Increasing Rigor Using Complex Text

Jamie Burney and Heather Cameron, Fairmont Middle School

[email protected] Taught 6th and 7th grade ELA and Social

Studies Currently teaching 6th grade ELA PSRC Teacher of the Year

[email protected] 11 years in ELA Curriculum Specialist

NOT just ELA teachers ALL subjects should use complex text,

reading, and writing in their content areas. ELA should NOT be the dumping ground for

all things reading and writing.

Improve text analysis skills. Make students better in all content areas. Demonstrate mastery. Students who master a rigorous curriculum

are more prepared for post-secondary instruction.

Qualitative Complexity Quantitative Complexity Reader/Task Complexity

Quantitative complexity Some selections from a text may be more

complex than others. Is it above the students lexile?

Qualitative complexity: ▪ The levels of meaning/purpose and the ease with which they

are identified

▪ The amount of figurative language used in the text

▪ The conformity of the text to genre expectations

▪ The organization of the text and amount of supportive text features

▪ The match between language used by the text (including vocabulary and word choice) and language used by the students

▪ The register (formal to informal) used in the text

▪ The demands the text places on the reader's knowledge

Reader characteristics/task considerations:

Based on the reader's capabilities, a text can be complex regardless of its quantitative or qualitative characteristics.

Student motivation affects complexity.

How students are asked to respond to a text influences complexity. Teacher support allows access to a text too complex for students independently.

When reading to or with students ALWAYS select text that has a higher lexile.

Independent reading should be at their level (not necessarily at their grade level)

The easier the text, the harder the task should be.

The harder the text, make the task less challenging.

Gradually move the text complexity up! Connections are not as important as we once

thought. Text dependency is though!

Select a text based on STANDARDS. Develop text-dependent questions and tasks

that force students to answer based on information from the text. No outside knowledge allowed.

Read, Read, Read!!! (Read the text more than once and read everyday!)

Write, Write, Write!!! Model, Model, Model!!!

Model your expectations with your students. Let them practice with you (guided

practice)—Maybe more than once depending on your class.

Independent practice. I DO, WE DO, YOU DO! Don’t be afraid to give them the control in the

assignment. Re-teaching WILL be necessary!

Students demonstrate mastery and comprehension of complex text when they can write about the text successfully.

Use a rubric for grading to guide student writing. It allows you to give better feedback to your students

Informational Text—KVIC—What I know, Vocabulary, Important Information, and Central Idea

Poetry—Big 6—Speaker, Images, Senses, Figurative Language, Tone/Mood, Theme

Fiction—CCRT—Characters, Conflict, Resolution, Theme

Characters List the characters and describe them. Tell who the major characters are and something about why

they are important.

Conflict Describe the main problem in the story.

Resolution Tell how the problem is resolved or in some cases, why it is not resolved.

Theme What is the message of the story?

Speaker—Who is the speaker of the poem?

Tone/Mood—What is the tone or mood of the

poem?

Imagery—What images are present in the poem?

Figurative Language—What figurative language

is used and how does it affect the meaning of the

poem?

Senses—What senses do the images in the poem

appeal?

Theme—What is the message the poem sends

to the reader?

What I know alreadyAfter previewing the text, what do you already know about the

subject matter?

Important VocabularyWhat key words are present

and why are they important to the selection? What do they

mean? (Could be a synonym, a definition, or a rough

understanding)

Important InformationList important facts and

information to understanding the central idea of the text.

Central IdeaWhat is the main point of the

text?

How does the setting of a particular work of literature impact the plot?

How does the author’s use of personification impact the theme of a poem?

Do you agree or disagree with the author’s claim? Why or Why not?

Do you think Mae Tuck is guilty or innocent of murder in Tuck Everlasting? Why or Why not?

How has technology impacted war in modern society?

Do entitlements help or hurt lower class families?

How does the absence of light affect the process of photosynthesis?

Would life on Mars be feasible? Why or Why not?

Does the answer meet the expectations of the question?

Is there elaboration? Did the students answer the question by

providing text evidence to support his or her claims?

http://www.teachingthecore.com/resources/article-of-the-week-aow/

http://www.newsela.com Scholastic Scope/Junior Scholastic