Teaching Text Structure
Introduce the idea that expository texts have a text structure.
- Explain to students that expository texts—such as science or social studies—have different organizational patterns. These organizational patters are called text structures.
Introduce the following common text structures—description or list, compare/contrast, cause and effect, and order/sequence.
- Explain that text structures can often be identified by certain signal words.
Show examples of paragraphs that correspond to each text structure.
- Have student find signal words within the paragraphs.
Examine topic sentences that clue the reader to a specific structure.
- Look for the signal words that are associated with each text structure.
Text structures help you when you read and when you write.
- Show examples of paragraphs that have signal words and how you can structure your own writing using signal words to help the reader understand your thoughts.
- Model the writing of a paragraph that uses a specific text structure.
Have students try writing paragraphs on their own that follow a specific text structure.
- Writing paragraphs that follow certain text structures will help students recognize these text structures when they are reading.
- For students who are proficient with paragraph organization, do steps 3 –6 with longer chunks of text or entire chapters and articles.
Text Structure / Description / Signal
Words
Description/List Structure / This structure resembles an outline. Each section opens with its main idea, then elaborates on it, sometimes dividing the elaboration into subsections.
EXAMPLE: A book may tell all about whales or describe what the geography is like in a particular region. / For example, for instance, specifically, in particular, in addition
Cause and Effect Structure / In texts that follow this structure, the reader is told the result of an event or occurrence and the reasons it happened.
EXAMPLE: Weather patterns could be described that explain why a big snowstorm occurred. / Consequently, therefore, as a result, thereby, leads to
Comparison/
Contrast Structure / Texts that follow this structure tell about the differences and similarities of two or more objects, places, events or ideas by grouping their traits for comparison.
EXAMPLE: A book about ancient Greece may explain how Spartan women were different from Athenian women. / However, unlike, like, by contrast, yet, in comparison, although, whereas, similar to, different from
Order/Sequence Structure / Texts that follow this structure tell the order in which steps in a process or series of events occur.
EXAMPLE: A book about the American revolution might list the events leading to the war. In another book, steps involved in harvesting blue crabs might be told. / Next, first, last, second, another, then, additionally