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Thank you so much for being a part of this book study! Please stay in touch. I hope to see you at future book studies and PDs!!

Please fill out the survey. The feedback on the survey will help guide future related PD and book studies. (The survey link will be shared in the last book chat session, and link will be in final email if you weren't able to attend the session.)

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Chapters 5 and 6 - Text Structure and Writing

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Chapters 5 and 6 - Text Structure and Writing

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Teaching text structure supports both reading and writing.

Text structure is more than genre - it also includes text features, patterns of organization, transitions, paragraph structure, and sentence structure

Writing as a tool for learning across all subject areas

The value of mentor texts

Think, Plan, Write, Revise

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Chapter 1 and 2 - Literacy Basics and Adolescent Literacy

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Chapter 1 and 2 - Literacy Basics and Adolescent Literacy

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Introduction to the text and the 6 session book study format

Adolescent Literacy and Reading Cognitive Models

Ch 1 and 2 Golden Lines

Ch 1 and 2 Review and Discussion Questions

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Feel free to print and use during our book study to keep track of dates and chapters, and jot down key ideas!

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Use this padlet each week to share your golden lines - feel free to add them before the session and throughout the week! Make sure to include page numbers so your colleagues can find them. By the end of the book study, we will have a valuable collection of important lines!

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Lauren Spenceley, M.Ed.

Secondary ELA Specialist

Arizona Department of Education

📧 lauren.spenceley@azed.gov

☎ 602-364-2267

💻 ADE Secondary ELA Webpage

Thank you for joining us for this amazing book study! So excited to collaborate with you all!

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65 Long Sentences in Literature - Bookfox

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Here are 65 examples of long sentences ranging from the relatively brief 96 words to one of the longest sentences at 2,156 words. Almost all of the really long sentences are under 1,000 words. The six longest sentences (1,000+ words) are mostly a curiosity, just to see what is possible.

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Make sure you register for all 6 sessions – even if you may have to miss one, I will make sure to send you the materials.

Please note that I do not record the book study sessions – they are highly collaborative, including breakout rooms and discussions. But I will always provide the slide deck and materials on the Padlet.

Remember that you will receive 3 hours of PD credit for this session – 1.5 for reading your chapters, and 1.5 for attending the virtual book chat.

Sessions cannot be made up. If you do not attend the live session for at least 60 minutes, you will not receive any PD credit.

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Literacy Lines Blog

https://keystoliteracy.com/blog/

Free Instructional Resources

https://keystoliteracy.com/free-resources/

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**The views and opinions expressed in any third-party resource do not necessarily reflect those of the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) and do not imply an endorsement by ADE.

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Breakout Rooms: Ch 1 and 2 Discussion Questions

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Breakout Rooms: Ch 1 and 2 Discussion Questions

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Addressing the Adolescent Literacy Crisis: Studying Multi-Year Literacy Interventions at a STEM High School

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Time To Act: An Agenda for Advancing Adolescent Literacy for College and Career Success | Carnegie Corporation of New York

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Time to Act: An Agenda for Advancing Adolescent Literacy for College and Career Readiness, pinpoints adolescent literacy as a cornerstone of the current education reform movement, upon which efforts such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act must be built. ...

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Disciplinary Literacy in Secondary - what it is and how to make it happen!

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Disciplinary Literacy in Secondary - what it is and how to make it happen!

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You're only human!

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Chapters 3 and 4 - Vocabulary and Comprehension Instruction

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Chapters 3 and 4 - Vocabulary and Comprehension Instruction

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Vocabulary is key to academic success in all contents

Comprehension consists of fluency, metacognition, background knowledge, text structure, and language structures

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Breakout Rooms: Ch 3 and 4 Discussion Questions

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Breakout Rooms: Ch 3 and 4 Discussion Questions

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This activity is called a Dale Scale.

Some words to try it with: https://leverageedu.com/blog/50-difficult-words-with-meanings/

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Research: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB8024.html

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Brookes Download Hub Items for Chapters 3 and 4:

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Brookes Download Hub Items for Chapters 3 and 4:

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1. Brookes Download Hub: https://downloads.brookespublishing.com/

2. Register for free account or log in to existing account.

3. Use the code from the first page of your book.

Resources for Chapter 3 and 4:

Chapter 3:

4 Square Template

Frayer Template

Two-Column Template

Word Knowledge Checklist

Chapter 4:

Examples of Text-Dependent Questions

How to Write a Summary

Question Terms

Summary Template

Supporting Comprehension

Two-Column Notes

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Brookes Publishing Download Hub – Supplemental Resources for Brookes Titles

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Supplemental Resources for Brookes Titles

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The Gist is This: Building Students’ Comprehension through Questioning and Gist Statements 

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The Gist is This: Building Students’ Comprehension through Questioning and Gist Statements 

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Supporting Secondary Students with Complex Texts

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Supporting Secondary Students with Complex Texts

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Etymology Online

Visual Thesaurus

Word Wall

Morpheme Magic

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Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - FULL SONG (Clip) | Mary Poppins (1964) | TCM

