Chapter 5

Many changes have occurred in the classroom since I was in elementary school. Our school office did not even have a computer then. Literature was limited to reading and English classes. We used our textbooks only and our teachers did not even attempt to arouse our interests in the often boring texts. My first experience with a teacher actually caring enough to motivate us was in seventh grade science. In fact, she is one reason I love science so much today!

Life experiences and proir knowledge definitely affect the way texts are received by students. These sources of knowledge work together to help children make sense of the information. As teachers, we must analyze a text to ensure that it is appropriate for the students in our classroom. Adding interesting resources that compliment the text will help motivate the students to learn.

Informational texts can sometimes be dry and complicated. In some cases, the teacher may need to simplify or spice up the content in some way. Other texts may need to be broken into chunks to prevent overwhelming the students with too much information at one time. We may also need to offer more examples and explanations for informational texts to enable students to make connections to their own lives. Narrative texts give students the chance to relate to the characters and situations presented. This reflection helps the students understand more about themselves and others around them. Digital texts play a role in how people view reality. For this reason, we must take great care to review these texts to prevent unintended messages from being conveyed to the students.

According to Conley, the best way to assess text complexity consists of evaluating how students experience the text. An early way to do this is by using readability formulas such as the Fry formula. The focus is on sentence and word length. However, many other factors such as readers' experiences and the required tasks should be considered. Readability checklists look at these additional factors: authority, accuracy and bias, understandability, usability, and interestability. The checklists are most appropriate when used with a particular group of students in mind.

Selecting texts needs to begin with identifying what information and skills the students need to learn. Textbooks can be supplemented with trade books and web sites. The more sources available for students, the more motivated they will be to learn.