1. No category

How to Teach Expository Text Structure to Facilitate Reading Comprehension
Author(s): Masoumeh Akhondi, Faramarz Aziz Malayeri, Arshad Abd Samad
Reviewed work(s):
Source: The Reading Teacher, Vol. 64, No. 5 (FEBRUARY 2011), pp. 368-372
Published by: International Reading Association
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41000932 .
Accessed: 17/01/2012 20:35
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .
http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of
content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms
of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
International Reading Association is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The
Reading Teacher.
http://www.jstor.org
û
How to Teach Expository Text Structure
to Facilitate Reading Comprehension
Masoumeh Akhondi, Faramarz Aziz Malayeri, Arshad Abd Samad
il
!pr
■"Iff
I
I
thepast60 years,readingcomprehen- appliedin readingclasses. Readingteachersmay
sionhaschangeditsemphasisfrom
themas- findteachingtextstructure
forexpository
textsan
teryofskillsand subskillsthatare learned effective
techniquetoimprove
readingachievement
by roteand automatizedto a focuson learning averages.
whichare adaptable,flexible,
and,most
strategies,
inthecontrolofthereader(Dole, Duffy,
important,
& Pearson,1991).One ofthemostefficient Why Teach Expository Text
Roehler,
forwhichthereisan influx
ofresearchand
strategies
Structures?
students
on textstructure
knowl- Most
practiceis training
textsarestructured
tofacilitate
the
expository
theircomprehension
oftheexposiedgetofacilitate
for
readers.
These
texts
studyprocess prospective
torytexts.
containstructural
elements
thathelpguidestudents
Readersofall ages mustbe awareoftextstructheirreading.Authorsofexpository
texts
through
turesiftheyaretobe mostsuccessful
2003). use thesestructures
(Meyer,
toarrangeand connectideas.
The structure
or organization
ofthetextis thearStudentswho understandthe idea of textstrucof
ideas
and
the
relationships
rangement
amongthe tureand howto
analyzeitare likelyto learnmore
ideas (Armbruster,
2004).Readerswhoare unaware thanstudents
who lackthisunderstanding
(RAND
ofthetextstructures
areat a disadvantage
because
The researchliterature
Group,
2002).
Reading
Study
theydo notapproachreadingwithanytypeofread- inthisfieldrevealsthatstudents'
comprehenreading
ingplan (Meyer,Brandt,& Bluth,1980).However,
sionskillsimprove
whentheyacquireknowledge
of
readerswhoare familiar
withtextstructures
expect
texts'
structural
and
use
them
development
properly.
theinformation
to unfoldin certainways(RAND
Carrell(1985) arguedthatinstruction
on text
ReadingStudyGroup,
2002).
indeedhasa positive
effect
on thestudents'
Studentsfirst
learnto read narrative
textstruc- structure
recall
stated
thatknowledge
protocols.
Meyer(1985)
thatfacilitate
structures
tures,whichare story-like
of
the
rhetorical
of
the
ideas- main
relationship
theirlearningto read.Consequently,
studentsendetails- helps
idea, majorideas, and supporting
terschoolhavinga sense ofnarrative
structures
as
readerswiththeircomprehension
oftheexpository
theyappearintexts.Acrosstheyearsofschool,their
havearguedthatknowlawarenessoftextstructures
mustincreaseas they texts.Readingresearchers
of
text
or
structure
isan important
edge
organization
shift
from
lineorcasual
progressively
readinga story
factor
for
text
Aebersold
& Field,
(see
comprehension
texttoreading
forinformation
(Lorch& Lorch,1996).
2006;Grabe,1991,2004,2008;Hall,
there 1997;Fletcher,
Bythethird
grade,andobviously
bythefourth,
is a noticeableshift
toreadingtextsforinformation, Sabey,& McClellan,2005;Horiba,2000; Kendeou
2003;Meyer& Poon,
in long & van den Broek,2007;Meyer,
information
thatis oftendenseand written
2010).
2004;RAND 2001;Snyder,
passages (Gillet,Temple,& Crawford,
Text
features
can helpreaderslocateand orga2002).
