Joyce Jacox

Oct 1, 2014

Common Core Appendix A

READING
K-12 Grade Texts have declined in sophistication. There is a large gap in the reading
level of high school students graduating and their required reading for work and
college. We now have a need for text complexity to save language. The self-esteem
and social nature of kids will change negatively if language is not preserved through
text. ACT tests show that the
students who struggle to read are
struggling in all areas of academic
progression.
In school children read
Expository texts, which are
textbooks and anything that is
informational. In many English
classes they read narratives
about others experiences are
fantasies. Kids need text that
offers them new motives of
thought in order to progress into higher levels of learning comprehension.

TEXT COMPLEXITY

This can be measured by:

Qualitative-Meaning, Purpose, Structure, language, conventionality, clarity, and
knowledge demands
Quantitative-word/sentence length, text cohesion
Reader & task Considerations-Motivation, knowledge, experiences, questions
posed
I-Levels of Meaning
Literary or Informational-Text that has a single
level of meaning is easier than those with several levels of
meaning like satires where the purpose is to be at odds
with the underlying message. Informational texts with a
hidden, implicit or obscure purpose can be confusing.
II-Structure
Texts of low complexity tend to have simple conventional
structures. A complex structure will have more flash backs, flash-forwards,
and manipulations of time.
III-Language
Easier to read when its Literal, contemporary, and conversational.
Vs harder =Figurative, Ironic, Ambiguous, and Archaic.
IV-Knowledge Demands
Fewer assumptions are less complex

Foundational Reading Skills

Students have phonological awareness of
vowels and consonants. As teachers we want to decrease scaffolding and increase
independence.

WRITING
Arguments-Necessity for work and college complexity texts
Informational-Necessity for increased knowledge in any content area
Narrative-Necessity for sharing of one persons experiences to another,
persuasion, and entertainment, language arts come from sophisticated
cultures.
SPEAKING/LISTENING
Oral language comes first because our brains
adapt faster than our motor skills as babies.
Kids need to be surrounded by language and
new vocabulary everyday, so that their
comprehension of language can continue to
grow. Children get into routines where they
may start to not hear new vocabulary,
reading new literature in the most
convenient way to keep those brains
progressing. The more they hear that is new
to them the more their ears will stay wide awake to learn something new.