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VELS level 4 – Selecting appropriate texts to support literacy learning

This section includes information on how to select appropriate texts for students to the Victorian Essential Learning Standards English, Reading, Level 4 standard.

The aspects of the Level 4 standard for the Reading dimension of the VELS English domain that focus on text selection have been identified with bold text.

At Level 4, students read, interpret and respond to a wide range of literary, everyday and media texts in print and in multimodal formats . They analyse these texts and support interpretations with evidence drawn from the text. They describe how texts are constructed for particular purposes, and identify how sociocultural values, attitudes and beliefs are presented in texts. They analyse imagery, characterisation, dialogue, point of view, plot and setting. They use strategies such as reading on, using contextual cues, and drawing on knowledge of text organisation when interpreting texts containing unfamiliar ideas and information.

Victorian Essential Learning Standards English, Reading, Level 4 standard

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Considerations when selecting texts (overview)

When selecting texts, consider the following aspects:

  • the level of student’s literacy skills
  • students’ prior knowledge and experiences
  • students’ interests
  • the supports and challenges of the text
  • text type.

Students learn to read and write if:

  • texts are interesting and varied
  • appropriate and adequate instruction is provided
  • support is matched to the particular needs of the student
  • time and support are given to practise skills
  • ongoing and supportive feedback is provided.

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Criteria for selecting appropriate texts (language, layout , content)

As students move into the middle years, they are faced with using a range of texts in new and different domains. These texts should be engaging and challenging and on a range of topics. Appropriate texts provide models from which to learn as well as opportunities to practise.

Text used will include:

  • literature
  • everyday texts
  • media texts

Criteria for selecting appropriate texts

The term ‘appropriate texts’ is used to describe texts which have features that make them more accessible for students. The following criteria provide guidelines when selecting texts. The criteria have been organised into characteristics of language, layout and content.

Language

  • Does the language used on the contents page provide a clear indication of what is in the text?
  • Are sentences the appropriate length, containing one or two ideas?
  • Is the vocabulary familiar and understandable to students?
  • Is key vocabulary written, for example, in bold type so as to guide the reader to definitions or other important information?
  • Is there a lack of bias in the language used regarding culture, class or gender?

Layout

  • Does the text have a table of contents, index or glossary?
  • Is there a structure to the text that will assist students to locate information?
  • Is the text format organised in readable chunks?
  • Is the amount of print on the page appropriate?
  • Are the headings and subheadings relevant in summarising the information that follows?
  • Is the print size and font appropriate?
  • Do the illustrations and diagrams relate to the text content and help students visualise the context?
  • Are they placed appropriately and printed with supporting captions?
  • Do the organisational structures and features match the text type?

Content

  • Does the introductory section enable the reader to generate a rough outline of the information covered in the text or chapter?
  • Are ideas introduced one at a time to allow the reader to process new information?
  • Are new ideas linked to preceding text?
  • Are ideas logically sequenced?
  • Are links to main ideas clear?
  • Are characters and concepts within the text familiar and easy to understand?
  • Are they clearly defined and presented?

Students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

When selecting texts for learners from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds consideration should be given to:

  • providing links to students’ understandings and experiences
  • texts that contain regular language patterns
  • text layout
  • possible tense confusions
  • suffices
  • singular or plural irregularities.

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Text selection: influencing factors

Comprehension comes from the representations of the ideas in a text that readers construct as they read (Alexander and Jetton 2000).

These representations are influenced by text features and are related to genre and structure or the way in which content is organised (RAND Reading Study Group 2002) and to language features, such as vocabulary and syntax (sentence structure and complexity) and the author’s writing style and clarity of expression. (Armbruster 1984; Freebody and Anderson 1983).

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Professional learning

Read, identify and highlight the reference to characteristics of texts in the Learning Focus, English domain of the Victorian Essential Learning Standards:

English domain Level 4

Learning Focus

As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in English, they consolidate and build on their foundational learning in English related to texts and language.

Students compose, comprehend and respond to an expanding range of texts in print and audiovisual and electronic forms that contain increasingly unfamiliar concepts, themes, information and issues. With guidance, they reflect on reading, viewing, writing, speaking and listening in ways that develop considered and critical approaches to a range of texts. These include extended literary texts such as novels, short stories, poetry and non-fiction; everyday texts; and media texts including newspapers, film and websites.

Students explore the relationship between the purpose and audience of texts and their structures and features, for example: sentence and paragraph structure, grammar, figurative language and organising structures in print texts; features of visual texts; and sound effects, characterisation and camera angles used in film. They develop their knowledge of how texts are constructed for particular purposes, and examine and challenge generalisations and simplistic portrayals of people and social and cultural issues. They learn how to draw evidence from texts to support their points of view. They experiment with several strategies when interpreting texts containing some unfamiliar ideas and information, for example, reading on, using diagrams, and differentiating between statements of fact or opinion.

Students write texts for a range of purposes that demonstrate their developing understanding of the way imagery, characterisation, dialogue, point of view, plot and setting contribute to the meaning of written and multimodal texts. They use this reflection, and their developing knowledge of the generic structures of different types of texts (such as narratives, reports and arguments), as the basis for composing an increasing range of written and spoken texts. Students become more systematic in their use of strategies for writing (including note-making, using models, planning, editing and proofreading) and make decisions about appropriate structures and features of language in texts for different purposes and audiences. They develop terminology or metalanguage to talk about and describe particular structures and features of language. They develop a multi-strategy approach to spelling, applying morphemic knowledge and an understanding of visual and phonic patterns, and select vocabulary for precise meaning.

Students engage in exploratory talk to share and clarify their ideas, to formulate simple arguments and to seek the opinions of others. They participate in oral interactions for different purposes, including entertaining, informing and influencing others. Students learn to sustain a point of view, and provide succinct accounts of personal experiences or events.

They experiment with spoken language features such as pace, pitch and pronunciation to enhance meaning as they plan, rehearse and reflect on their presentations. They build their capacity to combine verbal and visual elements in texts to communicate ideas and information by using, for example, presentation software or overheads.

When listening, students practise identifying the main idea and supporting details of spoken texts and summarising them for others. They begin to identify opinions offered by others, propose other viewpoints, and extend ideas in a constructive manner.

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