Text Structure Strategies for Improving Expository Reading Comprehension

Introduction

  • Purpose of the Article: Presents practical applications of research-based strategies for improving students’ expository text comprehension, which is essential in academic content areas (science, social studies).

  • Importance of Comprehension: Recognized in the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, starting from kindergarten.

Challenges of Expository Text

  • Students often find expository texts more complex than narrative texts due to:

    • Technical vocabulary.

    • High density of facts.

    • Unfamiliar content.

    • Cognitively demanding concepts.

Expository Text Structure

  • Definition: Structure refers to how information is organized. Meyer (1975) indicates the following consistent expository text structures:

    • Description

    • Compare and contrast

    • Sequence

    • Cause and effect

    • Problem and solution.

  • Influence on Understanding: Knowing the structure provides a mental framework that can improve comprehension.

Evidence-Based Solutions for Instruction

  • The article aims to deliver evidence-based strategies derived from a meta-analysis which found text structure instruction effective for enhancing reading comprehension among students.

Sections of Recommendations:

  1. Learning Objectives

  2. Instructional Strategies

  3. Assessments

  4. Reading Materials

Learning Objectives

  • Four common objectives for text structure instruction:

    1. Identify the structure of an expository text.

    2. Select and organize the most important information.

    3. Summarize an expository text.

    4. Write their own expository text.

Instructional Strategies

  • Focused on identifying various structural elements within texts to help comprehend the important information.

Identification Strategies

  • Concept Introduction: Introduce text structures through discussions before reading.

  • Teaching Signal Words: Use signal words to pinpoint the structure (e.g., for description: "for example"; for cause and effect: "because").

  • Discrimination Training: Teach students multiple structures simultaneously to enhance recognition.

Selection and Organization Strategies

  • Importance of selecting vital information and organizing it to avoid distraction from less important details.

  • Guiding Questions: Encourage students to ask specific questions related to the text structure when reading.

  • Graphic Organizers: Use tools like topical nets, matrices, and linear strings to facilitate information organization.

Summarizing Strategies

  • Use previously filled graphic organizers to reformulate summaries. Consider using paragraph frames to aid students in structuring their summaries.

Writing Strategies

  • Adapt reading strategies for writing; encourage students to utilize graphic organizers to outline information before drafting their text.

Assessments

  • Teachers need to evaluate whether learning objectives are achieved using various methods:

    • Identification Skills: Assess through multiple-choice questions or discussion.

    • Information Selection and Organization: Use rubrics to evaluate structuring.

    • Summarizing Skills: Develop rubrics for summarization quality.

    • Writing Skills: Employ rubrics focusing on clarity and structural comprehension.

Reading Materials

  • Instructional needs for multiple expository passages; teachers may write their own or adapt existing materials for clarity and strong text structure.

  • Sequential Use: Start with well-structured expository texts, transitioning to more complex, authentic texts as students gain competence.

Conclusion

  • Significance of Comprehension Skills: Essential for students’ academic success; educators must employ structured, evidence-based methods to teach expository reading effectively.