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Keys to Literacy AdLit Professional Learning

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Keys to Literacy AdLit Professional Learning

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Brookes Download Hub Items for Chapters 5 and 6:

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Brookes Download Hub Items for Chapters 5 and 6:

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1. Brookes Download Hub: https://downloads.brookespublishing.com/

2. Register for free account or log in to existing account.

3. Use the code from the first page of your book.

Resources for Chapter 5 and 6:

Chapter 5:

Argument Writing Components

Common Patterns of Organization

Kernel Sentence Expansion

Questions to Analyze Text Structure

Three Types of Text

Transition Words and Phrases

Chapter 6:

Focus Areas for Using Mentor Text

Questions to Support Each Writing Stage

Responding to Narrative Text

Self or Peer Feedback Checklist

TAP Questions

Teacher Checklist: Argument Writing

Teacher Checklist: Informational Writing

Teaching Principles for Writing

The Process Writing Routine

The Writing Rope

Types of Content Writing Tasks

Writing Assignment Guide (WAG) Template

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Brookes Publishing Download Hub – Supplemental Resources for Brookes Titles

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Supplemental Resources for Brookes Titles

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What is text structure, and why should teachers teach it? Text structure is unique to written language, and awareness of text structure supports both writing and reading comprehension. This post explores the different types of text structure that can be taught explicitly to support writing and reading, and recommends combining reading and writing instruction when teaching about text structure.

Benefits of Integrating Reading and Writing Instruction

In general, there is a strong case to be made for integrating writing and reading comprehension instruction. The Institute of Education Sciences 2017 research guide Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively (Graham et al., 2017) notes that reading and writing share cognitive processes, and point out Fitzgerald and Shanahan's (2000) shared knowledge model that "conceptualizes reading and writing as two buckets drawing water from a common well or two buildings built on the same foundation."

Reading Supports Writing: One of the guide's recommendations is to show exemplars of sample text to teach students the key features of text (including text structure, organization, grammar, spelling, use of literary devices, and sentences) for the three major genres of text (opinion/argument, informational, narrative) to help students write these types of text .

Writing Supports Reading: The Writing to Read report summarized the research evidence for how writing can improve reading. The report notes that reading and writing are both communication activities, and writers gain insight about reading by creating their own texts, leading to better comprehension of texts produced by others. The report's conclusion: evidence shows that having students write about the material they read enhances their reading abilities, including reading comprehension.

A Focus on Text Structure

As noted above, the goal of this post is to identify different types of text structures and how explicit instruction can support both reading comprehension and writing. Readers and writers who are familiar with text structure recognize how the information is unfolding (Akhondi et al., 2011). Duke, Ward, and Pearson (2021) note that a significant amount of research has examined the impact of text structure instruction. "We have long known that students benefit from instruction in common structures and elements of narrative or story text (e.g., identifying characters, setting, goal, problem, events, resolution, and theme). With respect to informational text, meta-analyses have also documented positive impacts." (p. 4)

Typically, when educators hear the term text structure, they think of the broader structures associated with the three major types of text identified in the I.E.S. report (opinion/argument, informational, narrative), or sub-types of text such as description, sequence, cause and effect, etc. which I address in items 1 and 2 below. However, there are several other types of text structure for which teachers should provide explicit instruction, addressed in item numbers 3 through 6. As you review the details for each type of text structure below, consider how instruction can integrate reading and writing in the same lesson.
#1: Three Major Types of Text: Opinion/Argument, Informational, Narrative

Comprehension: Discerning the overall organization and text structure of a text aids comprehension. This includes teaching students the goal and purpose of an introduction and a conclusion, which often identify for students the main topic(s) and central idea or theme of a text. It also includes teaching the differences between the organization of the body for opinion/argument, informational and narrative texts. Opinion/argument typically presents reasons supported by evidence, and sometimes a counterclaim and related rebuttal. Informational text typically organizes information in a hierarchy of main ideas and sub-main ideas supported by details. Narrative is typically organized around a series of events. Awareness of how information is presented in each type of text helps students organize what they are learning from the text.

Writing: Common Core and similar state standards address text structures such as introductions, conclusions, and body development in the three writing standards for opinion/argument, informational, and narrative writing. As noted earlier, the I.E.S. writing research guide emphasizes the value of having students study the structure of the three types of writing in mentor texts to help them apply knowledge of text structure to write these types of text.

Related Post: See my March, 2017 blog post Teaching Basic Argument Writing Components

#2: Patterns of Organization
Patterns of organization are another type of text structure. This includes the specific structures of description and explanation, sequence, cause and effect, compare and contrast, and problem and solution.

Comprehension: Text structure instruction provides students the knowledge and tools to process text into more coherent and organized mental schemata (Kintsch, 2013). When students can recognize a particular pattern they encounter in text, they are better able to locate and process the information they need for successful comprehension. Students benefit from explicit instruction and guided practice for how to recognize if a text is comparing two entities, presents a problem and a solution to that problem, and the other patterns of organization.

Writing: When students are composing, it is helpful for them to choose which pattern of organization best gets across what they have to say in their writing. This includes incorporating transition words and phrases associated with a particular pattern (see #3).

