Demystifying Text Complexity
It's not as complicated as you think!
What is Text Complexity?
Let's take stock. What do we know? What do we think we know? What do we hope to learn?
Text Complexity: Three factors - One text
Qualitative: Levels of meaning, depth of structure, language conventionality and clarity, knowledge demands.
Quantitative: Readability measures (Lexile, Fountas & Pinnell levels, general reading levels).
Reader/Task: Variables that relate to the reader: motivation, purpose for reading, task at hand (for enjoyment or to learn a process).
Source: CoreStandards.org
School Library Monthly Feature
In November 2013, School Library Journal published a featured article by Leslie Maniotes: Demystifying Text Complexity.
Read just page one, then work with your group to write a tweet (140 characters -- or so) that summarizes the information. (You are welcome to play around with hashtags, if you choose -- and we'll even be forgiving about your character count!)
#becreative #letshavesomefun #whatisahashtag
Repeat for page 2
140 Characters!
And page 3
Make every character count!
Have you tried a hashtag yet?
And you guessed it -- for page 4
At this rate, you're going to be a Twitter guru!
#kidding #maybe
Resources for Further Exploration
Text Complexity is the New Black
Exit Ticket:
Based on what you have learned today, what is ONE thing you can do to begin applying your understanding of text complexity to increase rigor in reading for your students?