Text Difficulty and Reading Strategies in Content Area Classrooms

Text Difficulty and Reading Strategies in Content Area

ClassroomsBill Lewis

University of DelawareMarch 16, 2012

A little about myself.....Assistant Professor of Literacy Studies, U of DTeach pre-service teacher candidates, and courses in the M.Ed., M.I and M.A.T. programsFocus on adolescent literacy and content area literacy...specifically in secondary content area environments

A little about my previous self...

ELA Teacher at Solanco High School, Quarryville, PA 1987-2007Taught American, British and World Literature, AP, Drama

Some Big Ideas…

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However, there is a problem with one big idea…

The Challenge of Text Selection

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The Problem: Many high school and middle school classroom teachers avoid teaching with text.

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The Problem: Many high school and middle school classroom teachers avoid teaching with text.

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Time to Think:

• Why are some teachers avoiding the use of texts and extended opportunities for reading in their instruction?

• What are schools and teachers doing instead of reading, discussing, and writing about texts?

• What is the problem with taking a “limited-text” approach to content area instruction?

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A Parable...• My son, Gray, wants to be good at tennis...

• However, Gray does not practice tennis...

• He thinks a $275.00 racquet will make him better.

What do you think is the outcome of this “practice”

regimen?

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= Gray is bad at tennis• We understand this narrative...it is the narrative that we were told as children, and that we tell our own children as parents:

Practice makes

Perfect

Key Question...

• Why does this narrative not hold when it comes to reading in secondary classes?

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Some Other Key Questions• How do I get students to read?• What books are good for students to read?• How can we read more in class?• Are there workable frameworks for in-class reading that support independent reading?

• Are there frameworks and activities that I should avoid?

Not all ideas are equally effective!

For Instance: Round Robin and “Popcorn” Reading

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And...

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I will read the whole novel, To

Kill a Mockingbird, to

you!

Common Core Standards for

Reading Informational

Text

Our mission: • To provide opportunities for students to engage with interesting texts in all content areas.

• To provide opportunities for analysis, comparison, and personal connection to a wide variety of print and non-print media.

• To connect writing to student reading of texts.• To provide teachers with guidance in choosing texts and analyzing the comprehension challenges of instructional texts.

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The reason for the mission:

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….

If texts are to be used effectively, teachers need to

think about how to analyze them for the challenges they present to students as a first step to overcoming these challenges

College or Department name here 22

Let’s practice with a quick text analysis activity as we think about

these textual considerations

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Lesson Objective: Students will be able to identify elements of conflict and foreshadowing in a short story, and explain how these elements provide hints about the outcome of the story’s conflicts.Grade: 9th Grade CP

Here’s your objective:

Here’s your text to achieve that objective

• “Path Through the Cemetery by Leonard Q. Ross (a highly anthologized short story for its short length and “high interest” content)

College or Department name here 25

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Time to think: What comprehension

challenges could this text present to

students?

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Time to think: What comprehension

challenges do OUR content area texts

present to our students?

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How do we prepare students to engage challenging texts?

We need to provide clear purposes for our reading assignments....(texts are a only a vehicle to achieve instructional goals)

We need to activate or build prior knowledge so they are ready to engage

We need to provide during reading frameworks that give them actual reading practice in classrooms

We need to provide ways to help them to summarize, synthesize and extend their understanding of content area texts

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What do independent readers do?

• Make Predictions• Question the Text• Make Inferences• Determine Importance• Synthesize• Summarize• Make Connections to Prior Knowledge• Create Mental Images• Monitor Reading and Apply Fix-up Strategies

Before Reading Strategies

Preparing Students to Engage

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Here’s the principle.....

• When students have a framework, they are more likely to be able to remember and use textual information because it “sticks” to the framework.

