Text

Structures
& Supports By: Brianna Fives

Comparison: Problem & Solution:

• The author develops
opportunities to
discuss similarities and
differences between
people, things or ideas.
• Signal words: ‘Both’;
‘Like’; ‘But’; ‘While’;
‘Different’.
Cause & Effect:
• The author describes
one or more events
that cause something
else to happen.
• Signal words: ‘Since’;
‘If’; ‘Then’; ‘Due to’
• The author gives
information about a
problem and includes
one or more solutions.
• Signal words: ‘Since’;
‘Then’; ‘Question’;
‘Problem’; ‘Solution’;
‘Solve’

What is it?
• TSS is a hierarchical structural plan to organize information in a text.
• All texts have at least one or more text structures that can be studied
regardless of the genre.
• Text structures are important for students to learn and has been
proven to increase reading comprehension by helping students to:
o Locate & organize information
o Identify main ideas and find supporting details
• Supports and scaffolds include graphic organizers, sentence starters,
explicit instruction, as well as providing signal words.
• Integrate text structure strategies across content areas.

Sequence:
• The author develops a
list of steps or provides
a chronological order
of events.
• Signal words: ‘Next’;
‘Then’; ‘Before’; ‘First’;
‘Second’ or dates
Description:
• The author provides
details that helps the
reader create a mental
picture.
• Signal words: ‘Such as’;
‘for example’; adjective
words.
 HOW TO TEACH TEXT STRUCTURE STRATEGY:

1. Select a passage (fiction or nonfiction)

2. Introduce the passage to the students and pre-teach any unfamiliar
vocabulary.
3. Explain that texts have an organizational structure that authors follow
and we call those text structures.
4. Introduce the main text structures (description, sequence, problem
and solution, cause and effect, compare and contrast)
5. Select a focus text structure.
6. Introduce and model that text structure using a graphic organizer.
a. Show examples that relate to the text structures
b. Examine topic sentences and signal words that clue the reader
to the text structure.
c. Model the writing of a paragraph using the text structure.
d. Have students try to identify or write using the text structure.
e. Have students organize their information on a graphic organizer
that corresponds to the text structure.

Helpful Resources:
• www.readingrockets.org/article/how-teach-expository-text-structure-facilitate-reading-
comprehension
• www.readingrockets.org/article/implementing-text-structure-strategy-your-classroom
• www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kWGO-_ipBY
• www.adlit.org/strategies/23336