perspectives on text complexity in 2011 february 23, 2011 presented by: a. jackson stenner
TRANSCRIPT
Perspectives on Text Complexity in 2011
February 23, 2011Presented by:
A. Jackson Stenner
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Overview
Introduction to MetaMetrics and the Frameworks
Text Complexity, Reader Ability, and Comprehension Rates
Text Complexity Continuum Dimensionality of Reading How Well Does the Lexile Theory
Work? Free Resources for Educators
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Founded in 1984 as an organization focused on psychometric research and development
Research funded by five grants from NIH Introduced The Lexile Framework® for Reading
in 1997 Introduced The Quantile Framework® for
Mathematics in 2005 Introduced The Lexile Framework® for Writing
in 2006
Introduction to MetaMetrics
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Measurement Properties– Vertical Scale– Common Supplemental Scale– Focus on Individual Student Growth K-16– Connects the Day-to-Day with the Year-to-Year
Metric is Instrument-Independent Instructional Properties
– Differentiated Instruction– Links Assessment/Instruction– Educator, Parent, and Student Actionable
Features and Benefits of Our Frameworks
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Reading is a process in which information
from the text and the knowledge
possessed by the reader act together
to produce meaning.
Anderson, R.C., Hiebert, E.H., Scott, J.A., & Wilkinson, I.A.G. (1985) Becoming a nation of readers: The report of the Commission on Reading
Urbana, IL: University of Illinois
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A causal model relating reader ability, text complexity and comprehension
Measures reader ability and text complexity on a common scale—the Lexile scale
Allows educators to forecast the level of comprehension a reader is likely to experience with a particular text
The Lexile Framework for Reading
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=Reader Ability
Text ComplexityComprehension -
Conceptual
Statistical
RawScore
= Σi
e (RA – TC )i
1 + e (RA – TC i )
RA = Reader Ability
TC = Text Complexity
An Equation
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Comprehension Rates for Readers of Different Ability with Texts of the Same Complexity or How Reader Ability and Comprehension Rate Relate Under Constant Text Complexity
Reader Ability Classroom Textbook Comprehension Rates
500L750L
1000L1250L1500L
1000L1000L1000L1000L1000L
25%50%75%90%96%
Comprehension Rates for Fixed Text Complexity
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Comprehension Rates for Readers of the Same Ability with Texts of Different Complexity or How Reader Ability and Comprehension Rate Relate Under Varying Text Complexity
ReaderAbility
TextComplexit
yText Titles
Comprehension Rates
1000L
1000L
1000L
1000L
1000L
500L
750L
1000L
1250L
1500L
The Magic School Bus, Inside the
Earth (Cole)
The Martian Chronicles (Bradbury)
The Reader’s Digest
The Call of the Wild (London)
On Equality Among Mankind
(Rousseau)
96%
90%
75%
50%
25%
Comprehension Rates for Fixed Reader Ability
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Williamson, G.L. (2008). A text readability continuum for post-secondary readiness.
Journal of Advanced Academics, 19(4), 602-632.
Text Complexity Continuum
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Observed vs. Aspirational Text Complexity Stenner, A.J., Koons, H., Swartz, C.W. (2009). Closing the text complexity gap: Reconceptualizing the text curve.
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Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9 Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
Text Continuum by Content Area
HealthLanguage ArtsLiteratureMathematicsScienceSocial Studies
Lexile M
easure
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Community/Techncial College(N=37)
Community College(N=48)
Four-Year (N=52)
All(N=137)
700
800
900
1000
1100
1200
1300
1400
700
800
900
1000
1100
1200
1300
1400
1500
1600
Distribution of Text Readability Measures for the Texas Higher Education Coor-dinating Board
(Box Plots: min, 25th, 50th, 75th, max)L
ex
ile
Me
as
ure
Standard = 1015L
THECB = 1170L
Commended = 1490L
Commissioned by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Boardwww.thecb.state.tx.us/collegereadiness/MetaMetrics-Technical-Report-Update.pdf
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Consistency Across States Cut Points
– Commended/Advanced– 1490L, 1475L, 1460L
– College Ready– 1170L, 1200L, 1215L
– Standard/Basic– 1015L, 960L, 980L
Text Distributions
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Text ViewVs
Reader View
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r = 0.952
r” = 0.960
R2” = 0.921
RMSE” = 99.8L
Figure 1: Plot of Theoretical Text Complexity versus Empirical Text Complexity for 475 articles
“Mythology”
Reliability = .996SEM = 12L
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Oasis: Usage Report by Grade
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Oasis: Usage Report by Reader Lexile
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Oasis: Usage Report By Category of Article