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One is a bun…party trick or important educational

example?• One is a bun• Two is a shoe• Three is a tree

• Four is a door• Five is a hive

• Six is sticks• Seven is heaven

• Eight is a gate

• Nine is a line• Ten is a hen

Listen, Read, Discuss (A demonstration of how simple a

strategy can be)• Choose a narrative or informational text• Provide a BRIEF chronological summary of the text

• Leave out one crucial part of the text and direct students to read to find out that critical part (setting a purpose for reading)

• Students read• Students discuss what they found

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Let’s Try with “Tell Tale Heart”

• Tell Tale Heart is a story that details a murder from the viewpoint of the murderer.– Examines what leads up to the murder of an old man– Explains the murder itself– Explains how the murderer covers up the crime– Explains how the narrator is eventually found out.

• It is a psychological story, not a ghost story; it is based on the irrational inner workings of a narrator’s mind.

• This psychological focus forces the reader to question the reliability of a narrator– What he or she says– What he or she does– Whether his or her perception is truthful or exaggerated

– Whether the narrator can be trusted to tell the truth

– Whether we can trust the narrator to be honest about his or her relationships

Therefore....• Use your copy of the text to circle those things the narrator says that are seem inconsistent with reality or seem unreliable.

• With a partner summarize why your chosen sections are unreliable...we will discuss this after reading.

Story Impressions Earth Science

(Buehl 162)

Compare with the real text:

Volcanic activity pushes igneous rocks out of the center of the earth. The high temperature there heats groundwater to the boiling point, and it becomes steam. This steam has pent-up pressure which causes it to fissure and then change to hot springs. The hot springs come out of the ground in a constricted tube with an eruption. This is called a geyser, like Old Faithful in Yellowstone.

List Group Label• Use this strategy for texts where students have sufficient background knowledge.

• Have students then LIST all they know about a topic on board, overhead, smartboard.

• Have them look for GROUPS or categories in which the information can be arranged.

• LABEL those categories with superordinate titles

A teacher failure story...my own failure

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After Reading Strategies

Encouraging kids to summarize, synthesize and extend their

understandings

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Paragraph Shrinking (Another simple strategy to start)

• Students should take turns reading text “chunks” with a partner.

• Students should take turns “shrinking” the text chunks into 10 words or less.

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Writing in Response to Reading

• “Save the Last Word”• RAFT’s• SWBS/SWBSBS• Magnet Summaries• The CSQT Framework

Save The Last Word (Big Common Core

Strategy)• A great post-reading “pass out of class” strategy

• Focuses students on textual support• Scaffolds their ability to “warrant” their choices of textual support.

• Focuses teachers and students on the purposes for reading.

Save the Last Word... “Path”

• Choose a quote from the work that best represents the story’s theme.

• Choose a quote from the work that best represents the character of Ivan.

• Choose a quote from the work that best represents foreshadowing in the work.

Save the Last Word...• Choose the quote that makes you think that Mitt Romney will make a good/bad president.

• What sentence best represents the conflict between climate science and business?

• What quote best represents states’ rights issues?

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The R.A.F.T. ApproachR= Role…Who is writing the piece? What is their particular focus?

A= Audience…To whom are you writing? What is their perspective?

F= Format…What form is the communication in? Poem, essay, letter, e-mail?

T= Topic…What are you writing about?

R.A.F.T. Examples

R-Single Drop of WaterA- The LandF- LetterT- My Journey

R- Charles DarwinA- HimselfF- Journal EntriesT- Biodiversity of the Galapagos

R- Atlantic OceanA- Pacific OceanF- Court BriefT-Why I should be named the greatest ocean

R-Solar systemA-Planet earthF- Break up noteT- You’ve Changed

Can use with informational science texts

R= Safety CommitteeA= Builders/ Residents F= Blue Prints T= Building Damage Prevention

R= Seismic WaveA= EarthF= Journal T= Earth Layers

R= Seismologists A= News ReportersF= Broadcast Teleprompter T= Describing Earthquakes

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R= White DwarfA= The SunF= Advice ColumnT= Getting Older

R= AstronomerA= The UniverseF= Wanted AdvertisementT= Location of a Supernova

R= The SunA= Science StudentsF= Autobiography T= Life History and Future Life Plans

From Math Teachers

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R = Lonely Single TriangleA = Other TrianglesF = Singles “Looking For” AdT = Triangle Congruence

