Teaching TEXT STRUCTURE to Middle and High School Students

Every teacher knows that vocabulary and comprehsension of reading passages are what most students struggle with and shy away from. The influx of new words and incomprehensible content drives students away from liking reading, much less, get into class participation, for fear of underperforming.

Every teacher also knows that understanding how text is laid out helps with the comprehension of a passage. Now, the passage’s content may be difficult, but if students can properly navigate their reading, they’ll have a fighting chance of understanding their text.

Here are 11 types of TEXT STRUCTURE ideas to help teachers to get students to understand their readinGS.

1. HEADINGS/GRAPHICS

Yes. The obvious one. Students can have an idea of what a passage is about from first looking at the reading’s title or graphics. Is the title bolded? Does it remind them of anything? Is there a subtext? Are their parentheses? Does the picture or graphic trigger something to get them ready for their reading? The author gives clues through these mechanisms. Highlighted quotes, different fonts, italicized or underlined words also add insight to text.

2. DEFINITION AND DESCRIPTION

If the author wants readers to understand a new concept or visualize an idea, he may provide lots and lots of details. Students need to understand this. Because the author cannot be their his use of imagery allows his words to create that image in reader’s minds. Have students create a picture in their minds as they read.

3. CHRONOLOGICAL, PROCESS, OR SEQUENCE

From first to last, from left to right, from beginning to end, students need to know that sometimes the listing of dates and ideas give clues to the outcome of the reading. When they pay attention to key words like First, last, finally, then, etc. they will be able to see where their passage is going.

4. PROBLEM AND SOLUTION

Authors will sometimes start their passages with a problem and walk us through their thought-process of finding a solution. Students will need practice with this to notice how this works.

Some will get lost in the words and explanations that they do not realize that they need to be reading and following the writer as he looks for a solution. Words and transitions like We need to, Solved by, Issues are and others help students find their way t the solutions.

5. COMPARE/CONTRAST

How things are the same and different offer students a way to understand what they read. An author may compare two or more things in his topic and students need to figure this out.

Likewise, looking at the differences topics offer give student readers a way to navigate their passages. Using Venn Diagrams, 3-Column charts, vocabulary like both, alike, unlike, same, and in contrast add to students’ arsenal of tools to comprehend topics.

6. CAUSE AND EFFECT

Because one thing happened, it caused another. Authors tell about an event and state what happened because of it. Students need to understand how this works. Popular in science and history classes, students have many ways and charts to identify these moments in their reading.

7. NARRATIVE

Can a story with details give ideas of a concept? Yes. Students can understand difficult ideas through an author’s dynamic storytelling skills. Giving students story elements helps them understand how stories work, and thus understand what the author wants to relay.

8. ENUMERATION AND LISTS

Information is presented as a list of items or points. This structure is straightforward and is often used for providing details, examples, or reasons. This will be easy for students to recognize. Now, what do we do with this information? Do we create a craft? Do we create a meal? Do we come up with a plan of some sort. These skills are needed as students navigate life.

9. CAUSAL ANALYSIS

This text structure delves into the causes of a particular event or phenomenon, seeking to explain why something happened the way it did. History teachers love this method. Students get to see how one thing happened and why and how. Students can comprehend test passages easy enough when they practice this method in class.

10. CLASSIFICATION

Types of bacteria, types of horses, types of wheat, genre of horror short stories. Do you see where I’m going with this? Yes. Grouping similar ideas and types of a thing will enable students comprehension of their texts. Information is categorized into groups or classes based on shared characteristics or criteria. This structure is commonly used in scientific and technical writing.

11. SPATIAL OR DESCRIPTIVE

This type of text structure ties into to HEADINGS AND GRAPHICS. As students read this type of text, they will easily navigate the passage via its use of maps, charts, fonts, and timelines – mostly, related to geography and travel. This structure arranges information based on physical location or spatial relationships. It is often used in travel writing, geography, and descriptions of places.

Now, I will admit that this is a lot to digest; however, these varied ways will help our students pass their exams or more importantly, understand text in your classes.

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Give your students the power to understand their readings through these dynamic strategies! Good luck on your teaching journey! Thank you for all you do.