Literacy Professional Learning Resource – Key Concepts
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VELS level 3 – Selecting an increased variety of text types (Trehearne, Doctorow, Munro)
This section deals with the process of selecting appropriate texts for Level 3, the characteristics of the texts and the factors which influence text selection.
The aspects of the Level 3 standard for the Reading dimension of the VELS English domain that focus on text selection have been identified with bold text.
At Level 3, students read and respond to an increasing range of imaginative and informative texts with some unfamiliar ideas and information, vocabulary and textual features. They interpret the main ideas and purpose of texts. They make inferences from imaginative text about plot and setting and about characters’ qualities, motives and actions. They infer meaning from material presented in informative texts. They identify how language is used to represent information, characters, people, places and events in different ways including identification of some simple symbolic meanings and stereotypes. They use several strategies to locate, select and record key information from texts.
Victorian Essential Learning Standards English, Reading, Level 3 Standard
Selecting Texts
When selecting texts, consider the following aspects:
- the developmental stage of the learners and their identified needs
- the prior knowledge and experiences the learners bring to the text
- the learners’ interest
- the teaching strategies being used
- the text type
- the supports and challenges in the texts
- the specific text characteristics.
Further considerations for selecting texts
Further considerations for selecting texts includes the supports and challenges provided to the reader in terms of:
- language (vocabulary, sentence structure, balance between natural language and book language)
- layout (spacing, print size, illustrations, paragraphs, organisational structure and text features)
- content (sequence of events, links in main ideas, complexity of characters, and complexity of concepts).
Text used will include:
- literature, both fiction and non-fiction
- everyday texts
- multimedia texts.
The texts will be of the level of complexity that:
- allows students to process sources of information to comprehend the intended and implied messages constructed by the author
- extends students’ ability to think critically about the message about the author communicates.
Factors Which Influence Text Selection
Comprehension comes from the representations of the ideas in a text that readers construct as they read (Alexander & Jetton, 2000). These representations are influenced by text features and are related to:
- genre and structure: the way in which content is organized (RAND Reading Study Group, 2002)
- language features: vocabulary and syntax (sentence structure and complexity) and the author’s writing style and clarity of expression. (Armbruster, 1984; Freebody & Anderson, 1983).
Professional Learning
See the English Continuum – Reading dimension, Level 3, Text Level Knowledge
Refer to the section “Text Characteristics”. With a student from your class in mind, identify a teaching strategy and match it to the student.
Read, identify and note the reference to characteristics of texts in the Learning Focus for the English domain of the VELS:
English domain Level 3: Learning focus
As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in English, they speak, listen, read and write with some critical awareness, using a growing variety of text types and show some appreciation of the role of formal discourses in English.
Students read an increasing range of texts including imaginative texts such as chapter books, junior novels and poems, as well as informative texts, in print and electronic form.
Texts typically have varied sentence patterns, written language structures and some specialised topic-related or literary vocabulary, and ideas and information extending beyond students’ immediate experience. Students use a range of strategies to interpret the main ideas and purpose of texts – for example, interpreting figurative language or linking information from headings – and explore characters’ qualities, motives and actions.
Through discussion, students develop their understanding of why interpretations of a text may vary, and how the choice of subject matter is influenced by context, the author’s purpose, and the intended audience. They read more critically and learn about the use of some simple symbolic meanings and stereotypes in texts.
Students develop confidence in writing a range of imaginative and informative texts, including simple narratives and descriptions, and texts that explain, inform and express a point of view.
They draw on their knowledge of texts and language and learn to use a variety of sentences in appropriate grammatical order, using suitable vocabulary for the subject matter including nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs, and punctuating appropriately to support meaning including exclamation marks and quotation marks.
They learn to spell most one- and two-syllable words with regular spelling patterns (for example, growing, found, might), frequently used words which have less regular spelling patterns (for example, because, there, friends), and some other words of more than one syllable (for example, yesterday, afternoon, money).
They make plausible attempts at spelling new and more difficult words. They experiment with combining verbal and visual elements to enhance the texts they produce.
Students develop strategies for writing to assist in planning and organising ideas prior to writing, and adapt their writing to suit their audience and purpose. They learn to use a range of resources, including information and communications technology, to revise written work and check spelling.
Students recognise that speaking and listening provide opportunities to exchange information, to share and explore ideas, and to express opinions and listen to the opinions of others.
They participate in discussions, conversations and presentations in small and large groups, learning to vary their speaking and listening to suit the context, purpose and audience. In spontaneous, planned and rehearsed situations they learn how to project their voice adequately for an audience and to use appropriate spoken language features such as sequence and past tense when recounting an event.
When speaking, they recognise the need to rephrase statements to clarify meaning and information.
Students develop skills in listening attentively during class and group discussions, and to factual spoken texts such as audio, film and invited presentations. They practise identifying the topic, retelling information accurately, asking clarifying questions, volunteering information and justifying opinions.
Related materials
Previous key concept - Reading complex texts (Chall, Luke & Freebody, Munro, Rose)
Next key concept - Comprehension of complex texts (Trehearne, Doctorow, Munro)