R = StudentA = Absent StudentF = LetterT = Triangle Congruence

R= Seismologists A= News ReportersF= Broadcast Teleprompter T= Describing Earthquakes

Let’s Write A R.A.F.T. Question the Unit You Are Now Covering

• Think of the main actor in the piece......................R

• Think of an audience for the main actor................A

• Think of an suitable (or unusual) genrefor the actor to write in...........................................F

• Think of the main topic in the piece and howthat topic could be related to the writing genre.....T

“Text Reformulation” helps students to focus on key ideas, because they have to be strategic about what important ideas must get transferred to the new form.

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Speaking of Text Reformulations...

• Summarize photosynthesis in the form of a haiku:5 7 5

• Express the main idea of Path Through the Cemetary by constructing a “yellow journalism” Headline

• Explain how to solve a linear equation by creating an ABC book...“A is for _________ that ______ _____ ______ ____

What Works: Have students write summaries of a text

(Effect size .52)

Other Approaches to Summarizing

Somebody-Wanted-But-So orSomebody-Wanted-But-So-But-So

Mainly useful with fiction but may be used with expository texts (problem/solution, cause/effect)

Students answer these questions: Who is the main character...the somebody? What does the main character want? But why can’t s/he achieve this goal? So what does the character do?

Informational Text SWBS

Somebody Wanted But SoSeismologists To find the

epicenterDid not have enough data at one location

They contacted two other locations that recorded the earthquake, compared data, and found the middle point (epicenter)

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Informational Text

SOMEBODY WANTED BUT SO

Ceres To be a planet It wasn’t big enough It is an asteroid

Clyde Tombaugh To discover Planet X

He and other astronomers had debunked the need for Planet X

He discovered Pluto

Pluto To be a planet Its orbit to too elliptical, and it is too small

It is a Dwarf Planet

Clyde Tombaugh Pluto to still be a planet

Astronomers still voted Pluto out

Clyde Tombaugh made Pluto a planet only in the state of New Mexico

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SWBS for Path Through the Cemetery

Somebody Wanted But So

Somebody Wanted But So

But So But So

Magnet Summaries

Most Americans had high hopes for Hoover’s presidency when he took the oath of office in March 1929—seven months before the crash. Praise plummeted as the Depression deepened. People now dumped on him as the Great Do-Nothing.

But Hoover had not done nothing. For one, he asked captains of industry to refrain from cutting jobs and wages (and was largely ignored. He urged strong banks to create a pool of $500 million from which struggling ones could borrow, but the big banks chipped in only $10 million.

After that flop, Hoover signed off on a bill that created a new government agency, the RFC (Reconstruction Finance Corporation). Its mission: to lend money to businesses on the brink of collapse, most especially financial institutions. The RFC was funded with $500 million of taxpayers’ dollars….As for [individuals], Hoover felt it folly for the federal government to bail out people on the brink. That’s what charities and family and friends were for. Hoover was a staunch believer in a small federal government, clinging to the idea that “rugged individualism” was the essence of the American Way.

The president’s name became a byword for hardtimes…

Magnet Summary Magnet Summary Variation 1Variation 1

Introduce the idea of “magnet words” to students, and give them practice in identifying magnet words in a sample passage....A great place to talk about text features: titles, headings and subheadings.

Herbert HooverMost Americans had high hopes for Hoover’s presidency when he

took the oath of office in March 1929—seven months before the crash. Praise plummeted as the Depression deepened. People now dumped on him as the Great Do-Nothing.

But Hoover had not done nothing. For one, he asked captains of industry to refrain from cutting jobs and wages (and was largely ignored. He urged strong banks to create a pool of $500 million from which struggling ones could borrow, but the big banks chipped in only $10 million.

After that flop, Hoover signed off on a bill that created a new government agency, the RFC (Reconstruction Finance Corporation). Its mission: to lend money to businesses on the brink of collapse, most especially financial institutions. The RFC was funded with $500 million of taxpayers’ dollars….As for [individuals], Hoover felt it folly for the federal government to bail out people on the brink. That’s what charities and family and friends were for. Hoover was a staunch believer in a small federal government, clinging to the idea that “rugged individualism” was the essence of the American Way.

