Text Structure Analysis “After nine years in school (in addition to kindergarten and pre-school), where on earth did THIS come from?! “Whoa! What the heck is text structure analysis and what does it mean to me?!

Text Structure Analysis The “Why”: Everything taught to you is based on content standards (what you’re supposed to know in each subject). Well, these contents changed! For you, there’s three BIG major shifts that you have to be able to handle. It will impact you in EVERY class you take from here on out!

Three Major Shifts 1. Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction and information texts in addition to literature (everything else you read). 2. Reading and writing grounded in evidence from the text. 3. Regular practice with complex text and its academic vocabulary

Relax to the point of control! Right now, we’re only concerned with the first shift that addresses how you comprehend what you read! So let’s get to it!

Text Structure Text structure refers to the ways that authors organize information in text. Why does that not surprise you?!

The Why: Shift One Much of our knowledge base comes from informational text Informational text makes up the vast majority (80%) of the required reading in college and the workplace Informational text is harder for students (YOU) to comprehend than narrative text Yet, you are asked to read very little informational text ( 7 to 15%) in the elementary grades and in middle school

The Why: Shift One Literary nonfiction. For purposes of Alaska ELA standards, this includes: Biographies, memoirs, speeches, opinion pieces Essays about art, literature, journalism, etc. Historical, scientific, technical, or economic accounts written for a broad audience Emphasis is now on text structures OTHER THAN narrative (it’s what you’ll be tested on)

“If the initial shock has worn off, are you ready to learn?” There are two types of structures that I want you to know: Narrative and Informational. I’m going to show you a graphic organizer of Narrative, but we’re going to go much more in-depth on Informational text structure.

Narrative Text Structure

Informational Text Structures 5 Most Common: Cause/Effect Compare/Contrast Description Chronology/Sequence Problem/Solution We’ll do these later: Proposition-Support Judgment/critique Inductive/deductive (And yes, we WILL do these before you graduate . . . Mwa- haaa-haaa!)

So, Let’s Get It!

Analyzing Info Text Structure Okay, So How’s It Done? Killing a Dragon Analyzing Info Text Structure If you're good at archery, laying into the dragon with an enchanted bow will usually do the trick. If you don't want to do that, however, you can try magic (healing one hand, destruction spell in the other) or close quarter combat with a weapon. If you can get close enough, the dragon won't breath fire or take off, and will just attack you with its mouth Look for signal words & phrases Ask comprehension Questions Use graphic organizers

Cause (why it happened) and Effect (what happened) Signal Words & Phrases: Questions to Ask because leads to on account of so consequently outcome therefore thus when/if – then effects of as a result of due to In order to influenced by impact since is caused by for this reason reasons for What were the specific events that happened? Why did the events happen? What were the causes? What were the results or outcomes of these events happening? What was the effect? What is the significance of the event and/or the results (outcomes)?

Cause (why it happened and Effect (what happened) Event cause effect cause effect

Compare (how it’s similar) and Contrast (how it’s different) Signal Words & Phrases: Questions to Ask both similarity either-or also opposite yet too different from but on the contrary just as compared to instead of on the other hand alike however in contrast as opposed to despite unlike in comparison How are ______ and ______ alike? How is ______ different from ______? How is ______ both similar/ dissimilar to ______? What is the difference between ______ and ______?

Compare (how it’s similar) and Contrast (how it’s different) Whatever “it” is A alike different

Signal Words & Phrases: Description: Explain a topic, concept, person, place, event or object (provide characteristics, features and/or giving examples) Signal Words & Phrases: Questions to Ask position words (e.g., beside, near, in front of, above, along) in fact characteristics for instance made up of appears to be features consists of looks like for example What is the subject being described? How is the topic being described (i.e., where it is, what it does, how it works, what it looks like, its classification) What are the most important attributes or characteristics?

Topic, concept, person, place event or object Description: Explain a topic, concept, person, place, event or object (provide characteristics, features and/or giving examples) characteristics attributes Topic, concept, person, place event or object features examples

Signal Words & Phrases: Chronology/Sequence: Provide information in time order or the order in which events, actions, or steps in a process occur Signal Words & Phrases: Questions to Ask First/second/third then directions as soon as before prior to next now step last after following initially at the same time simultaneously during meanwhile finally What sequence of events is being described? What are the major events or incidents that occur? What happens first, next, last? How is the sequence or cycle revealed in the text? What are the steps, directions, procedures to follow to make or do something?

Chronology/Sequence: Provide information in time order or the order in which events, actions, or steps in a process occur Step 1 Step 2 1 Step 3 2 3 Step 4 4

Problem (what’s wrong) and Solution (how to fix it!) Signal Words & Phrases: Questions to Ask problem answer so that solution solved led to dilemma cause issue puzzle since advantage because as a result of disadvantage question in order to What is the problem? Who has the problem? Why is it a problem? What is causing the problem? What solutions have been suggested or tried? What are the various pros and cons of various solutions? Which solutions worked or seem to have the best chance for solving the problem?

Problem (what’s wrong) and Solution (how to fix it!)

Informational Text Structure Analysis When you think of it, it’s all rather common sense; however, we don’t naturally analyze what we’re reading when we’re reading. We’re going to try some practical, short exercises that will prove how useful this is! Here’s your lollypop.