Related post: See my November, 2017 blog post Patterns of Organization

#3. Transition Words and Phrases
Sometimes called linking words, transitions connect sentences, paragraphs and sections of text. Some transition words or phrases are specifically helpful for signaling a particular pattern of organization. First, next, last are examples of sequence transitions; as a result, therefore, because of are examples of cause and effect. Many students with weak language and literacy skills do not automatically recognize transitions, understand what many of these words/phrases mean, or know how to use them when speaking or writing.

Comprehension: When students are aware of transitions while reading, they provide powerful clues to support comprehension. They are like signs when someone is driving, providing notice of what to anticipate in the road ahead.

Writing: When students include transitions in their writing, the message and ideas they want to convey are clear and organized. They can use the transitions to better convey to the reader what they want to say.

Related post: See my August, 2020 blog post The Power of Transition Words

#4 Paragraph Structure
Students need a solid understanding that a paragraph is structured around a main idea. Sometimes the main idea is stated, and sometimes it is implied and must be inferred. Students benefit from instruction about basic paragraph structure where the main idea is stated in a topic sentence and details are in sentences that support the main idea. The topic sentence is often at the start of a paragraph, but it may be found in the middle or end.

Comprehension: When students do not fully understand the structure of a paragraph, they miss helpful clues to making meaning when they read. When the text indents to start a new paragraph, it provides a signal that a shift in meaning is taking place within the text. The topic of the reading is the same, but the next paragraph has something different to say about that topic from the previous paragraph. Students benefit from explicit instruction where the teacher models how to determine the main ideas in paragraphs from sample text.

Writing: Students who do not attend to paragraph structure when writing tend to produce disorganized writing pieces. They should be taught to think about the main ideas they want to present and the best order to present them during pre-writing. A graphic organizer can help at this stage. While writing, students should be taught to indent when it is time to start a new paragraph, and to be sure that the reader will be able to determine the main idea by providing a topic sentence or sufficient detail so the reader can infer the main idea.

Related post: See my April, 2022 blog post The Mighty Paragraph

#5 Text Features
Text features such as a title and headings help identify the topic and overall organization of ideas in text. Headings represent sections of text, making it easier for readers to work their way through a longer piece of text in manageable chunks. Graphics and captions highlight important details and present an alternative visual representation to supplement and support the text. Mentor models that include obvious examples of text features can be used to teach text features.

Comprehension: Attending to headings helps break text up into smaller sections, and sometimes provides clues to the topic or main idea of a section of text. Learning how to use the information presented in graphics provides students with an additional way to access the content of what they are reading.

Writing: Students benefit from explicit instruction for integrating text features into their writing pieces. Especially for informational and opinion/argument writing, as part of pre-writing planning, they should determine the organization of their writing piece and identify logical breaks where adding a heading might be helpful for the reader. They should also determine if there are graphics that can be used to support the content and message of what they want to say.

#6 Sentence Structure
Longer, complex sentences can be a challenge for both reading and writing.

Comprehension: Instructional activities, such as sentence combing and deconstruction, help students develop the skills they need to "unpack" the meaning of a long sentence they read that has many ideas (propositions) embedded within a sentence.

Writing: These same activities, along with sentence elaboration practice, help students write more interesting, longer sentences.

Related post: See my related June, 2020 blog post Teaching Sentence Structure Part 1 and July, 2020 post Teaching Sentence Structure Part 2

Summary

Teachers of any grade or subject can play a role in developing students' awareness of the text structures described above. The texts that are used in every classroom provide opportunities for teachers to point out examples of the structures found in the three types of writing, patterns of organization and related transitions, paragraphs, and sentences, as well as how text features are used. If you would like to learn more about teaching text structure, watch the archived video of my November, 2020 webinar titled Text Structure to Support Comprehension and Writing. If you are interested in professional development that includes the topic of text structure, consider The Key Comprehension Routine or Keys to Content Writing. Access a one-page handout, The Comprehension-Writing Connection, that highlights language elements common to both reading and writing.
Additional Resources
References

Akhondi, M., Malayeri, F.A., & Samad, A.A. (2011). How to teach expository text structure to facilitate reading comprehension. The Reading Teacher, 64 (5), 368-372.

Duke, N.K., Ward, E.A., & Pearson, P.D. (2021). The science of reading comprehension instruction. The Reading Teacher. International Literacy Association

Fitzgerald, J., & Shanahan, T. (2000). Reading and writing relations and their development. Educational Psychologist, 35, 39-50.

Graham, S., and Hebert, M. A. (2010). Writing to read: Evidence for how writing can improve reading. A Carnegie Corporation Time to Act Report. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.

Graham, S., Bruch, J., Fitzgerald, J., Friedrich, L., Furgeson, J., Greene, K., Kim, J., Lyskawa, J., Olson, C.B., & Smither Wulsin, C. (2016). Teaching secondary students to write effectively (NCEE 2017-4002). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE), Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from the NCEE website: http://whatworks.ed.gov.

