders use hairs on their bodies to sense the world around them. In contrast, insects sense things with feelers, called antennae, that grow on their heads.

Janice F. Almasi, University of Kentucky © 2011

Average Number of Syllables per 100 Words 145145140

140

1818

1313

= original text = revised text (52 words) (69 words)

Janice F. Almasi, University of Kentucky © 2011

http://www.readabilityformulas.com/fry-graph-readability-formula.php

A Sample Lesson

Preparing Students to Read Expository Text

Sample Lesson:Problem/Solution

© 2011Janice F. Almasi, University of Kentucky

Examine photographs Describe what you

notice about each photograph

Think about what problems might exist

Think about possible solutions

Freedman, R. (1983). Children of the wild west. New York, NY: Clarion Books

Children of the Wild WestFreedman, R. (1983). Children of the wild west. New York, NY: Clarion Books

04/10/23Janice F. Almasi, University of KentuckyThree girls on their arrival at an Indian boarding school in 1878

(Freedman, 1983, p. 54)

Children of the Wild WestFreedman, R. (1983). Children of the wild west. New York, NY: Clarion Books

04/10/23Janice F. Almasi, University of KentuckyThe same girls fourteen months later (Freedman, 1983, p. 55)

Sample Lesson: Problem/Solution

© 2011Janice F. Almasi, University of Kentucky

Indian

exiled

territory

poverty

treaties

traditional ways

ignored

U.S. Government

settle downProblem Solution

Problem Solution

Problem Solution

Sample Lesson:Problem/Solution

2011Janice F. Almasi, University of Kentucky

Rearrange word cards on your organizer as you read to see how well your predictions matched the author’s ideas

Sample Lesson:Problem/Solution

2011Janice F. Almasi, University of Kentucky

During the 1850s, Indian tribes were persuaded or forced to give up more and more of their territory. In return, the United States government signed hundreds of treaties setting aside reservations for the exclusive use of the tribes. The government also promised to pay the Indians for the loss of their lands. But often the treaties were ignored and the promises forgotten. Many Indians found themselves exiled to isolated reservations where they could no longer hunt and live freely as they had in the past. For them, life on the reservation meant poverty and despair.

Sample Lesson: Problem/Solution

© 2011Janice F. Almasi, University of Kentucky

All along, the Indians were being urged to give up their traditional ways, to exchange their bows and arrows for the white man’s plow. On some reservations, the United States government offered to build brick houses if the Indians would agree to settle down and live as the white man said they should. Many Indians used the brick houses for storage and continued to live in their familiar tipis. Some began to wear the clothing of the white man. Others clung to their traditional Indian robes.

from Freedman, R. (1983). Children of the Wild West (p. 49).New York: Clarion Books.

Adolescent Literacy

Janice F. Almasi, Ph.D.

Carol Lee Robertson Endowed Professor of Literacy

University of Kentucky

janice.almasi@uky.edu

Percent of Arkansas’ 12th Graders Meeting College Readiness Benchmarks in Reading 2011

Source: ACT 2011 Profile Report: Arkansas. http://www.act.org/newsroom/data/2011/pdf/profile/Arkansas.pdf

n = 27,020

Percentage of Arkansas’ 12th Graders Meeting College Readiness Standards in Reading by Ethnicity in 2011

Source: ACT 2011 Profile Report: Arkansas. http://www.act.org/newsroom/data/2011/pdf/profile/Arkansas.pdf

Recommendations 1

1.Provide Explicit Vocabulary Instruction

2.Provide Explicit Comprehension Strategy Instruction*

3.Provide Opportunities for Extended Discussion of Text, Meaning and Interpretation*

4.Increase Student Motivation and Engagement in Literacy Learning*

5.Provide Individualized Interventions for Struggling Readers that can be Provided by Trained Specialists

Source: Kamil, M. L., Borman, G. G., Dole, J., Kral, C. C., Salinger, T., & Torgesen, J. (2008). Improving adolescent literacy: Effective classroom and intervention practices: A Practice Guide (NCEE #2008-4027). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc

