• Complexity Of Text Complexity Of Thoughtthoughtfull English Language Arts
• Complexity Of Text Complexity Of Thoughtthoughtfull English Version

One major shift brought on by the adoption of college and career readiness standards in classrooms as well as in Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®) assessments is the focus on text complexity. In schools all over the country teachers are gathering diverse text types, some of which may be entirely new to students, in an effort to prepare students for college and careers. Students are still reading literary and informational texts, but they may find these in the form of electronic texts, speeches, manuals and technical writing as well as in traditional formats. Teachers recognize that instruction of complex texts and new text types may present challenges in the classroom. For this reason, teachers may want to employ scaffolding techniques to help all students access these texts.

Scaffolding, unlike differentiation, is used to support all students as they work through complex texts. In the past, teachers might have differentiated materials to meet the needs of every student in the classroom. Based on a unit of study, students reading at different levels might read different materials on the same topic in the same class. This can be a very useful approach, but what can teachers do when they want all students to be exposed to the same complex text? How can teachers help all students navigate these materials? Scaffolding complex texts is one way to help students tackle the complexity of diverse text types and unfamiliar concepts. Scaffolds can be used before and during reading to help maximize comprehension.

1. Discover how understandable your text is. Use these readability statistics to help you assess the complexity of a text and how hard it is to read and understand. These industry-standard tests are designed to give you a statistical analysis of the difficulty of your text, allowing you to see if it's going to engage with your desired audience.
2. In this paper we propose a methodology to assess the syntax complexity of a sentence representing it as sequence of parts-of-speech and comparing Recurrent Neural Networks and Support Vector Machine. We have carried out experiments in English language which are compared with previous results obtained for the Italian one.

Before Reading

Scaffolding strategies can be utilized before reading to help students enter into complex texts. Activities should be designed around exactly what makes the text complex. Teachers can even use information from MAP reports to hone in on areas of specific need. If a class typically struggles with Informational Text, or most students need support in Vocabulary Acquisition and Use, these might be helpful indicators for designing scaffolds to meet students’ needs.

As the concept of text complexity spreads, the decision process for choosing appropriate texts for the classroom may become more difficult. This is due to the fact that the newly rediscovered dedication to text complexity has forced educators to call into question which texts are being incorporated into the classroom.

• If technical terms or unfamiliar vocabulary might be a stumbling point, try teaching vocabulary before students begin reading. Create a word list, mural, or other visual that students can reference while reading so difficult vocabulary is no longer a barrier to understanding.
• Students may struggle with reading materials that do not follow a conventional structure. When informational texts are not chronological or lack headings or other guides, students may feel lost in the text. In these cases, highlighting troublesome areas or key words may be helpful. Highlight portions of a literary text such as flashbacks, or changes in speaker or points of view to help guide students through the text. Alerting students to these unique characteristics can prepare them for what is to come and help them understand a complex text.
• Reading materials that depict unfamiliar topics or experiences can be difficult for students. Build background by discussing the topic beforehand. Find out what students already know and fill in any gaps before they read. This way, students will approach the new material with some context.

During Reading

Providing students with strategies to make sense of text while they read gives them tools they can apply in any situation.

• Ask students to highlight particular sections of text such as structure or plot development. For example, if a text uses problem-solution organization, have students highlight the problem in one color and the solution(s) in another. Additionally, students can use this strategy to highlight problematic sections of text, or to distinguish different speakers. Once students are comfortable with this strategy, they can use the highlight tool within the MAP assessment to help them navigate complex texts.
• Encourage students to make annotations as they read. Whether students write on sticky notes, book marks, or directly on the text, they can mark and comment on anything they find interesting, confusing, or noteworthy and discuss these observations with the teacher or in groups.
• Some students may struggle with lengthy texts. For these students, create groups that will work together to tackle longer pieces. Some of the students can read one portion of a text while the others work on the rest. When they are done students can come together to share, discuss and teach each other about what they read.