ReadingStudyGroup,
inthetext.Forexample,headings
nize
information
to TheNationsReportCard(National
According
studentstospecificbitsofinformaCenterforEducationStatistics,
2009),no significant helpintroduce
inthismanner
tion.
information
in achievement
were
differences
offourth
helpsstuPresenting
graders
intheir
short-term
observedacrossgroups.A partofthiscouldbe due dentsholdeach bitofinformation
Students
thencan processitorconnectit
totheineffectiveness
ofcurrent
techniques memory.
teaching
The ReadingTeacher,64(5),pp. 368-372
DOI:10.1598/RT.64.5.9
© 2011 International
ReadingAssociation
ISSN: 0034-0561 print/ 1936-2714online
tobackground
and storeitintheirlongknowledge
termmemory.
Without
information
would
headings,
be overwhelming,
it
difficult
to
be
processed
making
effectively.
Structuralelementsin expositorytextsvary;
tothe
itis important
tointroduce
students
therefore,
theschool
ofvarioustextsthroughout
components
to
teach
and
model
theuse
It
is
also
important
year.
ofthe
atthebeginning
ofthesecomponents
properly
and use oftextorganischoolyear.Therecognition
zationare essentialprocessesunderlying
compreAs earlyas thethirdgrade,
hensionand retention.
text
students
are expectedto recognizeexpository
these
text
strucclassified
structures.
Meyer(1985)
turesas follows:
- Theauthordescribesa topic.
■Description
■Sequence - The authoruses numericalor
ordertolistitemsorevents.
chronological
- The authorcomparesand
■Compare/contrast
twoormoresimilarevents,topics,or
contrasts
objects.
- The authordelineatesone or
■Cause/effect
morecauses and thendescribestheensuing
effects.
- Theauthor
■Problem/solution
posesa problem
orquestionandthengivestheanswer.
studentslearnthesignalwordsand phrases
inthetextthatidentify
each textpattern.
They
also mayuse graphicorganizersto illustrate
thesepatterns.
3. Invitestudents
towriteparagraphs
usingeach
textstructure
The
students'
first
writpattern
shouldbe a whole-classactivity,
ingactivity
and indepenfollowed
bysmall-group,
partner,
Thisinvolvesselecting
dentwriting
activities.
to plan
a topicand usinga graphicorganizer
theparagraphs.Finally,thestudentswritea
roughdraftusingsignalwordsand phrases
forthetextstructure,
revise,and edittheparafinal
Theteacher
to
the
product.
graph produce
can thenrepeatthesestepsforeach ofthefive
text
textstructures
toensurea comprehensive
structure
coverage.
by
Havingappliedtheprocedurerecommended
Tompkins(1998),we wouldliketo shareourown
and
textstructure
experienceinteaching
expository
shedmorelighton thepracticalaspectsofteaching
inreadingclasses.The first
and most
textstructure
is
to
be well
for
as
a
teacher
important
thing you
aboutdifferent
textstructures
forexposiinformed
words
for
the
and
texts,
phrases each text
signal
tory
the
and
structure,
speappropriate
graphicorganizer
cifictoeach textstructure.
Before
and analyzethesetextstrucThe abilityto identify
plantostart
youprepareanyinstructional
on
students
and
embark
textshelpsreadersto compre- training
turesin expository
readingactivities,
the
Meanwhile,
hendthetextmoreeasilyand retainitlonger.To youmustmodelall theprocedures.
have
on
the
watch
students
to
recommended
itis highly
achievebetterresults,
stepsyou
youfocusing
thesignalwordsand
fromrecognizing
in theorder mentioned,
and workon textstructures
introduce
to each
inwhatfollows.
phrasesto applyingthegraphicorganizers
prescribed
the
first
few
sessions
have
for
text.After
practiced
you
on
havecollectedenoughbackground
andstudents
How to Teach Expository Text
whattheyaregoingtodo,itis timetouse thefollowStructure
procedure:
ingrecommended
thefollowing
threesteps
(1998)suggested
Tompkins
inorder,starting
1.Introduce
thetextstructures
textstructures:
toteachexpository
withcompare/
and
withdescription finishing
Thisorderis followedin mosttextcontrast.