The president’s name became a byword for hardtimes…

Magnet Word Example

Herbert Hoover

Magnet Activity

Ask students to read the rest of the passage, noting words from the remaining material that are “attracted” to that key term (4-5 words per text section).

Magnet Word Example

Herbert Hoover

• After you have chosen your magnet word, and the 4-5 words that are “attracted” to it, guide students in synthesizing those words into a coherent sentence (or two).

• KEY: Help your students to reflect on whether there are details in the summary that are not important, or to reflect on whether there are any important details that are left out.

Let’s Try It !!!!!Let’s Try It !!!!!

Turn your magnet term and attractor words into a concise 1 sentence summary.

• Chapter Variation

• Review Variation

After key vocabulary, texts and concepts have been covered, break students into groups and have them choose what they believe are the 5 key concepts of the unit. Have them write these “magnet words” on notecards.Have students write the key details associated with those magnet terms around the term itself.Have students construct magnet sentences using the key details, and arrange those sentences into a summary.Have students share their summaries (which should open up conversations about what each group thought was important and allow for discussions about synthesis, details and key terms and ideas.)

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ABC Graffiti as a Post-Reading and Summary Writing Activity for Multiple

Texts (Gunter et al., 2003; Jones, 2000)

A B C D E F

G H I J K L

M N O P Q R

S T U V W X

Y Z

ABC Graffiti in a 48 minute lesson:

1. Students read selected texts including a variety of primary, and secondary texts and then complete ABC sheets individually without looking at texts. (3 minutes)

2. Students should be organized into 4 groups. Each group completes one ABC sheet as a collaborative effort (5 minutes)

3. Collect the 4 ABC sheets and rotate them to other groups. These groups continue brainstorming process on other groups’ sheets. (5 Minutes)

4. Collect ABC sheets and rotate them to the next group. However students will be allowed to use the text to complete the sheets. (10 minutes)

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ABC continued

• 5. Collect the ABC sheets and give each one to the next group. However, in this rotation the task is different. In this rotation, groups will be asked to synthesize the list of ABC concepts in a summary paragraph. The paragraph should integrate all concepts in an organized manner. (15 Minutes).

• 6. Collect ABC sheets and give each one back to the group that first worked on it. Groups should synthesize the summary paragraph and write a thesis statement that describes the meaning of the concepts identified. (10-15 minutes)

Here’s One From My Am. Lit. Students:

AAmherst

BBuzz of the fly

CContradictions

DDeath

EEmbracing life and nature

FFormat

G Grave

HHeld to own convictions

IInner life

Jjuxtaposition of images

K LLove

MMass.

NNature

OOppression of the individual

PPersonal religion

QQueer

RRecluse ofRealism

SSlant Rhyme

TTimeless

UunderstandingEmily

Vvirgin

Wwomen’s role

Xxenophobe

YYellow Rose of Texas

ZZis is all we know!

Emily Dickinson, known as the “Belle of Amherst” was pretty unusual, and lived the life of a recluse inside her father’s Massachusetts house. However, she still lived a rich inner life that celebrated the life and the nature that she saw around her. Although separating herself from society and from intimate relationships (hint, hint she was probably a virgin when she died!) she also spoke passionately about love. Additionally, even though she seemed to be very strict and proper, wearing only white in her later years, she rejected the strict puritan religion of her father, and the traditional women’s role of wife and home-maker, two ways that she saw society oppressing the individual, especially women. Therefore, she clung passionately to a personal religion based on individual spirituality and the miracles of nature.

These kinds of contradictions can also be seen in the individual poems because she often combines contradictory images. For instance, in the poem, “I Heard A Fly Buzz When I Died” Dickinson juxtaposes the image of a tiny fly buzzing at a windowsill at the exact time of the narrator’s death…which is supposedly a big deal. The style of her poetry also shows some contradictions. Although the format looks pretty unconventional, with a lot of dashes, varying line lengths, and the unconventional use of slant rhyme, Mr. Lewis also told us that 95% of her poetry can be sung to the tune of “The Yellow Rose of Texas.” This fact not only ruined the poetry for some of us, but also showed that even Emily Dickinson can get into a rut.

