Criterion Evidence: Does the resource provide reading, writing, and speaking activities grounded in evidence from text? Dimension 2.1 Meets Partially Meets Does Not Meet (Insufficient Evidence) Growth of Comprehension and Using Evidence From Texts: An overwhelming majority (80%) of all questions reviewed are text-dependent, and (Support document: Checklist for Evaluating Question Quality) Guiding Questions: • Do the questions focus students on the text? Do they require readers to produce evidence from the text? • Do questions ask about central ideas of the text? • Do they gradually build understanding of the text? • Do they address standard(s)? Dimension 2.2 Meets Partially Meets Does Not Meet (Insufficient Evidence) Emphasis on Argumentative and Informative Writing and Speaking: An overwhelming majority (80%) of all writing and speaking assignments reviewed require argumentative and informative writing and speaking. They require students to draw on evidence from texts to present careful analyses and well-defended claims. (Support document: Checklist for Evaluating Question Quality) Guiding Questions: • Are regular invitations for students to speak about the reading? • Do most writing and speaking assignments require students to provide text-based evidence? Do they make up 80% of the writing and speaking assignments? • Are there regular opportunities to write arguments and informative pieces? Summary of strengths and weaknesses: High-value actions needed to fill the gaps (check all actions that apply): ❏❏ Replace non-text-dependent questions with valuable text-dependent questions that target level- specific standards. ❏❏ Add a variety of text-based writing assignments, including short and longer writing assignments developed from the central ideas of the text. ❏❏ Add a culminating writing assignment developed from the central understanding of the text. ❏❏ Other: specific.
Overall Rating and placement in the Framework: Tight Alignment Most (four or more) of the dimensions are rated as Meets, with the remainder rated as Partially Meets. There are only a few minor revisions (or none at all) needed to improve alignment of the resource with the CCR standards. Partial Alignment Most (four or more) of the dimensions are rated at least as Partially Meets. Moderate revisions are needed to improve alignment of the resource with the CCR standards. Weak Alignment Most (three or more) of the dimensions are rated as Does Not Meet. Substantial revisions are needed to improve alignment of the resource with the CCR standards. Summary of key strengths and weaknesses: Notes:
Focus of text-dependent questions (check those that apply): ❏ Focus on determining central ideas or themes and analyzing their development (CCR Reading Standard 2) ❏ Focus on summarizing the key supporting details and ideas (CCR Reading Standard 2) ❏ Focus on analyzing how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact (CCR Reading Standard 3) ❏ Focus on why the author chose a particular word/ phrase (CCR Reading Standard 4) ❏ Focus on defining the most powerful academic words (CCR Reading Standard 4) ❏ Focus on how specific word choices shape meaning and tone (CCR Reading Standard 4) ❏ Focus on examining the impact of sentence or paragraph structures or patterns (CCR Reading Standard 5) ❏ Focus on looking for pivot points in the paragraph or sections of the text (CCR Reading Standard 5) ❏ Focus on how an author’s ideas are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs, etc. (CCR Reading Standard 5) ❏ Focus on how point of view or purpose shapes the content or style (CCR Reading Standard 6) ❏ Focus on integrating and evaluating content presented in diverse media and formats (CCR Reading Standard 7) ❏ Focus on specific claims and overarching arguments (CCR Reading Standard 8) ❏ Focus on the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence authors present (CCR Reading Standard 8) ❏ on how two or more texts address similar themes or topics (CCR Reading Standard 9) ❏ Focus on how authors writing about the same topic shape their presentation of key information (CCR Reading Standard 9) List level-specific, text-dependent questions based on the focus areas identified in the chart above.6 6 Refer to the Checklist for Evaluating Question Quality for assistance with items 9 and 10. Adapted for TCSG Adult Education from College and Career Readiness Standards-in-Action | 6 |
Quantitative and Qualitative Text Complexity Resources The first advance in college and career readiness standards is “regular practice with complex text.” The following tools help reviewers place texts of certain complexity levels within an adult education level of learning. There are both quantitative measures and qualitative measures. Educators should first use quantitative measures to locate a text within a band level. Once a text is located within a band by using quantitative measures, educators should use qualitative measures to determine other important aspects of texts and position a text at the high, middle, or low end of a band. Access to Quantitative Analysis Tools Use these directions to access various quantitative analysis or machine scoring tools. There is no fee to use any of these tools. ATOS Analyzer: Renaissance Learning 1. Select “ATOS for text.” 2. Copy and your text into the window and hit submit. Note: There is no ability to create an account and store results.
