Reading Toolkit Part 4: Language Structure, Literacy Knowledge, and Verbal Reasoning
Language structure, verbal reasoning, and literary knowledge are all part of Scarborough’s Upper Reading Rope. Understanding how language is organized, looking at the intent of the words on the pages, including making inferences and interpreting literal and figurative language, and knowledge of print concepts, text structures, and types of text is critical to reading comprehension. Through modeling and experience, students become strategic readers who can extract meaning from a variety of texts across content areas.
Part 1: Glossary
Define the terms below and add them to the “Glossary” section of the toolkit.
- Language structure
- Syntax
- Semantics
- Verbal reasoning
- Literal language
- Figurative language
- Literacy knowledge
- Imaginative/Literary text
- Informational/Expository text
Part 2: Strategies for Understanding Language Structure, Verbal Reasoning, and Literary Knowledge
Select a grade band (K-3, 4-8, or 9-12) and content you currently teach or are most interested in teaching. Create a digital deliverable of your choice such as a chart, infographic, bookmarked document, or website page, that provides examples of classroom activities and strategies students can use to understand language structures, verbal reasoning, and literary knowledge. The deliverable should include the following:
- Describe two grade appropriate instructional activities or strategies that could be used in your content area to help students understand syntax and semantics.
- Describe two age appropriate activities or strategies that could be used in your content area to help students make inferences and identify and/or understand figurative language devices.
- Describe two age appropriate activities or strategies that could be used in your content area to teach print concepts and distinctions between imaginative/literary and informational/expository text and the purpose of reading.
Add the digital deliverable to your Reading Toolkit.
In a 250-500 word reflection, include the following:
- Discuss why it is important for content area teachers to present information using both informative/expository and imaginative/literary texts.
- Describe how the varied structure of different types of text can help students improve reading comprehension skills.
Support the assignment with a minimum of three scholarly resources.
Submit the digital deliverable, supporting resources, and reflection in one document. Include a link to your Reading Toolkit.