Text Structure

Introduction | General Strategies |Sites That Matter

Introduction

One common characteristic of expository texts is that they use text structures. Text structure refers to the semantic and syntactic organizational arrangements used to present written information. For example, arguments in a sequence are constructed in a chain, while arguments in a well-constructed compare-contrast text are linked back and forth from one object of comparison to the other. The visual markers of a text that show a sequence (e.g., numbers, a timeline) are different from those of a comparison (e.g., a table, columns). Different structures may have specific key words/phrases that signal their presence (e.g., "first, second, …" or "as a result…"). Texts that are constructed according to text structure conventions are easier to read, understand, and remember.

This section offers an overview of how knowledge of the text structures (e.g., compare and contrast, cause and effect, and sequencing) can improve your students' reading and writing skills. Don't miss our online activities titled Help Lee Decide and What Should Maria Do? which are designed to build skills in comparing and contrasting and American History Idol: Thurgood Marshall, which is designed to help students read and write texts with cause-effect relationships). See the teacher-ready support materials we have developed to accompany the tutorials.

General Strategies

English language arts and content area standards expect middle school students to recognize text structures such as the following: sequence, description, compare-contrast, cause/effect, problem-solution, and persuasion. Teachers can help students identify text structures in reading as a way to make the text easier to understand. They can also help students use text structures to organize their writing. The following research-based teaching strategies can be applied in teaching students to use text structure:

• Provide explicit instruction. For example, the teacher shows students specifically how and when to use strategies such as attending to signal words while reading different content areas or using signal words when writing expository text.
  
• Scaffold instruction. For example, the teacher helps students by providing some clues and supports as they attempt to identify the text structures in various texts. One clue might be to provide students with examples of situations where these text structures are most commonly used.
  
• Model the use of strategies. For example, while students watch, the teacher writes a paragraph using a particular text structure and describes her actions as she is writing.
  
• Model a think-aloud strategy. This strategy is best used by the teacher as part of a modeling process, as described above. In addition, the students are encouraged to talk aloud as they engage in the processes. For example, the teacher asks students to talk about the clues in a given text as they try to identify the text structure.
  
• Ask focusing questions. Teachers can use focusing questions as a means of scaffolding the use of strategies or assisting students in the think-aloud process. For example, the teacher asks a student which signal word might be best to show a particular relationship among ideas in a text structure.
  
• Use and create graphic organizers. For example, the teacher models charting the structure of specific paragraphs while reading and also provides practice in using the graphic organizer to write different text genres.
  
• Use guidelines for pattern guides and teacher-made organizers. These tools help students focus on the key elements of the reading selection.
  
• Introduce and work on patterns in this order: sequencing, cause/effect, and compare-contrast.

Sites That Matter

Check out the sites below to learn more about classroom strategies for helping students use text structure for comprehension and writing.

• General Information on Text Structure
• Lesson Plans on Text Structure
• Text Structure Teacher Tools

General Information on Text Structure

Using Text Structure
The National Education Association presents a brief introduction to the concept of text structure with suggestions of strategies for teaching about it.
www.nea.org/reading/usingtextstructure.html

Using Expository Text Patterns to Enhance Comprehension
This is a comprehensive introduction to online text structure web sites that review recent research and show how teachers are using direct instruction in expository text patterns for the kind of reading students encounter in all subject areas.
www.suite101.com/article.cfm/reading/68477

Text Structure
This web site offers a concise introduction to different types of text structures and signal words. It also suggests questions for each structure and includes diagrams and sample teacher materials.
www.somers.k12.ny.us/intranet/reading/questions.html

Reading Instructional Handbook
This handbook provides an introduction to the research on text structure. It lists the signal words for each structure and graphically illustrates each structure.
www.smasd.org/pssa/html/Reading/rihand.htm

Reader and Text
This site offers an introduction to text structure with a mini-tutorial for students. It includes sample texts and different strategies for organizing them, such as signal words and mapping.
www.info.kochi-tech.ac.jp/lawrie/semanticmapindex.htm

THE PRACTICE: Understanding Text Structures
The Knowledge Loom offers an introductory page on text structures that suggests strategies, resources, and questions to think about. knowledgeloom.org/practice_basedoc.jsp?t=1&bpid=1208&aspect
=1&location=2&parentid=1197&bpinterid
=1197&spotlightid=1174#suggested

Lesson Plans on Text Structure

Reading Trail
Focusing on text structure, this site provides a series of lessons with sample readings about climbing Mt. Everest.
www.everestquest.com/reading.htm

Strengthening Reading and Writing Skills Using the Internet
Scholastic offers a series of lessons focusing on different text organizing strategies, e.g., sequencing, compare-contrast.
teacher.scholastic.com/professional/
teachtech/internetreadwrite.htm

Text Structure Teacher Tools

Understanding Text Implementation Guide
This site provides an introductory lesson to the concept of text structure and includes sample social studies texts and questions.
http://go.hrw.com/social/strategies/STRAT02U.PDF

The Textmapping Project
This site describes the benefits of textmapping, which is an alternative type of graphic organizer that involves the text being reproduced in scroll fashion and a spatially descriptive form of marking text.
www.textmapping.org/index.html

Smart Ideas
SMART Ideas helps students build interactive concept maps using patterns and images to demonstrate connections between ideas. Students can view maps as a presentation, diagram or outline, as well as create a webpage to share their maps with classmates.
www2.smarttech.com/st/en-US/Products/SMART%2BIdeas/

Literacy Matters—Graphic Organizer Page
Go to the Literacy Matters Graphic Organizer page to check out our pre-selected list of graphic organizers.
www.literacymatters.org/content/study/organizers.htm