- The
1.Introducean organizationalpattern
book
readings.
thesignalwordsand phrasteacherintroduces
2. Introduce
and workon a singletextstructure
and gives
es thatidentify
each textstructure
in each lesson.Do notcombinethem.Work
foreach pattern.
students
a graphic
organizer
on
one textstructure
forthreeorfoursessions,
2. Givestudentsopportunities
to workon the
then
to
the
next
one.
proceed
text The teacherprovidesthestudents
with
in inshortpassages(aboutsixtoeightlines)
chancesto analyzethetextstructures
3. Prepare
formational
forthetextstructure
books,notstories.Atthisstage,
youare goingtoworkon
How to Teach ExpositoryTextStructureto FacilitateReading Comprehension
"Alt
'IAS
thatauthorsofin(see Figure1).Tellstudents
formational
textsuse specificsignalwordsand
structure.
phrasesforeach rhetorical
5. After
studentsare familiar
withsignalwords
and phrases,ask themto findtheseclues in
thetext.Askthemto recognizetherhetorical
inthatsession.As thetextsareshort,
youcan
workonatleastfourtextsaccording
tothetime
allocatedforeach session.
4. Trytohighlight
andemphasizethesignalwords
and phrasesin each textand elaborateon a
seriesofsignalwordsforeach textstructure
Figure 1
Graphic Organizers and Signal Words/Phrases
'.
C^>
'
!
.|
■
¡
<
>
V
__^s
'
/'"""
|
V^
|
i
y
I
1
V,
^y
4
*
Sequence
''
y
|
/
!
^
Alike
|
"1
|
|
!
I
'^
|
Different
!
|
|
i
|
|
|
|
|
'
Compare/Contrast
i
Problem
y-
'
f
Solution
_
I
'
1
Problem/Solution
"
^ ;
,/'
|
|
|
!
I
|
|
j
|
¡
'v
I
3.
~'^Nx
f
Ii
Description
'
i
1 !
' !
' _
^J
¡'
I
i
y
"N
1
!
] i 2.
C";
/-
i
Cause
k^
#1
Effect
"~~
"
J
y' ' "__
j
'
l
#2 I
Effect
I
,
I
#3 j
X[^ Effect
Cause/Effect
|
|
!
| j
Signal Words/Phrases
for
Description forexample, characteristics,
instance,such as, is like,including,
¡
to illustrate
|
first,second, third,later,next,
| Sequence
before,then,finally,
after,when,
I
j
later,since, now, previously
|
on
the
other
however,
nevertheless,
Compare/
hand, but,similarly,
although,also,
I contrast
in contrast,different,
alike,same
|
inthe same way,just
as, either/or,
|
!
like,just as, likewise,in comparison,
whereas,yet
|
| Cause/
if-then,reasons why as a result,
;
therefore,because, consequently,
I effect
so
due
since,
that,
for,
hence,
to,
|
thus,thisled to
|
|
problem is, dilemma is, if-then,
| Problem/
because, so that,question/answer,
| solution
I
puzzle is solved
|
Note. Online sources forgraphicorganizersinclude www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/SCORE/actbank/sorganiz.htm
and www.u-46.org/dbs/roadmap/ ■
files/comprehension/Sexpostext.pdf.
jm
>w
The Reading Teacher
_
Vol. 64, No. 5
February201 1
^Jw
ofeachtextthrough
structure
signalwordsand fun.As studentslearnto read,theyshouldlearnto
different
textstructures
so theycan predict
invite
them
to
write
someshort recognize
Then,
phrases.
words
included.
of
the
of
information
is
and
use
some
what
Consequently,
signal
type
paragraphs
toeach textstructure. thebasic need is forteachersto teachstudentsto
andphrasesappropriate
and decidewhatinformation
textstructures
withgraphicorganizersis thenext identify
6. Working
in
their
most
important
readings.
stepafterteachingsignalwordsand phras- is
texts
is criticalforgrowth
expository
Reading
with
of
fewsessions working
es. Forthefirst
most
in
and
urgentto ranknormal
readingability
prepareforyourstudents
graphicorganizers,
and ana completedgraphicorganizerbeforethey achievers;theabilityto read,comprehend,
mainidea,
texts(i.e., identifying
on thetext.Thiswillhelpthem alyze expository
startworking
be good
could
and
details)
ofideas majorideas,
supporting
createa better
imageofthehierarchy
academicreadingachievetorankstudents'
discussedin the criteria
and theirinterrelationships
readmeasure
and rankstudents'
to
ment.
One
list
students
way
help
passage.Graphicorganizers
teach
the
texts
is
to
of
achievement
expository
majorideasunderthemainideaofthetextand ing
text
structures.
