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Text Complexity Reflection James Francis University of New England

EDU 742 Dr Clarke October 2nd , 2012

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I chose to analyze the text found here: http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/jimihendrix.html0 in conjunction with a music history project found here: http://www.glogster.com/franciskerbob/27-club-glog/g-6l9blevbgggn3hfm5dk9ja0. Attached to the bottom of the reflection is the Text Complexity Analysis I completed prior to the reflection.

I decided to choose and analyze a text from the project that we worked on during a previous week. In this project, I created a Glog based on the 27 Club, which is a group of famous musicians who had their lives tragically cut short at the age of 27. Specifically, the text I chose focuses on the life and music of Jimi Hendrix. During this assignment, students have already learned about the basic history of classic rock from the 1950s to the 1980s along with all of the major historical events both musical and non-musical (ex. Vietnam, landing on the moon, Woodstock, etc). While doing the analysis of this project, I noticed several things. The first is exactly how in depth one should analyze a text before presenting it to a classroom. Some of the texts I give my students are texts that I have found on my own and I believe helpful to learn. However, after giving it to my class and occasionally seeing them struggle with the text, I noticed I have given them something that is much too difficult for them to handle. I also realized a few things about the Common Core Curriculum State Standards (or CCCSS) and the relation to the field of performing arts. Unfortunately, Massachusetts does not have CCCSS for the field of music, but rather the old National Music Standards are still around. In addition, regardless of which set of music standards you look at, none of the standards are sequential for the performing arts. Unlike math where concepts must be learnt before moving on, or history with a linear progression, each area of the music standards is independent of the others. Some standards may be used in conjunction with one another, but one does not need to master Standard 1 (according to the

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National Association of Music Educators, it is Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music) to be able to master Standard 6 (Listening to, analyzing, and describing music). After seeing the level of complication of the text chosen, and truly looking at and understanding its vocabulary level, it may help me choose different texts in the future. The text given was originally intended for a 7th grade classroom after the unit was redesigned from a 6th grade classroom. Now that I understand just how complex texts can be, and the required level of content specific literacy, prior to choosing a text for a class, I will look both at the individuals learning and the class as a whole. I will begin looking at the individuals in a class. If I was to analyze one of my current classes, I have students who are excelling in the class and have no need for additional support, but I also have one or two students whose reading comprehension is at a 4th grade level. This text would be too complex for them. Finally, looking at the class as a whole, I must take the class dynamic into consideration. I have one class (8th grade) that is enthusiastic for learning and are always striving to learn, so this text would not be a problem. However, in the same grade level, I have another class that tends to get off track and silly from time to time. It may not be appropriate for me to describe to them exactly how Jimi Hendrix died, as it may send the entire class off track. The first major challenge in my classroom is that of finding texts. Due to the nature of the class and the size of my school, there are no music textbooks available. For this, I tend to turn to the internet. Once I find a text I believe will work, I have to analyze it to make sure that it is of the appropriate level for students to understand and comprehend. Another challenge will be to find less complex biographies for my younger students. Just simplifying the biography of a musician down to the point where a much younger student would understand has the potential to actually lose some valuable and important information. Finally, one of the biggest challenges in

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all of this is due to the sheer amount of time it may take to analyze a text. For example, if you compare the text on Jimi Hendrix to the analysis and reflection I am writing on it, one will notice that the analysis and reflection are actually longer than the text itself by more than twice the original length. Going through step by step for every text would not be an efficient use of ones time, especially considering how busy teachers can be.

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Text Complexity Analysis: Text used: http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/jimi-hendrix.html

Qualitative Measures: Levels of Meaning/Purpose: Middle Low Text is a biography that refers to events that may be considered common knowledge, but some people may not know. If one does not know, it is easy to find sources that will explain. Structure: Middle Low As text is a biography, the paragraphs are sequential in nature. Text enhances readers knowledge of subject by use of some new vocabulary (ex session musician). Language Conventionality and Clarity: Middle low Many of the people and events listed in this text are specifically musicians, and therefore content specific. There is also use of content specific vocabulary (ex gigs). However, speech is relatively simple and conversational with familiar wordings. Knowledge Demands: Middle high In order to truly grasp some of the meaning of the text, it is necessary to have knowledge of other musicians and events in music history. An example, to truly understand the experience and the legendary performance of Jimi Hendrix playing at Woodstock, one must understand the Woodstock experience and why it is still talked about today. Knowledge of these prior events helps understand the text to its full meaning.