Kintsch, W. (2013). Revisiting the construction-integration model of text comprehension and its implications for instruction. In D.E. Alvermann, N.J. Unrau, & R.B. Ruddell (Eds.), Theoretical models and processes of reading (6th ed., pp. 807-839). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Joan Sedita

Joan Sedita is the founder of Keys to Literacy and author of the Keys to Literacy professional development programs. She is an experienced educator, nationally recognized speaker and teacher trainer. She has worked for over 35 years in the literacy education field and has presented to thousands of teachers and related professionals at schools, colleges, clinics, and professional conferences.

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Teaching Text Structure to Support Writing & Comprehension - Keys to Literacy

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What is text structure, and why should teachers teach it? Text structure is unique to written language, and awareness of text structure supports both writing and reading comprehension. This post explores the different types of text structure that can be taught explicitly to support writing and reading.

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We Need a “Writing Rope”!

The literature and discourse related to literacy instruction tends to focus on reading, even though writing is just as important for student literacy achievement. In addition, significant attention is paid to the multi component nature of skilled reading, while writing tends to be referred to as a single, monolithic skill. With a nod towards Hollis Scarborough’s “Reading Rope”, in 2019 I developed a model that identifies the multiple components that are necessary for skilled writing: The Writing Rope: The Strands That Are Woven Into Skilled Writing. In 2001, Scarborough published a graphic that depicts multiple components of language comprehension (i.e., background knowledge, vocabulary, language structures, verbal reasoning, literacy knowledge) and word recognition (i.e., phonological awareness, decoding, sight recognition) as strands in a rope. As students develop skills in these components they become increasingly strategic and automatic in their application, leading to fluent reading comprehension.

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Writing Instruction Archives - Keys to Literacy

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Literacy Professional Development for K-12 Educators

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Keys to Literacy founder, Joan Sedita, is the creator of framework for writing instruction. Based on research findings, the framework organizes effective writing instruction practices into five strands. Educators can use The Writing Rope to determine if their writing curriculum or program addresses all essential components of writing instruction.

View the 2019 article The Writing Rope: The Strands That Are Woven Into Skilled Writing published by Keys to Literacy.

Joan has written a book published by Brookes Publishing titled The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects. The book delves into each strand in the rope and includes teaching suggestions drawn from Joan's writing professional development courses.

About the Book

From the back cover:
Joan Sedita's innovative Writing Rope weaves multiple skills and strategies into five fundamentals of a comprehensive writing curriculum: critical thinking, syntax (sentence structure) text structure, writing craft, and transcription (spelling and handwriting). Teachers will get crystal-clear guidelines that demystify the process of helping students learn to write and write to learn across academic content areas. With dozens of included templates, handouts, and other resources - available for download online - teachers will have all the tools they need to design and deliver explicit, high-quality writing instruction.
The target audience for the book is grades 4-8, but many of the instructional suggestions can be used with children in younger grades and with high school students, especially those who have writing difficulty.

To Order the Book

Click here to order the book at the Brookes Publishing store.

Free Book Study Guide

Joan has prepared a set of questions designed to help individuals or groups of educators reflect on the content of the book. Click here for a free set of the book study questions.
Archived Book Study
Click here to access free recordings of a 5-part webinar series of Joan Sedita's book study sponsored by PaTTAN (PA Training & Technical Assistance Network).

Are you interested in professional development related to The Writing Rope?

WORKSHOPS: If your organization is looking for a 60- to 90-minute overview workshop for a conference or school-district professional development day, contact Keys to Literacy to schedule one of our writing consultants. This workshop begins with a brief overview of research related to effective writing instruction, followed by a review of the five strands in The Writing Rope: Critical Thinking, Syntax/Sentences, Text Structure, Writing Craft, Transcription Skills. Examples of effective instruction for each strand are highlighted.

MORE IN-DEPTH TRAINING: In writing the book, Joan combined the research on effective writing instruction with her decades of experience teaching students and training teachers. Many of the instructional suggestions in The Writing Rope are part of Keys to Literacy writing professional development programs. Click on each title below to learn more about the professional learning options, online courses, and books, or contact us to discuss professional learning options.

These professional development courses provide detailed suggestions and guided practice for using many of the instructional practices that are introduced in The Writing Rope book.

Permission to Use The Writing Rope

Joan Sedita holds the copyright and trademark to The Writing Rope. To ask for permission to reference The Writing Rope, send an email including a contact name and email, and a brief description of how The Writing Rope will be used to: info@keystoliteracy.com

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"The Writing Rope" by Joan Sedita - Keys to Literacy

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Keys to Literacy founder, Joan Sedita, is the creator of The Writing Rope framework for writing instruction. Based on research findings, the framework organizes effective writing instruction practices into five strands. Educators can use The Writing Rope to determine if their writing curriculum or program addresses all essential components of writing instruction.

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Arizona's 6-12th Grade Writing Standards: Model, Practice, Reflect, Assess

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Arizona's 6-12th Grade Writing Standards: Model, Practice, Reflect, Assess

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Building from Opinion Writing (K-5) to Argument Writing (6-12)

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Building from Opinion Writing (K-5) to Argument Writing (6-12)

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Subscribe to ELA team email updates!