Thiswillraisetext
the
related
maunder
details
the
through
reading
put supporting
is
assumed
tolead toa perawareness
and
structure
of
the
a
idea.
representation
jor
Having graphic
in
skill.
and re- manentimprovementreading
text'sideashelpsreaderscomprehend
tainthecontent.
withdifferent References
are comfortable
7.Once students
can
kindsofgraphicorganizers,
teach& Field,M.L.(1997).Fromreaderto
you
givethem Aebersold,
J.A.,
reading
New
forsecondlanguageclassrooms.
er:Issuesandstrategies
an incompletegraphicorganizerafterthey
Press.
York:Cambridge
University
havefinishedreadingthepassage. Letthem
texts.In D. Lapp,J.Flood,
B.B.(2004).Considerate
Armbruster,
iton theirown.
complete
& N. Farnan(Eds.), Contentarea readingand learning:
Instructional
strategies(2nd ed., pp. 47-58). Mahwah,NJ:
8. Atthisstage,thestudentswouldbe able to
Erlbaum.
workon a blankgraphicorganizerindepen- Carrell,
textstrucPL. (1985).Facilitating
ESLreading
byteaching
thetext,and demelicittheideas from
ture.TESOLQuarterly,
dently,
19(4),727-752.doi:10.2307/3586673
G.G.,Roehler,L.R.,& Pearson,P.D. (1991).
oftheideasina graphic Dole, J.A.,Duffy,
thehierarchy
onstrate
from
the
oldtothenew:Researchonreading
compreMoving
Theseactivities
mayvaryfromparorganizer.
ReviewofEducational
hensioninstruction.
Research,6/(2),
tototally
blank
tiallyblankgraphicorganizers
239-264.
like
the Fletcher,J.M.(2006). Measuringreadingcomprehension.
Variables
schematicrepresentations.
Scientific
StudiesofReading,10(3), 323-330.doi:10.1207/
willdetermine
textlengthand textdifficulty
sl532799xssrl003_7
howmuchofthetextmayappearinthisscheA.N.(2004). Understanding
Gillet,
J.W.,
Temple,C, & Crawford,
maticdiagram.
(6thed.).
readingproblems:Assessmentand instruction
As thestudents
progresstothefinalstage,they
areabletousethesignalwordsandphrasesas a clue
ofthetextand
structure
torecognizetherhetorical
foreachtext
createtheappropriate
graphic
organizer
themain
of
are
structure.
They capable identifying
details
ofthe
and
other
idea,
majorideas, supporting
to illustextand putthemin thegraphicorganizer
ofthedetailstothemainand
tratethesubordination
majorideas.
Summary
Asstudents
school,theyfacehavthrough
progress
texts
thatrequirethem
to
read
texts,
challenging
ing
insteadofsimply
toreadforinformation
readingfor
Boston:Pearson.
in second language
Grabe,W. (1991).Current
developments
reading research. TESOL Quarterly,25(3), 375-406.
doi:10.2307/3586977
Annual
Reviewof
onteaching
Grabe,W.(2004).Research
reading.
24,44-69.doi:10.1017/S0267190504000030
Applied
Linguistics,
tohelpdeGrabe,W.(2008,May,29-31).Usinggraphic
organizers
attheTESOL
skills.Paperpresented
andwriting
velopreading
Canada.
Toronto,
Ontario,
conference,
text
Hall,K.M.,Sabey,B.L.,& McClellan,M. (2005). Expository
teachersuse exposicomprehension:
Helpingprimary-grade
26(3), 211torytextstofulladvantage.ReadingPsychology,
234.doi:10.1080/02702710590962550
oflanguage
Horiba,Y. (2000).Readercontrolinreading:Effects
texttypeand task.DiscourseProcesses,29(3),
competence,
223-267.doi:10.1207/S15326950dp2903_3
Kendeou,P.,& van den Broek,P. (2007). The effectsofprior
on comprehension
and textstructure
processes
knowledge
& Cognition,
texts.Memory
35(1),
during
readingofscientific
1567-1577.
