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Book
Text Complexity: Raising Rigor in Reading
by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey and Diane Lapp
Grades | 4 – 12 |
Type | Book |
Published | April 2012 |
Publisher | ![]() |
This book is out of print, but may be found at a local library.
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Description |
Selecting appropriate reading material for students is hard. For decades, teachers have known that quality instruction requires a careful matching of materials to students. The goal is to select materials that are neither too difficult nor too easy for students--a phenomenon sometimes called the Goldilocks Rule. To ensure that students learn to read increasingly complex texts, teachers have to understand what makes a text hard. The introduction of the Common Core State Standards has also placed a spotlight on text complexity. This book focuses on the quantitative and qualitative factors of text complexity as well as the ways in which readers can be matched with texts and tasks. It also examines how close readings of complex texts scaffold students understanding and allow them to develop the skills necessary to read like a detective.
Fisher, D., Frey, N., & Lapp, D. (2012). Text complexity: Raising rigor in reading. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Grades 2 – 5 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Writing Acrostic Poems with Thematically Related Texts in the Content Areas
Students read thematically related texts, scaffolded from simple to complex, to help them gather necessary concept vocabulary and background knowledge in a content area. They then write acrostic poems to organize and present their learning in a creative way.
Grades 1 – 2 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Amelia Bedelia Up Close! Closely Reading a Classic Story
Through a close reading of Amelia Bedelia, students reread the material to discuss text-dependent questions, promoting deep thinking about the text and its characters.
Grades 3 – 5 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Using Tiered Companion Texts to Comprehend Complex Nonfiction Texts
Students progress through increasingly difficult tiered texts to gain the necessary background knowledge and problem-solving skills to comprehend complex nonfiction texts.