Thesis: Although Emily Dickinson is often thought to be a very strait-laced member of the mid-19th century literary tradition in America, both her life and works show that she was full of contradictions and not as plain as she seems on the surface.

C.S.Q.T.• A Text-Based Writing Strategy Based on the SRSD Framework of Harris and Graham

• The goal of CSQT is to structure effective student arguments and teach them to use textual evidence

6 Steps in SRSD Strategy Instruction

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Let’s Try A Sample Learning Segment

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1. Develop Background 1. Develop Background KnowledgeKnowledge

Persuasive argument is the “hidden Persuasive argument is the “hidden curriculum” that undergirds all academic curriculum” that undergirds all academic discourse. discourse. Teachers and professors rarely tell Teachers and professors rarely tell students this fact EXPLICITY.students this fact EXPLICITY.Natural students intuit this. Less Natural students intuit this. Less natural students (though just as natural students (though just as intelligent) do not. intelligent) do not. Students must learn to use quotes AND Students must learn to use quotes AND explain, spin, shape them in order to explain, spin, shape them in order to back their claims. back their claims. Good argument skills = better grades and Good argument skills = better grades and the ability to more fully participate in the ability to more fully participate in the great debates of our democracy. the great debates of our democracy.

A clear claim or standpoint

A set-up that contains information about the quote that a student will use

A clear quote from the text that backs up the student’s claim

A tie-in sentence that links the quote to the standpoint

2. Discuss it: What is CSQT?

3: Model It...Let’s Practice!3: Model It...Let’s Practice!Untitled #1

The cold harsh wind it heaves and blows,It chills my fingers and my toes.And falling from the sky of slate,A dancing whirr of downy flakes.The flakes that dance, and whirr and fly,They sometimes hit me in the eye.Seeing them again I clap with glee,Ha Ha, Ha Ha, Hee Hee, Hee Hee.Don’t go to that shopping mall!It is the season after fall!And when you get at home in bed,Thoughts of frost they fill your little mind!

-Anne Uhhuhmelmahey 1978

Using the CSQT format, tell me what season is described in the poem.

4 + 5: Memorize It and Support 4 + 5: Memorize It and Support it...it...

Untitled #1The cold harsh wind it heaves and blows,It chills my fingers and my toes.And falling from the sky of slate,A dancing whirr of downy flakes.The flakes that dance, and whirr and fly,They sometimes hit me in the eye.Seeing them again I clap with glee,Ha Ha, Ha Ha, Hee Hee, Hee Hee.Don’t go to that shopping mall!It is the season after fall!And when you get at home in bed,Thoughts of frost they fill your little mind!

-Anne Uhhuhmelmahey 1978

Using the CSQT format, what is the narrator’s mood?

Stage 6: Independent Performance

Headline: “Woman Rolls off Loading Dock at Valley Crest.”

(Citizens Voice, Wilkes-Barre, PA, July 16, 1995)

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Luzerne County officials are attempting to find out how a 91-year-old wheelchair-bound patient at Valley Crest Nursing home found her way to an outside loading dock and fell off while still in her chair.

Anna Cerwonka, 91, is in “critical” condition in the intensive care unit of Scranton Community Medical Center. According to sources the woman sustained a serious head injury when she fell Friday evening at approximately 8:15….

According to sources, Cerwonka was in her wheelchair when, for some unknown reason, the elderly woman bolted toward a door which led to a loading dock located at the rear of the building….At least one person attempted to intercept Cerwonka, but the spry elderly woman wheeled around the individual, headed toward the door, opened it, sped out onto the loading dock, and fell while still in her chair.

After you’ve developed background, discussed, and

modeled

• Help the student memorize the mnemonic• Support their use of the strategy by giving feedback

• Continue to practice the strategy

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