Recommendations 2

1.Provide Explicit Instruction in Using Effective Comprehension Strategies*

2.Increase the Amount and Quality of Open, Sustained Discussion of Reading Content*

3.Set and Maintain High Standards for Text, Conversation, Questions, and Vocabulary

4.Increase Students’ Motivation and Engagement with Reading*

5.Teach Essential Content Knowledge

Source: Torgesen, J. K., Houston, D. D., Rissman, L. M., Decker, S. M., Roberts, G., Vaughn, S., Wexler, J., Francis, D. J., Rivera, M. O., & Lesaux, N. (2007). Academic literacy instruction for adolescents: A guidance document from the Center on Instruction. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction.

Common Recommendations

1. Provide Explicit Instruction in Comprehension Strategies Instruction

2. Provide Opportunities for Extended Discussion of Texts

3. Increase Students’ Motivation and Engagement for Literacy

4. Set and Maintain High Standards for Text, Conversation, Questions,and Vocabulary

5. Teach Essential Content Knowledge

4. Provide Explicit Vocabulary Instruction

5. Provide Interventions for Struggling Readers Given by Trained Specialists

IES Practice Guide(Kamil et al., 2008)

COI(Torgesen et al., 2007)

Janice F. Almasi, University of Kentucky © 2011

What Distinguishes Students Who are College Ready in Reading from those Who

Are Not?

Source: ACT, Inc. (2006). Reading between the lines: What the ACT reveals about college readiness in reading.

Iowa City, IA: Author

A challenging core curriculum?NO

Source: ACT, Inc. (2006). Reading between the lines: What the ACT reveals about college readiness in

reading. Iowa City, IA: Author

Ability to Answer Literal Questions??NO

Source: ACT, Inc. (2006). Reading between the lines: What the ACT reveals about college readiness in reading.

Iowa City, IA: Author

Ability to Answer Inferential Questions?NO

Source: ACT, Inc. (2006). Reading between the lines: What the ACT

reveals about college readiness in reading. Iowa City, IA: Author

Ability to Identify Main Idea ?NO

Source: ACT, Inc. (2006). Reading between the lines: What the ACT reveals about college

readiness in reading. Iowa City, IA: Author

Ability to Identify Supporting Details?NO

Source: ACT, Inc. (2006). Reading between the lines: What the ACT reveals about college readiness in reading. Iowa City, IA: Author

Ability to Identify Relationships in Text?NO

Source: ACT, Inc. (2006). Reading between the lines: What the ACT reveals about college readiness in

reading. Iowa City, IA: Author

Ability to Identify Meanings of Words?NO

Source: ACT, Inc. (2006). Reading between the lines: What the ACT reveals about college readiness in reading. Iowa

City, IA: Author

Ability to Draw Conclusions?NO

Source: ACT, Inc. (2006). Reading between the lines: What the ACT reveals about college readiness in reading. Iowa

City, IA: Author

So What does Distinguish Students Who are College Ready in Reading from

those Who Are Not?

Source: ACT, Inc. (2006). Reading between the lines: What the ACT reveals about college readiness in reading. Iowa City, IA: Author

Source: ACT, Inc. (2006). Reading between the lines: What the ACT reveals about college readiness in reading. Iowa City, IA: Author.

Text Complexity!Text Complexity!

What is Text Complexity?

• Relationships: Interactions among ideas or characters in the text are subtle, involved or deeply embedded

• Richness: The text possesses a sizable amount of highly sophisticated information conveyed through data or literary devices

• Structure: The text is organized in ways that are elaborate and sometimes unconventional

• Style: The author’s tone and use of language are often intricate

• Vocabulary: The author’s choice of words is demanding and highly context dependent

• Purpose: The author’s intent in writing the text is implicit and sometimes ambiguous Source: ACT, Inc. (2006). Reading between the lines: What

the ACT reveals about college readiness in reading. Iowa City, IA: Author.

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