A. QUALITATIVE "Qualitative measures of text complexity ask us to carefully consider levels of meaning, the structure of a text, language conventionality and clarity, and the knowledge needed for comprehension." --Olga Nelson, speaking about the CCSS qualitative measures
"You can ask students to read a passage and answer comprehension questions, but if you’re asking them to read a piece of nonfiction to make a claim and support that claim with evidence from that same text, the text becomes more challenging to read. The Common Core is asking us to think about multiple criteria when we evaluate a text for complexity." --Olga Nelson, speaking about the CCSS reader and task
Goes along with vocabulary--must know the vocabulary to give evidence based answers.
Prompt students to cite evidence--"According to the text"
Try deep reading where students back up their answers to questions based on lines from the text.
Close readings and "tasks" around a passage: "Close reading requires students to jot notes in the margin, write the gist of the text, and make notations. Closely read passages will be copied, distributed, written upon, digested, discussed, and debated. " -Paige Jaeger
Jaeger, Paige. "Close Encounters of the Complex Kind." Library Media Connection. January 2014. (available on EBSCO/Pioneer)
Tasks lead to more questions and discussion. Research could follow.
Write from sources. Emphasize use of evidence to inform rather than personal narrative.
Use argumentative writing
"Students develop skills through written arguments that respond to the ideas, events, facts, and arguments presented in the texts they read" (AASL 2013).
Sources for Evidence Based Answers (see #6 below)
4. Writing From Sources--Credibility and Reliability of Sources
2 instructional parts
Backing up your perspective with evidence
Prompt students to cite evidence--"According to the text"
Aronson, Marc & Doris Hand. "How Did Pluto Get Demoted? Transliterate Reading and Writing Push Students to Analytic Opinions." AASL 2013, AASL ). Texts sets also created by Toni Vahlsing, Kelly Metzer, Marney Welmers, and Joanne F. Christensen.
Ratzer, Mary Body and Paige Jaeger. Rx for the Common Core: Toolkit for Implementing Inquiry Learning. Santa Barbara, California: Libraries Unlimited, 2014.
Vocabulary Graphic Organizers." Vocabulary Graphic Organizers. West Virginia Department of Education, 2013. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
Maniotes, Leslie. "Demystifying Text Complexity." School Library Monthly. 30:2 November 2013, p. 29-32
Marzano, Robert J., and Julia A. Simms. Vocabulary for the Common Core. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory, 2013. Print.
Wadham, Rachel L. and Jonathan W. Ostenson. Integrating Young Adult Literature Through the Common Core Standards. Santa Barbara, California : Libraries Unlimited, 2013. Print.
Contact information for Marianne & Joanne can be found on the Library Presentations home page.
Promoting Library "Connections" to the Common Core
1. Staircase of Complexity
Standards Approach to Text ComplexityA. QUALITATIVE
"Qualitative measures of text complexity ask us to carefully consider levels of meaning, the structure of a text, language conventionality and clarity, and the knowledge needed for comprehension." --Olga Nelson, speaking about the CCSS qualitative measures
Text Complexity Qualitative Measures Rubric: Informational Text: (CCSSO)
Text Complexity Qualitative Measures Rubric: Literary Text (CCSSO)
Rich Text Rubric (WSWHE BOCES)
B. QUANTITATIVE
Text Complexity Grade Bands and Lexile Bands (The Lexile Framework for Reading)
Technology Tools to Measure Text Complexity
Lexile.com
- Example: To Kill A Mockingbird
- Vocabulary Words (Power V Selector)
- More Like This
- Lexile Analyzer (must be logged in)

Lexile Analyzer--Nature's Wrath.pdf
- Details
- Download
- 298 KB
MARC Match for LexileText Complexity Qualitative Measures Rubric: Literary Text (CCSSO)
Lexiles and Readability
C. READER AND TASK
"You can ask students to read a passage and answer comprehension questions, but if you’re asking them to read a piece of nonfiction to make a claim and support that claim with evidence from that same text, the text becomes more challenging to read. The Common Core is asking us to think about multiple criteria when we evaluate a text for complexity." --Olga Nelson, speaking about the CCSS reader and task
Reader and the Task (CCSSO)
Reader and Task Considerations (New Hampshire DOE)
In General:
J.33 CLIMBING THE STAIRCASE: COMPLEXITY OF TEXT WITH COMMON CORE STANDARDS (NCTE)
A Guide for Text Complexity Analysis (ELANCDPI)
2. Emphasis on Vocabulary
3. Evidence-Based Answers
4. Writing From Sources--Credibility and Reliability of Sources
5. Reading Fiction and Non-Fiction
6. Knowledge in the Disciplines
+1 Critical Thinking--Higher Level Thinking, Questioning and Presenting
Sources:
Additional Resources
Marzano, Robert J., and Julia A. Simms. Vocabulary for the Common Core. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory, 2013. Print.
Contact information for Marianne & Joanne can be found on the Library Presentations home page.