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Chapter 7 and 8 - Discussion and Advanced Word Study/Fluency

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Chapter 7 and 8 - Discussion and Advanced Word Study/Fluency

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Chapter 7:

Discussion enhances reading comprehension and supports content learning

3 formats: teacher-led, small-group student-led, and partner talk

Establish norms

Chapter 8:

You will see a variety of needs in the area of phonics and advanced word study in older students

Understand: alphabetic principle, phonics, and advanced word study

Instructional suggestions: morphology, syllable types, multisyllabic word routine, fluency instruction

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Three students—Thomas, Maria, and Luis—are introduced at the beginning of this chapter. Each benefits from instruction in advanced phonics and word study skills, but for different reasons. Reflect on the students you work with and consider which of these three they most resemble.

Share out in your room and come back ready to share some thoughts.

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Brookes Download Hub Items for Chapters 7 and 8:

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Brookes Download Hub Items for Chapters 7 and 8:

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1. Brookes Download Hub: https://downloads.brookespublishing.com/

2. Register for free account or log in to existing account.

3. Use the code from the first page of your book.

Resources for Chapter 7 and 8:

Chapter 7:

Talk Moves: Sentence Starters

Teacher Discussion Moves

Chapter8 :

Additional Prefixes

Common Greek and Latin Roots

Common Suffixes

Spelling Rules for Adding Suffixes

Twenty Most Common Prefixes

Word Analysis Routine

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Brookes Publishing Download Hub – Supplemental Resources for Brookes Titles

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Supplemental Resources for Brookes Titles

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AdLit.org: Rich, Academically Productive Talk

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AdLit.org: Rich, Academically Productive Talk

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"How can we develop a nuanced understanding of a topic in digital spaces filled with people who only agree with us? Schools provide one place where students from diverse family and neighborhood communities can articulate opposing views and alternative perspectives."
Critical thinking is one of the skills students need to be successful in the 21st century (ed.gov, 2009). The need to prioritize critical thinking in schools has become even more apparent in the last decade with the proliferation of unchecked information online and content filtered through hidden algorithms. Search engines, social media feeds, and news websites use personalized filters to deliver unique content to each user, based on what they are most likely to interact with - usually information that is familiar or confirms our existing beliefs (Pariser, 2011; Pasquale, F., 2015). These personalization filters create echo chambers that undermine critical thinking by amplifying students' pre-existing positions. Students' prior attitudes tend to influence their interpretation of evidence. This bias to find evidence that confirms what we already think is called confirmation bias. Taber and Lodge (2006) found that confirmation bias strongly affects university students. Surprisingly, this bias was strongest among the most informed and knowledgeable participants.

The term critical thinking evokes images of the ancient town-squares of Athens or the salons of the Enlightenment. In our increasingly digital "town squares," we may have limited contact with those who hold opposing views from our own or even be oblivious to the existence of divergent views. How can we develop a nuanced understanding of a topic in digital spaces filled with people who only agree with us? Schools provide one place where students from diverse family and neighborhood communities can articulate opposing views and alternative perspectives. In schools, students can and should confront evidence contrary to their own prior beliefs, understand alternative arguments, and develop an appreciation for being challenged and learning from alternative perspectives. Through the give-and-take of academically productive dialogue, students can learn about other perspectives, practice clarifying their own arguments, and assess the degree of relevance in response to objections. In this article, we will look at ways to bring critical thinking to the classroom through academically productive talk, but first, we will explore conceptions of critical thinking.

There are several related definitions of critical thinking. In social science, for example, critical social theory, emphasizes an understanding of the word critical as being critical of the power structures in society and taking political action. Critical thinking in mathematics means students make logical decisions about what to do and think. In other words, students are not merely guessing or applying a rule without assessing its relevance but rather consider the criteria for making a thoughtful decision. The disciplines require specialized skills that become increasingly important in middle and high school (Ippolito, Dobbs, & Charner-Laird, 2019). For instance, students may be asked to justify their claims across content areas, which can mean different things depending on the subject. The justification used to support a claim about the interpretation of a poem is different from the justification used to support an inference based on findings from an experimental trial. Because of the way critical thinking is interwoven with subject-specific skills it is not easy to define critical thinking as a standalone concept. However, teachers across content areas seem to agree that critical thinking has something to do with interpreting, analyzing, evaluating, and drawing logical conclusions (Facione, 1990).

ed.gov. (2009). College- and Career-Ready Standards. Retrieved from https://www.ed.gov/k-12reforms/standards

Pearson, E. B. Moje, & P. Afflerbach (Eds.), Handbook of Reading Research: Vol. IV. Routledge.

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Supporting Critical Thinking with Rich Academically Productive Talk in Middle and High Schools

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The authors discuss ways to bring critical thinking to the classroom through academically productive talk.