There are likely as many ways to scaffold as there are types of texts to read. Different students and different texts offer many opportunities to try new strategies. By providing students with useful tools for navigating complex texts in the classroom, teachers give students the ability to apply those strategies to all reading across the curriculum and outside of school. As students become more comfortable with complex texts and diverse text types they will likely feel more at ease with the types of reading they will encounter in college, careers, and beyond.

complex

[adjective, verb kuh m-pleks, kom-pleks]

1. composed of many interconnected parts; compound; composite: a complex highway system.

2. characterized by a very complicated or involved arrangement of parts, units, etc.: complex machinery.

3. so complicated or intricate as to be hard to understand or deal with: a complex problem.

Regardless of the text, prompt, discussion topic, or type of essay, the goal is always the same: go beyond the surface level of a text and dig deep to find and unpack meaning. Moving students to complex writing can be difficult for several reasons but mainly because complex thinking is hard. Phrases such as “very complicated” and “hard to understand” from the Dictionary.com definition of complex indicate the difficulty associated with complexity. Repeated practice of reading and discussing meaty texts are the best ways to develop thought patterns to find what is not easily seen.

Complexity Of Text Complexity Of Thoughtthoughtfull English Language Arts

Summary vs. Analysis vs. Complexity

Understanding the difference between these three concepts is key when unpacking meaning. SparkNotes may be the best way to help students differentiate between summary and analysis because they already familiar with the format. Summary is the recount of events in a text or even a paraphrase of a poem while analysis involves looking for patterns or meanings in a text. Having students write a scene SparkNotes style with a summary section followed by analysis is a worthwhile activity to understand the difference between the two. Unpacking complexity, however, involves explaining why patterns and meanings are relevant and how they relate to the “meaning of the work as a whole.”

Writing about Complexity

Putting these ideas on paper adds another level of organization and thought, and while there are no formulas or quick tips for writing literary analysis, here are some ideas to consider when writing about the complexity of a work:
Use Transitions

Transitional words are a great way to highlight different layers in analysis. A guide to transitional devices such as this one from OWL at Purdue can be helpful for students. Transitions act like thread when sewing pieces of fabric together; use sturdy thread!

Contrast Ideas

Juxtaposition is one of my go-to tools in writing because it sets the reader up to think deeply. For example, wealth is used by Gatsby to impress others but ultimately wealth doesn’t add any value to his life. Exploring wealth through these two lens positions the writer to think deeply.

Recognize Foil Characters

Aunt Alexandra and Atticus. Dr. Frankenstein and the creature. Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. Foil characters offer a great way to explore larger themes through contrasting actions and beliefs of characters.

Explore Different Points of View

Examining the ant swarm in The Poisonwood Bible or crossing the river in As I Lay Dying through the experiences of different characters automatically adds layers to a scene. Taking the different layers and drawing conclusions from them leads to complex thinking and writing.

Reflect on What is Said and Done vs. What Remains Unsaid and Not Done

Going beyond the obvious forces the writer to speculate about they WHY. Why does Victor Frankenstein refuse to speak in defense of Justine? He thinks no one will believe him which highlights the larger idea of selfishness in the novel. I have shared this visual before but love using this to jar student thinking.

Think Before and After

Complexity Of Text Complexity Of Thoughtthoughtfull English Version

Thinking of how a character changes throughout a novel or how a theme is developed by viewing it at the beginning then the end is another way to frame complex ideas.

Consider Literary Criticism

Having students unpack the events or analyze characters through different literary lens leads to complex thinking. Looking at Lenina in Brave New World through a feminist lens or Kurtz in Heart of Darkness through a psychoanalytic lens moves the reader and writer to deep literary waters.

Organize by Insight

I’m the broken record stuck on this phrase, but this works so well. Starting paragraphs with the big picture idea allows the student to spend the rest of the paragraph unpacking the meaning.

Analysis is hard work. Writing about complexity is hard work. We are asking our students to do hard work. With the AP exam less than a month away and college and a lifetime of learning after that, let’s roll up our sleeves and help our students do hard work.

What methods do you use to teach complexity or help students write about complexity in a text?