Shift 2: Text Complexity

In order to prepare students for the complexity of college and career-ready texts, each grade level requires growth in text complexity Appendix A, pp. 5-17). Students read the central, grade-appropriate text around which instruction is centered (see exemplars and sample tasks, Appendix B). Teachers create more time in the curriculum for close and careful reading and provide appropriate and necessary supports to make the central text accessible to students reading below grade level.

Awareness & Understanding

Learn About Text Complexity

View Video

• Introduction to Text Complexity    
• Complex Text and Its Implications in the Classroom    
  

• Read "The Challenge of Challenging Text"    
  This article, written by Timothy Shanahan, Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey, appeared in Educational Leadership.
• Read about Text Complexity in Appendix A   12/29/2011 (208.10 KB)
• Supplement to Appendix A: New Research on Text Complexity   08/22/2012 (575.22 KB)
  This document is meant to inform the field of new and relevant research and serve as a clarifying resource to educators and all those tasked with implementing the CCSS for ELA/Literacy.
• Explore Quantitative Lexile Measures    
  Choose a piece of grade-level text you use in your classroom. Use The Lexile Analyzer® to submit text to determine the Lexile measure. NOTE: Save the document you want analyzed as a plain text file (.txt). Then submit. More information about Lexiles can be found on the Lexiles in Oregon page.
• Use the Qualitiative Dimensions Checklist   12/29/2011 (158.68 KB)
  Apply the Qualitative Dimensions Checklist to the same piece of text you submitted to The Lexile Analyzer® .

Transition

Learn About Text Complexity in the Classroom

• View PowerPoint: ELA & Literacy Module 1 - Session 3: Text Complexity    
• Review CCSS Classroom Snapshot on Text Complexity   06/21/2012 (131.94 KB)
  From "K-12 Teachers: Building Comprehension in the Common Core"

• Read about text complexity and instructional materials
  K-2       3-12       3-12 Content Areas
  
  From "Publisher's Criteria for theCommon Core State Standards in English Language Arts & Literacy"

• View the webinar focused on sharing tools and resources to support teachers and districts on text complexity.    
  

Contacts

• Nicole Dalton     (503) 947-5603
  Teaching & Learning Team - Education Program Specialist