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Keys to Literacy recently launched its newest professional development program: Advanced Word Study - Grade 4 and Beyond. Sometimes referred to as advanced phonics, instruction for advanced word study teaches students how to read and spell multi-syllable words by using a combination of word analysis that focuses on syllables, and structural analysis that focuses on meaningful units (morphemes - roots, prefixes, suffixes). Learning how to focus on morphemes also helps students determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word.

During kindergarten through grade 3, students are developing phonemic awareness and learning beginning phonics concepts that support word reading. Because English has an alphabetic written language, these skills are essential for learning how to decode unfamiliar words and develop the ability to use the orthographic mapping process to map and remember thousands of sight words, enabling fluent reading. In a previous post I discussed the value of a phonics scope and sequence that covers phonics concepts from basic letter-sound correspondences in kindergarten to advanced correspondences and learning syllable types in grade 3.

What type of advanced word study instruction do students need beyond grade 3? Students in grade 4 and above who are still having difficulty with basic decoding skills may need supplemental instruction for the basic skills described in the previous paragraph. However, most students beyond grade 3 benefit from instruction that focuses on strategies and practice for reading unfamiliar, multi-syllable words. Ehri's Phases of Word Reading Development (1991) provides a model of how word recognition develops over time. As shown in the graphic below, there are four phases: Pre-alphabetic, Early Alphabetic, Later Alphabetic, and Consolidated Alphabetic. Advanced word study instruction is for students who have reached the Consolidated Alphabetic phase where they are beginning to read fluently by sound, syllable, and morphemes, typically during grade 3 and the start of grade 4. This includes instruction to build automatic recognition of the six syllable types, application of syllable division principles,recognition of morphological (meaningful) units within words, an understanding of the schwa vowel sound in unaccented syllables, and knowledge of spelling rules for adding suffixes.

English is a Morphophonemic Language, Including Words Derived From Greek and Latin
Written English words are comprised of both sound-spelling correspondences and morphemes that provide clues to meaning. We spell by both the sounds in words (phonemes) and the meaning represented in word parts (morphemes). Certain morphemes keep their written spelling even though their phonemic forms change. When the sound in a word changes in a different variation of the word, the spelling does not change. This can be challenging for students when they read or spell more complex words in grade 4 and beyond. For example, read the sample pairs of words below and notice how the spellings for parts of the words stay the same even though the sound changes.

Another challenge for students is that a large percentage of words learned after grade 3 are multi-syllable words derived from Latin and Greek (Carlisle, 2007); 60% of unfamiliar words in middle school books are derived words (Nagy & Anderson, 1984). These words consist of roots that hold the core meaning of the word, and prefixes and suffixes that can alter the meaning or function of a word. Once students begin reading multi-syllable words, they are further challenged by the occurrence of the schwa vowel sound. The schwa is the most common vowel sound in the English language, accounting for 20% of the vowel sounds (Yule, 1996), and it often is the cause of spelling mistakes. The schwa sound is formed with a neutral mouth position, and it replaces a vowel sound in the unaccented syllables of multi-syllable words. It is sometimes called the "lazy" vowel, and can sound like a muffled version of the short u sound or the short i sound, as in the words . It can be spelled with any vowel. See a previous post I wrote about schwa for more details and examples.
Instructional Suggestions
Multi-syllable word reading and spelling is aided by the application of an approach that COMBINES:

Word analysis focused on syllables: breaking words into parts by identifying vowel sounds, applying syllable division rules, saying each part, then putting the parts together to say the word

Structural analysis focused in meaningful units: reading words through recognition of roots, prefixes, and suffixes

Common Core Reading Foundations standard 4.3.a for grade four expects students to "use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllable words in context and out of context."

In order to apply word analysis, students must learn to automatically recognize the six syllable types (closed, open, silent-e, vowel team, vowel-r, and consonant-le). They must also learn how to fluently apply basic syllable division rules, including 1) VCCV, divide between C's (rab/bit); 2) VCV, usually divide before the C, then try after the C (mu/sic, cab/in); 3) words ending in consonant-le - the 3 letters stay together (bub/ble, ri/fle). In order to apply structural analysis, students must learn to recognize roots, prefixes, and suffixes.

Students benefit from learning a routine for "attacking" an unfamiliar, multi-syllable word. Click here to watch a video of a routine offered by PaTTAN of Pennsylvania titled Reading Big Words. The example below of a word analysis routine is from Keys to Literacy's new professional development offering, Advanced Word Study - Grade 4 and Beyond.

To support spelling of multi-syllable words for which a suffix has been added, it is helpful for students to learn the following spelling rules:

Doubling Rule 1-1-1: if a one-syllable base word ends in one consonant with one short vowel before it, double the final consonant of the base word when adding a suffix that begins with a vowel. (mad + est = maddest, mad + ly - madly)

Doubling Rule for Two-Syllable Words: two-syllable words double the final consonant before a suffix that begins with a vowel if the second syllable of the word is CVC, and if the stress (accent) falls on the second syllable (admit + ed = admitted, limit + ed = limited)

Silent E Rule: words ending in a silent e drop the e before a suffix beginning with a vowel, but do not drop the e before a suffix beginning with a consonant (hope, hoping, hopeful)

Y Rule: final y after a consonant changes to i before any suffix except one beginning with i (copy/copies/copying)

Teaching Advanced Word Study in Any Subject
While it is typically assumed that the English language arts teacher should be responsible for teaching students these skills, students must read multi-syllable words in every subject. Academic words derived from Latin and Greek appear in all content area text, and it is often the case where science and math present the best opportunities to practice the application of advanced word analysis skills. Every teacher, regardless of the subject-area taught, can play a role in helping students learn to apply advanced word study skills to read, spell, and identify the meaning of unfamiliar, longer words.