How to Teach ExpositoryTextStructureto FacilitateReading Comprehension
¿*
■Try -
oforganizational
Lorch,R.F.,& Lorch,E.P.(1996). Effects
PutraMalaysia,
sig- Akhonditeachesat theUniversiti
nalson freerecallofexpository
text.Journal
ofEducational Se
e-mail
langor,Malaysia;
masoumeh631@yahoo
88{'' 38-48.doi:10.1037/0022-0663.88.1.38
Psychology,
.com.
Aziz
eri
teaches
at theUniversiti
Putra
Malay
J.B.F.
Prose
and
(1985).
Meyer,
analysis:Purposes,procedures,
InB.K.Britten
& J.B.Black(Eds.),Understanding Malaysia;[email protected]
problems.
text:A theoretical
andpractical
handbookforanaexpository
teachesat theUniversiti
PutraMalaysia;e-mail
text(pp. 11-64).Hillsdale,
NJ:Erlbaum.
lyzing
explanatory
[email protected].
J.B.F.(2003).Textcoherenceand readability.
Meyer,
Topicsin
23(3), 204-224.doi:10.1097/00011363
LanguageDisorders,
-200307000-00007
J.B.F,Brandt,
D.M.,& Bluth,G.J.(1980).Use oftop-level
Meyer,
structure
in text:Keyforreadingcomprehension
ofninthReadWriteThink.org Lesson Plan
76(1),72-103.
gradestudents.
ReadingResearchQuarterly,
■ "Blending Fictionand Nonfictionto improve
doi:10.2307/747349
Comprehensionand WritingSkills"by
ofstructure
& Poon,L.W.(2001).Effects
J.B.F.,
Meyer,
strategy
ito
Stephanie Affin
ofEducational
andsignaling
on recalloftext.Journal
training
doi:10.1037/0022-0663.93.1.141
93(1),141-159.
Psychology,
IRA Books
NationalCenterforEducationStatistics.
(2009). Thenation'sre■ Guided Comprehensionin Grades 3-8 (2nd ed.)
ofEducational
Assessment
portcard.Reading2009:National
by Maureen Mclaughlinand MaryBethAllen
Progressat grades4 and 8 (NCES 2010-458).Washington,
■ Guided Comprehensionin the Primary
Grades
of EducationSciences, U.S. Departmentof
DC: Institute
(2nd ed.) by Maureen McLaughlin
Education.Retrieved
November
2, 2010,fromnces.ed.gov/
■ ReciprocalTeachingat Work:Powerful
nationsreportcard/reading
RANDReadingStudyGroup.(2002).Readingforunderstanding:
Strategiesand Lessons forImprovingReading
Towardan R&D programin readingcomprehension.
Santa
Comprehension(2nd ed.) by LoriD. Oczkus
Monica,CA:RAND.
IRA Journal Article
L. (2010).Readingexpository
material:
Arewe askingthe
Snyder,
■ "Teaching ExpositoryText Structure
right
questions?TopicsinLanguageDisorders,
30(X),39-47.
doi:10.1097/TLD.0b013e3181d098b3
Awareness" by Susan Dymock,The Reading
andteaching
G.E.(1998).Languagearts:Content
stratTompkins,
Teacher,October 2005
NJ:Merrill.
egies.UpperSaddleRiver,
JET»
HW"" s il ...
!
lt#sAll About Comprehension
¡
|
on "Facilitating
DavidPearson's
(including
| AsnotedscholarandeducatorP.DavidPearsonsays webinars
j
"Whatelse is there?Itreally Comprehension,"
wherehe makesthecomment|
j aboutcomprehension,
reading." noted).
| is thewholepointofreadingandteaching
j
intheUnitedStateswillalso |
That'swhytheIRAwebsiteis fullofresources
Educators
working
i relatedto effective
A wanttovisitthedirectory
ofIRAbooksthatsupport
instruction.
comprehension
to
start
is
the
"Resources
of
the
! good place
componentsj
browsing
by implementation comprehension
I Topic- Comprehension"area, at www.reading oftheCommonCoreStandards,at www.reading
| .org/Resources/ResourcesByTopic/Comprehension/
.org/General/Publications/Books/CommonCore
You'll
find
links
to
| Overview.aspx.
publications, .aspx.
lessonplans,podcasts,and
| SpecialInterest
Groups,
^^^XyP:':--!' '
1
The Reading Teacher
^^^m££^^^Ê^
Vol. 64, No. 5
February201 1
'•*"
i