Analyzing Academic Texts

Gordon Witt
National University
1) After reviewing the resources contained in the content presentation for week one, in your
own words, describe and/or explain your understanding of the typical
characteristics of the below basic, basic, proficient and advanced levels of reading for
English Speakers. What would English speakers at each of these four levels be able or not
be able to do? Be specific.
a. English Speakers at the Basic level can read age-appropriate text and understand
the vocabulary and answer simple, fact-based questions regarding the text.
Students at the Below Basic level fail to read the text in a timely fashion, or they
simply do not understand all the age-appropriate vocabulary and grammatical
structures in the reading. Students reading at the proficient level can read the same
text, and make basic inferences from the text, connecting the reading to their own
lives. Readers at the advanced level have the greatest fluency when reading the
text and can question the text more deeply. These students can make the most
complex inferences from the text and can formulate explanations of how and they
believe characters do what they have done and can formulate what they believe
might happen as a result of events they read about. The advanced students can
develop cause and effect expectations from the reading.

2) Next, choose two academic texts in your content area. For example, you could choose a
class required textbook, articles, digital documents, or websites which you might be
expected to use in your teaching.
a. Geometry: Applying, Reasoning, Measurement by McDougal Littell. It is intended
for grades 9-10, but it could be used throughout high school, grades 9-12, since
geometry will be a required math course in many school districts. This is a
standard geometry textbook for the study of shapes and angles, after students have
studied algebra I and before algebra II at the high school level, or geometry at the
college level.
b. A Historical Introduction to Elementary Geometry, taken from a geometry course
at the Illinois Institute of Technology. This pdf explains the basic history of
geometry, explaining how and why it was originally developed. The text will not
provide much rigorous geometry that the students must learn, but it will combine
the students’ literacy needs and connect it to math, and help students understand a
little more about why it was developed. Those students who enjoy some history
may appreciate the connections and become more interested in learning about
geometry.

3) Given what you have learned about the characteristics of below basic, basic, proficient
and advanced levels of reading for English Speakers and using the two academic texts
you have chosen, fill in all the cells in the following chart, identifying the challenges each
of these learners will have with your academic texts.
a.
TEXT TYPES
ACADEMIC TEXT 2
ACADEMIC TEXT 1
LEVELS OF ___Historical Introduction to
________Geometry________
READING Elementary Geometry______
Struggle to read the text in a
Struggle to read the problems or timely fashion, struggle with the
BELOW BASIC directions in a timely manner, and struggle vocabulary, and struggle to
LEVEL with academic vocabulary understand why geometry was
developed.
Read the history in a timely
Read the problems and follow simple
manner and answer simple, fact-
BASIC LEVEL directions to solve problems
based questions
Students easily understand the text, read Students can easily read the text
the text quickly, answer word problems, and explain why mathematician’s
PROFICIENT
and explain the reasoning used orally and developed geometry in their own
LEVEL
in writing words.
Students easily understand the text, solve Students can easily read the text,
problems, explain the reasoning used explain why geometry was
ADVANCED
orally and in writing, and develop an developed in their own words, and
LEVEL
explanation of how the geometry could be can extend the geometry to new
used to solve new problems scenarios

4) Include a brief, final reflection concerning your current understanding of the

overall considerations you, as a teacher, must have when using academic texts in
your content area with students in your class who are at multiple levels of
literacy. Has this understanding changed at all after this week's learning? How?
a. As a teacher, I must know that students will enter my classroom with diverse
skills using language in a variety of forms; some students will struggle with oral
language, and some will struggle with written language. I must be aware of those
students who are struggling with reading, writing, listening, or speaking skills,
and I must draw the students into the classroom environment and help to support
their improved literacy. Students should all be supported so that they can used
proficient language skills, and, ideally, advanced language skills. Students already
at the proficient and advanced levels should be support with more complex math
exercises, so that they can become stronger learners without becoming bored.
b. My understanding has changed a little. I have been fortunate to have strong
reading and writing skills, and I have simply assumed that many other students
could achieve the same skills if they simply tried a little. I understand that it is not
always so simple, and students can easily become frustrated if they are struggling
to understand the vocabulary, or struggle with their listening skills and oral skills.
I realize that I must also support the students’ literacy skills, even when teaching
math. When I have English Learners in my classroom, I can accommodate the
students’ literacy needs by communicating with the English Language
Development specialist assigned to my student.
 References
Larson, R., Boswell, L., Stiff, L. (2004). Geometry: Applying, Reasoning, Measurement.
McDougal Littel.
A Historical Introduction to Elementary Geometry. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://mypages.iit.edu/~maslanka/119notes1.pdf