Qualitative Analysis Rubric for Informational Texts 3 The following rubric includes all the factors to consider for making qualitative judgments about the complexity of informational texts. Feature Slightly Complex Moderately Complex Very Complex Exceedingly Complex STRUCTURE Organization: Connections among ideas, processes, or events are explicit and clear; organization of text is chronological, sequential, or easy to predict. Text Features: If used, help the reader navigate and understand content but are not essential to understanding content. Graphics: If used, are simple and unnecessary to understanding the text, but may support and assist readers in understanding the text. Organization: Connections some ideas or events are implicit or subtle; organization is evident and generally sequential or chronological. Text Features: If used, enhance the reader’s understanding of content. Graphics: If used, are mostly supplemental to understanding the text. Organization: Connections an expanded range of ideas, processes, or events are often implicit or subtle; organization may contain multiple pathways or exhibit some discipline-specific traits. Text Features: If used, directly enhance the reader’s understanding of content. Graphics: If used, support or are integral to understanding the text. Organization: Connections an extensive range of ideas, processes, or events are deep, intricate, and often ambiguous; organization is intricate or discipline- Text Features: If used, are essential in understanding content. Graphics: If used, are intricate, extensive, and integral to making meaning of the text; may provide information not otherwise conveyed in the text. LANGUAGE CLARITY AND CONVENTIONS Conventionality: Language is explicit, literal, straightforward, and easy to understand. Conventionality: Language is largely explicit and easy to understand, with some occasions for more complex meaning. Conventionality: Language is fairly complex; contains some abstract, ironic, and/or figurative language. Conventionality: Language is dense and complex; contains considerable abstract, ironic, and/or figurative language.
Feature Slightly Complex Moderately Complex Very Complex Exceedingly Complex LANGUAGE CLARITY AND CONVENTIONS (continued) Vocabulary: Words are contemporary, familiar, and conversational. Sentence Structure: Uses mainly simple sentences. Vocabulary: Words are mostly contemporary, familiar, and conversational; rarely overly academic. Sentence Structure: Uses primarily simple and compound sentences, with some complex constructions. Vocabulary: are fairly complex and sometimes unfamiliar, archaic, subject- specific, or overly academic. Sentence Structure: Uses many complex sentences, with several subordinate phrases or clauses and transition words. Vocabulary: Words are complex and generally unfamiliar, archaic, subject- specific, or overly academic; may be ambiguous or purposefully misleading. Sentence Structure: Uses mainly complex sentences, with several subordinate clauses or phrases and transition sentences often contain multiple concepts. KNOWLEDGE DEMANDS Subject Matter Knowledge: Relies on everyday, practical knowledge; includes simple, concrete ideas. Intertextuality: Includes no references or allusions to other texts, or outside ideas, theories, etc. Subject Matter Knowledge: Relies on common, practical knowledge and some discipline-specific content knowledge; includes a mix of simple and more complicated, abstract ideas. Intertextuality: Includes few references or allusions to other texts or outside ideas, theories, etc. Subject Matter Knowledge: Relies on moderate levels of discipline-specific or theoretical knowledge; includes a mix of recognizable ideas and challenging abstract concepts. Intertextuality: Includes some references or allusions to texts or outside ideas, theories, etc. Subject Matter Knowledge: Relies on extensive levels of discipline-specific or theoretical knowledge; includes a range of challenging abstract concepts. Intertextuality: Includes many references or allusions to texts or outside ideas, theories, etc. PURPOSE Purpose: Is explicitly stated, concrete, and narrowly focused. Purpose: Is implied but easy to identify based on context or source. Purpose: Is implicit or subtle but fairly easy to infer; is more theoretical or abstract than concrete. Purpose: Is subtle and intricate, and difficult to determine; includes many theoretical or abstract elements. Adapted for TCSG Adult Education from College and Career Readiness Standards-in-Action| 10 |
Feature Slightly Complex Moderately Complex Very Complex Exceedingly Complex LANGUAGE CLARITY AND CONVENTIONS (continued) Vocabulary: are contemporary, familiar, and conversational. Sentence Structure: Uses mainly simple sentences. Vocabulary: Words are mostly contemporary, familiar, and conversational; rarely overly academic. Sentence Structure: Uses primarily simple and compound sentences, with some complex constructions. Vocabulary: Words are fairly complex and sometimes unfamiliar, archaic, subject- specific, or overly academic. Sentence Structure: Uses many complex sentences, with several subordinate phrases or clauses and transition words. Vocabulary: Words are complex and generally unfamiliar, archaic, subject- specific, or overly academic; may be ambiguous or purposefully misleading. Sentence Structure: Uses mainly complex sentences, with several subordinate clauses or phrases and transition words; sentences often contain multiple concepts. KNOWLEDGE DEMANDS Life Experiences: Explores a single theme; experiences portrayed are everyday and common to most readers. Intertextuality: Includes no reference or allusion to other texts or outside ideas, theories, etc. Life Experiences: Explores several themes; experiences portrayed are common to many readers. Intertextuality: Includes few references or allusions to other texts or outside ideas, theories, etc. Life Experiences: Explores themes of varying levels of complexity or abstraction; experiences portrayed are uncommon to most readers. Intertextuality: Includes some references or allusions to other texts or outside ideas, theories, etc. Life Experiences: Explores complex, sophisticated, or abstract themes; experiences portrayed are distinctly different from those of most readers. Intertextuality: Includes many references or allusions to texts or outside ideas, theories, etc. MEANING Meaning: Has one level of meaning; theme is obvious and revealed early in the text. Meaning: Has multiple levels of meaning clearly distinguished from each other; theme is clear but may be conveyed with some subtlety. Meaning: Has multiple levels of meaning that may be difficult to identify or separate; is implicit or subtle and may be revealed over the entirety of the text. Meaning: Has multiple competing levels of meaning that are difficult to identify, separate, and interpret; theme is implicit or subtle, often ambiguous and revealed over the entirety of the text. Adapted for TCSG Education from College and Career Readiness Standards-in-Action | 12 |