References

Carlisle, J.F. (2007). Fostering morphological processing, vocabulary development, and reading comprehension. In R.K. Wagner, A.E. Muse, & K.R. Tannenbaum (Eds.). Vocabulary acquisition: Implications for reading comprehension. New York: The Guilford Press.

Ehri, L. C. (1991). Development of the ability to read words. In R. Barr, M. L. Kamil, P. B. Mosenthal, & P. D. Pearson (Eds.), Handbook of reading research, Vol. 2, pp. 383-417). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

Nagy, W.E. & Anderson, R.C. (1984). How many words are there in printed school English? Reading Research Quarterly, 19, 304-330.

Yule, G. (1996). The study of language (2nd ed.). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Joan Sedita

Joan Sedita is the founder of Keys to Literacy and author of the Keys to Literacy professional development programs. She is an experienced educator, nationally recognized speaker and teacher trainer. She has worked for over 35 years in the literacy education field and has presented to thousands of teachers and related professionals at schools, colleges, clinics, and professional conferences.

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What is advanced word study? - Keys to Literacy

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Keys to Literacy recently launched its newest professional development program: Advanced Word Study - Grade 4 and Beyond. Sometimes referred to as advanced phonics, instruction for advanced word study teaches students how to read and spell multi-syllable words by using a combination of word analysis that focuses on syllables, and structural analysis that focuses on meaningful units (morphemes - roots, prefixes, suffixes).

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Use Cooperative Learning Groups to Engage Learners

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When teachers structure cooperative learning groups as part of the overall reading program, they also open the door to a multiple intelligences approach to literacy, which is inherent in cooperative learning. This article offers guidance on Literature Circles and Cooperative Tear, two cooperative learning strategies supported by research.

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Comprehensive Norms for Reading and Math July 23 2025

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The purpose of this documentary is to spread the word, not just that illiteracy and sub-literacy in America are having a detrimental affect on our society and economy, but that there are proven and effective solutions already available.

With a growing voice and an ever increasing need for resources (many kids are on a long waiting list for these types of services because the support to handle this large number of people is not there) we can stand up together and make what seems impossible – possible!

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The Truth About Reading [OFFICIAL TRAILER] [NOW STREAMING]

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Chapter 9 - Adolescent Learners with Literacy Difficulties

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Chapter 9 - Adolescent Learners with Literacy Difficulties

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Causes of literacy difficulty

Supporting struggling readers and writers in the general ed classroom - MTSS, effective intervention instruction

Interventions for vocab, comprehension, phonics, and fluency, writing

Supporting students with LDs and ELs

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Brookes Download Hub Items for Chapter 9:

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Brookes Download Hub Items for Chapter 9:

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1. Brookes Download Hub: https://downloads.brookespublishing.com/

2. Register for free account or log in to existing account.

3. Use the code from the first page of your book.

Resources for Chapter 9:

Questions to Analyze Student Writing

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Brookes Publishing Download Hub – Supplemental Resources for Brookes Titles

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Supplemental Resources for Brookes Titles

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Intervention Resources from the AZ Adolescent Literacy Hub

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Intervention Resources from the AZ Adolescent Literacy Hub

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IES Guide: Interventions Grades 4-9 and Beyond

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IES Guide: Interventions Grades 4-9 and Beyond

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Project for Adolescent Literacy — Seek Common Ground

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Over the past ten years, literacy and reading instruction has received renewed attention. As of the end of April 2024, an Education Week analysis showed that 38 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws or implemented new policies related to evidence-based reading instruction since 2013. The new state policies cover a mix of items such as curriculum, educator professional development, testing, and screenings for dyslexic students leading many districts and schools searching for better curricula, professional development, and strategies around improving literacy.

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Chapter 10 - Data-Driven Reading Intervention

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Chapter 10 - Data-Driven Reading Intervention

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Four types of assessments - screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, summative

Secondary reading instruction model

Screening and diagnostic assessment model

Progress monitoring is key

Analyzing data

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Breakout Rooms: How would you intervene?

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Breakout Rooms: How would you intervene?

