Kristi Orcutt, [email protected]Targeting Text Structures to Improve Reading GCHS Language Arts Week 1 of 2 What are Text Structures? Organizational patterns in writing -Description -Sequence -Problem and Solution -Cause and Effect -Comparison and Contrast
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Expository Text has NO PLOT LINEto Support Comprehension
Resolution
Middle
End
Climax
Falling Action
ExpositionBeginning
Rising Acti
on
Text Structure Research
“Many students experienceproblems comprehendingexpository text….One reason isthat they can’t see the basicstructure of the text. Somestudents get lost in the words andcan’t see the big picture.”
The music was blasting so loud,Marco thought his ears wouldburst. The stage was filled withbright blue laser beams and ashower of yellow and green paperstreamers. All around him, thecrowd was singing and dancingwildly.
Text Structure Foldable
Description
Sequence
Compare-Contrast
Cause-Effect
Problem-Solution
Add notes to theDESCRIPTION sectionof your foldable.
Derek finished his math homework,then worked on his scienceproject, and saved his readingassignment for last. When he wasfinished reading, he closed thebook, turned off the lamp on hisdesk, and went to bed.
Text Structure Foldable
Description
Sequence
Compare-Contrast
Cause-Effect
Problem-Solution
Add notes to theSEQUENCE section ofyour foldable.
Inside tabs: Left Side-
•Visuals only Right Side-
•Text Only
Comparison and Contrast
Although both cities have experiencedgreat tragedies, Greensburg is verydifferent from New York City. There areno tall skyscrapers in Greensburg. Allyou can see are fields and sky. Insteadof taxicab horns and fire truck sirens, it isso quiet at night that you can hear thecrickets chirping.
Text Structure Foldable
Description
Sequence
Compare-Contrast
Cause-Effect
Problem-Solution
Add notes to theCOMPARE -CONTRAST sectionof your foldable.
Every spring, shortly after the tulipsbloom, farmers in Holland go throughthe tulip fields and cut the blooms offthe tulips. This seems strange,because it leaves a field full of greenstems. However, it makes the colorfultulip blooms grow back even biggerand stronger later that spring.
Text Structure Foldable
Description
Sequence
Compare-Contrast
Cause-Effect
Problem-Solution
Add notes to theCAUSE - EFFECTsection of yourfoldable.
Inside tabs: Left Side-
•Visuals only Right Side-
•Text Only
Problem - Solution
For many years, Mrs. Jacobs wanted to grow avegetable garden, but she did not have enoughroom for a garden. Her house sat on a small pieceof land, just barely big enough for the house andporch. She collected empty plastic jugs, such asfrom milk and large containers of snack food. Sheput small holes in the bottom, filled them with dirt,and planted seeds. After weeks of watering, theplants started to grow. Now she has tomatoes,peppers, lettuce, and broccoli growing on herporch.
Text Structure Foldable
Description
Sequence
Compare-Contrast
Cause-Effect
Problem-Solution
Add notes to thePROBLEM-SOLUTIONsection of yourfoldable.
Underline signalwords and cluesthat helped youdetermine eachtext structure.
Example:
Wild chimpanzees are rapidlydisappearing. Some people are tryingto solve this problem. Otherwise,chimpanzees may one day exist only inzoos. People are trying to save the rainforests and woodlands where thechimps live from being cut down. It willtake many people working together tosolve this problem.
Signal Words: Wild chimpanzees are rapidly
disappearing. Some people are trying tosolve this problem. Otherwise,chimpanzees may one day exist only inzoos. People are trying to save the rainforests and woodlands where the chimpslive from being cut down. It will takemany people working together to solvethis problem.
Your Turn!
With a partner:
Identify the textstructure of eachparagraph.
Underline signalwords and cluesthat helped youdetermine eachtext structure.
How didyou do?
Example for #1Text Structure: Problem and Solution
Underline signalwords and cluesthat helped youdetermine eachtext structure.
Identifying the MAIN Text Structure
• Expository text generally containsone or more of the five types oftext structures. Being able toidentify the MAIN text structureprovides readers the most help inunderstanding the text.
Identifying the MAIN Text Structure
• Text structure can be identified at theword level:
“first”
This one signal words provides a cluethat the structure might beSEQUENCE.
Identifying the MAIN Text Structure
• Text structure can be identified at thesentence level:
“Neil Armstrong was the first manto walk on the moon.”
This sentence might be SEQUENCE…or…
Identifying the MAIN Text Structure
• Text structure can be identified in multiplesentences taken as a whole unit of meaning:
“Neil Armstrong was the first man to walkon the moon. He had a degree inaeronautical engineering from PurdueUniversity.”
Taken together, these sentence areDESCRIPTION.
Identifying the MAIN Text Structure• Text structure can be identified in “chunks” - usually
paragraphs or multiple paragraphs underneath aheading:
“Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon.He had a degree in aeronautical engineering fromPurdue University. Buzz Aldren was the second manon the moon. Following in their famous footsteps,Gene Cernan became the last man to walk on themoon in 1972.”
Taken together as a chunk, this MAIN structure ofthis paragraph is SEQUENCE.