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01/12/2011
1
Navigating Expository Text: Characteristics, Demands, and Effective
Strategies
Gerlinde Beckers, Ph.D. Earl Cheek, Jr., Ph.D.
Louisiana State University
Session Objective
• This session will explore the characteristics and nature of expository text in content area literacy as well as the challenges presented. Content area vocabulary and comprehensionContent area vocabulary and comprehension strategies will be shared that will meet the diverse learning needs of today’s classroom.
Reading in the Content Areas
• There are many factors that contribute to the difficulty of content reading.
Wh t f t th t thi k i t– What are some factors that you think impact comprehension in the content areas?
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STUDENT
Higher Readability
Level
Compact Presentation
of Information
Technical and
Specialized Vocabulary
Factors
STUDENT
Different Organization
Pattern
Numerous Concepts
Readability Levels
Objective Measures to Estimate Readability
• Syllable Formulas:– Fry Readability Graph: is one of the most popular, measures sentence length and number of syllables in a word. Directions:
• Randomly select 3 100 word passages• Randomly select 3 ‐ 100 word passages
• Plot average number of syllables
• Plot average number of sentences
– Flesch‐Kincaid formula: found in Microsoft Word, measures sentence length and number of syllables in a word.
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Flesch‐KincaidHigher scores indicate material that is easier to read
Lower numbers mark harder‐to‐read passagesharder to read passages
90‐100 Average 5th
grade
60‐70 8th – 9th grade
0‐30 College Level
Organizational Patterns
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What Do Expository Text Look Like?
• General Features– Table of Contents
– Introductions
Summaries– Summaries
– Index
– Pronunciation Key
– Glossary
– Appendix
What Do Expository Text Look Like? Continued….
Text Features
• Titles
• Headings
• Subheadings
Graphic Features
• Diagrams
• Graphs
• Timelinesg
• Boldface print
• Call‐out or side bars
• Highlighted information
• Varied type/font styles
• Framed information
• Maps
• Charts
• Photographs
• Figures
• Tables
Organizational Patterns of Expository TextsText Structure Description Signal Words
Description/List Structure This structure resembles an outline. Each section opens with its main idea, then elaborates on it, sometimes dividing the
For example, for instance, specifically, in particular, in addition
elaboration into subsections.
Cause and Effect Structure In texts that follow this structure, the reader is told the result of an event or occurrence and the reasons it happened.
Consequently, therefore, as a result, thereby, leads to
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Organizational Patterns of Expository Texts continued..
Comparison/Contrast Structure
Texts that follow this structure tell about the differences and similarities of two or more objects, places, events or ideas by grouping their traits for
However, unlike, like, by contrast, yet, in comparison, although, whereas, similar to, different from
grouping their traits for comparison.
Order/Sequence Structure Texts that follow this structure tell the order in which steps in a process or series of events occur
Next, first, last, second, another
Strategy…..
• THIEVES– T = TITLE
– H = HEADINGS
I INTRODUCTION– I = INTRODUCTION
– E = EVERY FIRST SENTENCE IN EACH PARAGRAPH
– V = VOCABULARY
– E = END‐OF‐CHAPTER QUESTIONS
– S = SUMMARYSOURCE: Gunning, T. (2003). Building Literacy in the Content Areas, p. 224.
Technical and Specialized Vocabulary
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Vocabulary Knowledge• Stahl (1986) describes three degrees of word knowledge:
– Definitional knowledge means that the student can tell what a word meansC l k l d i d di h– Contextual knowledge requires understanding the core concept the word represents and how that concept is changed in different contexts (required before comprehension is fostered)
– Generative knowledge “Oh! That's like ..." It's the process of constructing links between new and old knowledge, It is required before words become part of our expressive, speaking and writing vocabularies
Estimating Students’ Vocabulary
• Important prerequisite for building vocabulary
• Dale and O’Rourke (1971) Four Stages:– I never saw it before
I’ h d f i b I d ’ k h i– I’ve heard of it, but I don’t know what is means
– I recognize it in context – has something to do with
– I know it
• Knowledge Rating Scale
Vocabulary Word
No idea of meaning
Have seen or heard this
Can define Prereading Postreading
Knowledge Rating Scale - Example
Strategy….
Word meaning heard this word
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Before Reading During After Vocabulary Word ? Identify Page Number in
BookWrite the Definition
Write how the word was used in the book
1
I have seen this word or ? I do not know the word.
Knowledge Rating Scale - Example
Strategy….
1.
Definition
Example in Text
2.
Definition
Example in Text
3.
Definition
E l i T t
Selecting Words to be Taught• Ask, “What do I want my students to learn?” lesson objective, benchmarks, standards, grade‐level expectations
• Present only 7 or 8 words at one timeF hi h i it d d t h t• Focus on high priority words and teach to a conceptual level
• Other, less important, less frequently appearing words might be taught to a definitional level.
