Post on 28-Dec-2015
Reading Strategy Reading Strategy Reading Strategy Reading Strategy
Understanding Text OrganizationUnderstanding Text Organization
• Many teachers assume that a student who can read narrative texts well will be able to read expository texts well.
• Many students have problems comprehending expository text because they can’t see the basic structure of text. (Dymock,2005)
Whydo we teach text organization?
do we teach text organization?
• Text comprehension is improved when students can recognize the underlying structure of text (Williams, 2005).
• “Awareness" of text structure helps students understand global ideas, or main theses (Seidenberg, 1989;Weaver & Kintsch, 1991)
• Students are more likely to remember and interpret the ideas they encounter when they read.
Why
to teach ?
• How to identify the important structural elements of different types of expository text:
Physical presentation Text Structure
What
to teach this strategy?HowTeaching Demonstration – Comparison text structure
Text Structure
Description Signal Words
Comparison Two or more events, concepts, objects or places are compared, showing how they are alike and/or different
• but• however• nevertheless• in contrast• different from• unlike• similarly• the same• like
Comparison – Cold & Flu
Differences Differences
Similarities
Cold Flu
• runny nose & sneezing
• headache• sore
throat• a cough• aching
muscles
• usually last about a week
•a high fever
•a dry cough
•much worse aching
•last for longer – at least two weeks
•can be a deadly disease
• caused by viruses
• a more serious illness
Inside the classroom - Teaching procedures
1. Introduce the idea that expository texts have different organizational patterns.
2. Tell students it is powerful to understand how writers organize their ideas by applying their knowledge in text organization.
3. Introduce text patterns and explain that text structure can sometimes be identified by certain signal words.
Expository Text Structures and their Associated Signal
WordsText
Structure
Description Signal Words
Sequence
Items or events are listed in numerical or chronological order.
• first • second• later• next• then• finally• dates• after• when
Expository Text Structures and their Associated Signal
WordsText
StructureDescription Signal
Words
Comparison
Two or more events, concepts, objects or places are compared, showing how they are alike and/or different
• but• however• nevertheless• similarly• in contrast• different from• the same• like• unlike
Expository Text Structures and their Associated Signal
WordsText
StructureDescription Signal
Words
Description
A topic is described by listing characteristics, features, attributes, and examples.
• for example• for instance• such as • is like• in addition • also• including• in particular
Expository Text Structures and their Associated Signal
WordsText
StructureDescription Signal
Words
Cause and Effect
The causes of an event and its resulting effect(s) are presented.
• if/then• as a result• therefore• consequently• since• because• hence• thus• this led to
Expository Text Structures and their Associated Signal
Words
Text Structure
Description Signal Words
Problem and Solution
A problem and one or more solutions to the problem are presented.
• problem is• solution is• if/then• to solve the problem…
4. Model ways students can use clues to identify text structures and share an example. (Especially when signal words cannot be found)
5. Introduce graphic organizers for the patterns and help students make order out of the texts
6. Make use of the overhead projector or the computer to involve the class in completing a graphic organizer illustrating the text structure.
Inside the classroom - Teaching procedures
Further Practice
• Provide opportunities for students to have guided and independent practice.
• Students can work in pairs or individually to identify examples of the structure in other texts.
• Let more able students model the writing of a paragraph that follows a specific text structure.
• This will reinforce students’ understanding of the text structure.
• Teach for transfer – e.g. Integrated Science
Discussion (5 minutes)• Please refer to the given text (Passage 1, 2, 3 or
4) in your group selected from a textbook. Skim the parts that are framed.
1. What kind of text structure can we locate in the text?
2. What signal words can we ask students to identify?
3. Which graphic organizer(s) (Appendix 1-5) can we introduce to students?
4. What information can we ask students to put in the organizer(s) based on the text?
Comparison
Differences Differences
Similarities
Fish Sharks
• live in water
•fish can float
•Fish have skeletons made of hard bones
•Shark can’t float
•Sharks have skeletons made of hard cartilage
•Shark have several rows of teeth
•Some sharks attack humans
Passage 1
Signal words: different from, but
Comparison
Similarities
Halloween in the past
Halloween today
• playing “apple bobbing”
• dressing up in scary costumes
•People made lanterns out of turnips
•People put out food for ghosts
•People walked around the streets nosily
•People played tricked on others
•People make lanterns out of pumpkins and sometimes watermelons
•People give sweets to children
•People play “Trick or Treating”.
Signal words: the same as, still, but
Passage 2
Sequence
1886: Coca-Cola was invented by Dr. John Pemberton
1888: Dr. John Pemberton told the business to Asa Griggs Candler
1903: Asa Candler took out the cocaine from the drink as it was a drug
1898: Asa Griggs Candler licensed the bottling of Coca-Cola.
1965: Coca-Cola was first made in Hong Kong
Passage 3
Cause and EffectPassage 4
No obvious signal word! But the question gives the hint that the resulting effects of the problem will be followed by the question.
Problem and SolutionPassage 1
No obvious signal word! But the question gives the hint that solutions to the problem will be followed by the question
Is it worth spending time doing this?
• Students…• will be more familiar with different text
structures.• will gain a better understanding of how
ideas are organized in different text structures.
• will be able to apply their knowledge to predict what they may read in the text.
• will become more independent readers.
Resources consulted:
http://www.educationoasis.com http://www.itrc.ucf.edu/forpd/about/
An important point to note
•Text connections should lead to text comprehension.
• Intervention is needed to prevent students from being distracted from the text
Resources consulted:
http://www.educationoasis.com http://www.itrc.ucf.edu/forpd/about/