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Brookes Download Hub Items for Chapter 10:

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Brookes Download Hub Items for Chapter 10:

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1. Brookes Download Hub: https://downloads.brookespublishing.com/

2. Register for free account or log in to existing account.

3. Use the code from the first page of your book.

Resources for Chapter 10:

Assessment and Intervention Profile

Questions to Support Data Analysis

Reading Assessment Plan for Grades 5–12

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Brookes Publishing Download Hub – Supplemental Resources for Brookes Titles

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Supplemental Resources for Brookes Titles

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Assessment Resources from the AZ Adolescent Literacy Hub

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Assessment Resources from the AZ Adolescent Literacy Hub

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Teacher Professional Learning | Literacy, Math | MTSS

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Curriculum Adoption

Curriculum Implementation

Literacy Coaching & Site Implementation Support

Early Literacy Planning & Implementation Collaboration

Publisher Approved Professional Learning

Online Elementary Reading Academy

Adolescent Literacy Solutions

Curriculum Adoption

Curriculum Implementation

Rise in Math

Math Coaching

Online Math Academy

Onsite Math Academy

Teaching Reading Sourcebook 3rd Edition

Curriculum Adoption

Curriculum Implementation

Literacy Coaching & Site Implementation Support

Early Literacy Planning & Implementation Collaboration

Publisher Approved Professional Learning

Online Elementary Reading Academy

Adolescent Literacy Solutions

Curriculum Adoption

Curriculum Implementation

Rise in Math

Math Coaching

Online Math Academy

Onsite Math Academy

Teaching Reading Sourcebook 3rd Edition

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Assessing Reading: Multiple Measures, 2nd Edition - Teacher Professional Learning | Literacy, Math | MTSS

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Curriculum Adoption Curriculum Implementation Literacy Coaching & Site Implementation Support Early Literacy Planning & Implementation Collaboration Publisher Approved Professional Learning Online Elementary Reading Academy Adolescent Literacy Solutions Curriculum Adoption Curriculum Implementation Rise in Math Math Coaching Online Math Academy Onsite Math Academy Teaching Reading Sourcebook 3rd Edition Curriculum Adoption Curriculum Implementation Literacy Coaching & Site Implementation Support Early Literacy Planning & Implementation Collaboration Publisher Approved Professional Learning Online Elementary Reading Academy Adolescent Literacy Solutions Curriculum Adoption Curriculum Implementation Rise in Math Math Coaching Online Math Academy Onsite Math Academy Teaching Reading Sourcebook 3rd Edition

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This assessment has been specially developed as a screener to assess literacy skills of students from the 3rd to the 12th grade in the fall.

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Welcome to the Adolescent Assessment of Literacy or AAL! This assessment has been specially developed as a screener to assess literacy skills of students from the 3rd to the 12th grade in the fall. When you are ready, watch the video below then press "Get Started" to begin the assessment. Please ensure a stable wifi connection for the duration of the assessment. Thank you!

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Welcome to the Adolescent Assessment of Literacy or AAL! This assessment has been specially developed as a screener to assess literacy skills of students from the 3rd to the 12th grade in the fall. When you are ready, watch the video below then press “Get Started” to begin the assessment. Please ensure a stable wifi connection for the duration of the assessment. Thank you!

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Diagnostic Assessment Tools: Implementation Tools | NCII

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Examples of common diagnostic data sources that may assist educators in designing individualized instruction and intensifying intervention for students.

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Quick and Easy High School Reading Assessments

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Quick and Easy High School Reading Assessments

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Quick and Easy High School Reading Assessments
Adolescent readers are often expected to read texts in their content classes that are too difficult for them. This guarantees failure and frustration on the part of students and teachers. By administering a simple and efficient 1-minute fluency probe, content teachers can determine which of their students are simply unable to read grade level texts. To meet the needs of students who are reading below grade level, teachers can search the Eureka Trade Books collection to find authentic alternative texts.

The following 1-minute probes, developed by Tim Rasinski at Kent State University, were drawn from 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade content textbooks. Their use provides reliable data on high school students' reading ability.

Below are links to the reading passages as well as instructions for administering the probes in PDF format and a link to the electronic scoring sheet.

Directions for administering the Graded Passages
Computer assisted scoring for Graded Passages results
Set A - Cities
Set B - Intrigues and Explorations
Set C - Artists
Set D - Biographies

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Ohio Literacy Alliance - Quick and Easy High School Reading Assessments

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Adolescent readers are often expected to read texts in their content classes that are too difficult for them. This guarantees failure and frustration on the part of students and teachers. By administering a simple and efficient 1-minute fluency probe, content teachers can determine which of their students are simply unable to read grade level texts.

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Reading Assessment Model, Grades 5-12 (Keys to Literacy)

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Reading Assessment Model, Grades 5-12 (Keys to Literacy)

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Reading Assessment Model, Grades 5-12 - Keys to Literacy

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By the time students reach grade 5 and beyond, they require grade-level reading skills in order to learn and meet the growing demands of challenging text encountered in the secondary grades. It is therefore essential to screen all students at least once a year to determine if their literacy skills are keeping up with grade-level requirements. Many schools rely solely on high-stakes state assessments to determine grade-level reading ability for these grades. While this kind of assessment offers a first glance of who may be struggling to read, they do not provide sufficient data to determine why, and more importantly, the type of intervention supports these students need.

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Adolescent Literacy Tips for Screening and Assessment (FCRR)

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Adolescent Literacy Tips for Screening and Assessment (FCRR)

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