Comprehensionp
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Comprehension = Interaction of Reader, Reading Situation, and Text
During Reading Strategies and Activities
Prereading Strategies and Activities
Post Reading Strategies and Activities
List‐Group‐Label
• A brainstorming technique in which students tell what they know about a topic and organize that information
• Steps:– Write topic
– Student tell what the topic makes them think about
– List all the responses
– Categorize the words into groups of three or more
– Label the categories
Egypt• List
– Nile River
– Papyrus
– Cataract
– Mummy
Ph h
• Group– Nile River
– Pyramids
– Pharaoh
– Mummy
– Papyrus
– Cataract
Hi l hi– Pharaoh
– Pyramids
– Hieroglyphics
– Rosetta Stone
– Hieroglyphics
– Rosetta Stone
• LabelPlaces People ThingsNile River Pharaoh PapyrusPyramids Mummy Cataract
HieroglyphicsRosetta Stone
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Semantic Mapping
• A graphic organizer that uses lines and circles to organize information according to categories– Steps– Steps
• 1 ‐ Announce the topic and invite brainstorming responses
• 2 – Group and label responses
• 3 – Discuss and revise the map
• 4 – Use the map as a reference as they read, revising and adding as needed
Egypt
People
Semantic Map for Egypt
MummyPharaoh
Egypt
PlacesThings
Nile River Pyramids Papyrus CataractRosetta Stone
Concept Map• A concept map organizes information according to categories but ALSO uses words to show interrelations among concept.
• Steps:
1 list key terms or concepts– 1‐ list key terms or concepts
– 2‐ arrange concepts from most general to most specific
– 3‐ add linkage words that relationships among their concept
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Example of a Concept Map
South Asia has various physical features and landforms
Such as Such as Such as
Mount EverestIndo‐Ganges
PlainIndus River Valley
The highest peak, 29,035 above sea
levelGood farmland
The site of one of the world’s oldest
civilizations
Such as Such as Such as
is is is
Frayer Model
• The Frayer model is a four square graphic organizer that prompts students to analyze the concept (definition and characteristics) and synthesize/apply knowledge by thinking of example and non‐examples
• Steps:Steps:
– 1 provide a definition
– 2 list characteristics
– 3 provide examples and non‐examples
Definition:The way of life in which individuals and groups react with their environment
Characteristics:is sharedis learned
is based on symbolsis integrated
Example of a Frayer Model
Non‐Examples:GeneticsRace
Heredity
Examples:CustomsBeliefsArt
Technology
Culture
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Semantic Feature Analysis
• Semantic Feature Analysis is a graphic organizer that uses a grid to compare a series of words or other items on a number of characteristics
• Steps• 1 Choose a category
• 2 Create a grid
• 3 Determine feature possession
• 4 Discuss the grid
• 5 Extension activities
Example of a Semantic Feature Analysis
Sources of Energy
Renewable nonpolluting cheap Can be use anywhere
Safe Widely used
biomass + ‐ + + + ‐
coal ‐ ‐ + + + +
geothermal + + ? ‐ + ‐
Natural gas ‐ ‐ + + + +g
nuclear ‐ ‐ ‐ + ‐ ?
oil ‐ ‐ + + + +
sun + + ‐ ‐ + ‐
water + + ‐ ‐ + ‐
wind + + ‐ ‐ + ‐
Venn Diagram• The Venn diagram is a graphic organizer that uses overlapping circles to show relationships between concepts and ideas.
• Steps:– 1 Define characteristics for first group1 Define characteristics for first group
(differences/contrast)
– 2 Define characteristics for second group (differences/contrast)
– 3 Define similarities of both groups (likenesses/compare)
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Example of a Venn DiagramSouthwestern People
Hohokams
lived
in holes dug
Anasazi
lived
in pueblos
Bothwere excellent farmers and
in the ground
covered with logs
called pit houses
made of
stone
or adobe brick
used advanced irrigation systems
Cloze Procedure• 250‐300 word passage
• First and Last sentences remain intact
• Every 5th word is deleted and left blank
• (optional) supply word bank• (optional) supply word bank
• Steps:– Instruct students to read and supply the words to fill in the blanks
– Discuss word choices
– Reread text to make corrections
Cloze Procedure Example
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K‐W‐L
K – What I Know W – What I Want to Learn
L – What I Learned
Guiding Questions
• Types of Questions:– Right there ( explicit)
– Think and Search
Author and You (implicit)– Author and You (implicit)
Questions????
Readers are plentiful: thinkers are rarethinkers are rare. ~ Harriet Martineau
Contact Information:Gerlinde Grandstaff-Beckers, Ph.D.Louisiana State University325 Peabody HallBaton Rouge, LA 70803(225) [email protected]