Chapter 7: "Nothing as Certain as Change"

One thing about Chapter 7 is certain--change. The author begins by wondering "How much authors want their readers to be changed?" and "How much of the world we [as readers] let in?" She then shifts gears to the difficulty our students encounter with expository text.
First, building on Debbie's comments from Chapter 4, Keene stresses the importance of giving our students time to think or time to "dwell in the mind." She acknowledges the importance of incorporating comprehension strategies into our classroom instruction but feels more is necessary. We need to take it a step further and describe the outcomes of using these strategies. In other words, we need to help them "let the world in." We need to give them the space, the time, the freedom to think on their own. Children are too anxious to repeat what their teacher thinks. She wants them to realize that "understanding is not a fixed element--you either get it or you don't--rather, understanding is an outcome that can be manipulated, altered, and improved by using comprehension strategies"--changed or revised thinking is the goal. She encourages students to share thoughts with their classmates and record how their thinking changes in the process. A journal entry might read, " I used to think...but now I think," as they move through reading and discussions of a book. We must move away from the literal questions, such as "What happened at the end of Chapter 5?" and instead ask, "In what ways were you changed by this book?" I just love that!!!!
At that point, as if to make the point of change, Keene shifts to text structures and expository texts. Yes, expository texts pose an especially difficult hurdle for students in the U.S. I think we all agree. Keene refers to the research of Duke and Pearson who have found that students who receive explicit instruction in how expository text structures differ from narrative forms comprehend more than students who do not receive this instruction. This instruction needs to begin in kindergarten and continue through twelfth-grade. The research is clear--we must incorporate explicit instruction in the following text structures: descriptive, cause and effect, compare/contrast, problem/solution, chronological, and enumerative--with an emphasis on definitions and signal words. She notes that the solution to the challenges of expository text is very straightforward--"We need to give at least as much instructional attention to expository text structures as we give to narrative text structures." Using think-alouds as well as pacing and building schema remain highly effective tools of instruction. Literature focus units are useful for building background knowledge and fostering connections so that the expository text is "considerate"--material which a student is familiar with, instead of "inconsiderate"--one which is too foreign to comprehend.
The chapter provides too many suggestions to mention, but well worth considering. I think K-8 teachers do recognize this disconnect more than secondary school teachers. High school teachers should not ignore the research and should, instead, build on what is being taught in the elementary and middle school grades. Keene suggests that this instruction, more than any other, has "staying power." The ability to navigate expository text is not only necessary for college-bound students, but it is also an integral part of any vocational program, so it is a powerful piece of the puzzle for success. I think of Barbara Jean's student who at 53 has not given up on putting those pieces together. What an inspiration.