Quantitative Measures: The chosen tool for the text analysis was the ATOS Readability text analyzer. After using the text provided in the link above, the text received a score of 9.4 with a word count of 739. The ATOS scale of text readability scores is as follows: 2nd to 3rd grade 2.5 5.14 4th to 5th grade 4.97 7.03 6th to 8th grade 7.0 9.98 9th to 10th grade 9.67 12.01 11th grade to CCR 11.20 14.00

According to the scale of readability provided by the ATOS text analyzer, the text is meant for a 6th to 8th grade classroom. This is further broken down to the following:

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6th grade 7.0 8.0 7th grade 8.0 9.0 8th grade 8.8 10.0

According to this secondary scale, the text is analyzed as being of an 8th grade level.

Reader-Task Considerations: Cognitive Capabilities This text is short enough to maintain the average attention span of an average student. This text is paired with a full lesson on Classic Rock and the 27 Club (please refer to my Glog here for further reading and information: http://www.glogster.com/franciskerbob/27-club-glog/g-6l9blevbgggn3hfm5dk9ja0) and is taken in context with the information being read, so making connections to other texts/people should be easy. The text is a biography, so critical analysis is not as necessary. This specific text will help create and maintain the necessary thinking skills necessary.

Reading Skills Student does not need any inferencing skills, as there is no further depth to the text. However, students are also provided with images and audio with the text, so visualization is something every student will have. The readers are also engaged in an open ended discussion with their peers and the teacher, asking questions along the way. Students are reading in partners, and can adjust their reading speed at will to maintain comprehension. It will help enhance visualization skills when listening or reading about this history in the future.

Motivation and Engagement with Task and Text Student should be able to understand the text, even when skimming, or close reading as the text is a biography. The reader should be very interested in the content of the topic, as it is about a major musician in history who is still talked about and listened to in the present. The point of this lesson is to get students interested in listening to classic rock, so the reader should not only develop an interest, but they should be interested and engaged with the text both through the style of writing and through the reading itself.

Prior Knowledge and Experience At the time of reading this text, the students will have the adequate prior knowledge necessary to understand and comprehend the text. Due to this,

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students will also be able to make explicit connections to other musicians and bands based on this text (e.g. the 27 Club, which are musicians who died at the age of 27. The students may recall Janis Joplin, or Kurt Cobain). The students will have already gone through a unit of Early 20th Century Music, so there will be adequate knowledge and experience in the topic at hand.

Content and/or Theme Concerns There may be a potentially concerning element(s) in the text. First, the biography is about the musician Jimi Hendrix, who played his music during and for a time when people were rebelling against society, and the music was often considered being sent by the devil. In addition, this was a time period when rampant drug usage was in play, and the biography subject himself died due to drug usage and alcohol abuse. However, the students reading the text should have the maturity to respond appropriately to this.

Complexity of Associated Tasks No matter the complexity of the before or after reading tasks, it should not interfere with the reading experience at hand. The questions asked should not be exceedingly complex, and therefore should not interfere with the reading experience.

Recommended Placement: When deciding which texts to provide in class, it is necessary to take several considerations into mind. The first is the grade level. Is it appropriate for the grade level (e.g. it is not the right text to use See Spot Run in an AP English course). After choosing the grade, in order to help with complex texts, it is important to activate any prior knowledge and potentially do a pre-reading assignment to prepare students for the upcoming text. Finally, it is important to take into consideration the various learning styles in the classroom. A kinesthetic or auditory learner may have a little more difficulty than a visual learner. The chosen grade level for this text after deeper analysis would be an 8th grade music history class that is in the process of learning about Classic Rock and the musicians involved. All of the students to this point will have been reading texts similar to the one involved. Motivation is provided by listening to or watching a video of the musician at hand (in the case of this text, Jimi Hendrix). Student engagement is usually forthcoming, as the subject of the text in this case is someone that the students still listen to. However, when students are not as motivated or engaged, I find it is often a great method to draw students back in by actually physically performing the music in question in class.

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