Characteristics of Text that Facilitate Reading Comprehension

Katie LyonsREAD 5493 – Su2011

Texas Women’s University

Text leveling is not consistent across leveling systems and the consistency within a given leveling system can be subjective as perspectives and measuring tools differ.

Rationale

Teachers are finding that their most fluent readers do not understand what they are reading as a whole; this has turned into a bigger problem as teachers are not teaching and testing accurately for comprehension.

Rationale

Readers need to be able to see authentic representations of themselves in the literature they are exposed to in order to feel connected to the information and to literacy as a whole (Ebe, 2010; Gray, 2009; Hoffman, Hunt, & Taylor, 2008; Holmes, Powell, & Holmes, 2007; Hughes-Hassell, Barkley, & Koehler, 2009; Wilfong, 2007).

Rationale

As a new teacher with relatively little experience selecting texts for my students to read, I would like to learn more about making appropriate, effective choices to facilitate my students reading comprehension and use of comprehension strategies.

Rationale

What characteristics are important to the selection of texts for successful reading comprehension?

Research Question

I started my research focusing on reading comprehension and text selection as my descriptors when searching through the TWU library education databases.

I have also included articles, books and studies that I have received from Dr. Nancy Anderson throughout my graduate coursework at Texas Women’s University.

Methodology

ThemesReadability & Text Leveling Systems

-potential for accuracy

-variables within text leveling

systems

Cultural Relevance

-text and language structure

-authority & authenticity

-biases

Preferences & Engagingness

-Gender -Perceptions-Race/Ethnicity -Age

Readability is a reader’s potential for accuracy with a particular text through analysis of the amount of words/concepts in the text that have not been taught and the number of words per sentence

(Dzaldov & Peterson, 2005; Donovan, Smolkin, & Lomax, 2000; Hoffman, Sailors, & Patterson, 2002; Irwin, 1991; Mesmer, 2006; Picher & Fang, 2007; Walpole, Hayes, & Robnolt, 2006).

Processability Accessibility

Readability &Text Leveling Systems

Text structure Language structureanalysis, exposure and instruction

Reliance on leveling systems

Readability & Text Leveling Systems

Text and Language Structure

Authority & Authenticity Biases

Cultural Relevance

Gender Age Race/Ethnicity Perceptions

Preferences & Engagingness

Effective analysis of text should include assessing the readability and accessibility of the text for the reader, the engagingness of the text for the reader and a careful analysis of the text’s cultural relevance.

Summary