Expository

Text
Why do we teach text organization?

Many teachers assume that a student

who can read narrative texts well will be
able to read expository texts well.
Many students have problems
comprehending expository text because
they cant see the basic structure of text.
(Dymock,2005)
Why do we teach text organization?
Text comprehension is improved when
students can recognize the underlying
structure of text (Williams, 2005).
Awareness" of text structure helps
students understand global ideas, or
main theses (Seidenberg, 1989;Weaver
& Kintsch, 1991)
Students are more likely to remember
and interpret the ideas they encounter
when they read.
What to teach ?
Purpose???
explain

describe

give information
inform
Expository Organizational Patterns

Description
Sequence
Compare/Contrast
Cause and Effect
Problem and Solution
 Description
author describes a topic
by listing characteristics,
features, and examples
Cue Words
for example
characteristics are
EXAMPLE
The Olympic symbol consists of
five interlocking rings. The rings
represent the five continents - Africa,
Asia, Europe, North America and
South America - from which athletes
come to compete in the games. The
rings are colored black blue, green,
red, and yellow. At least one of these
colors is found in the flag of every
country sending athletes to compete
in the Olympic games.
Appendix 2
Description
 Expository Text Structures and
their Associated Signal Words
Text Description Signal Words
Structure
Description A topic is described for example
by listing for instance
characteristics, such as
features, attributes,
and examples. is like
in addition
also
including
in particular
 Sequence/Chronological Order
The Olympic games began as
athletic festivals to honor the Greek
author lists items or gods. The most important festival was
events in numerical or
held in the valley of Olympia to honor
Zeus, the king of the gods. It was this
chronological order festival that became the Olympic
games in 776 B.C. These games were
ended in A.D. 394 by the Roman
Emperor who ruled Greece. No
Cue Words Olympic games were held for more
than 1,500 years. Then the modern
first, second, third, next, Olympics began in 1896. Almost 300
male athletes competed in the first
then, finally modern Olympics In the games held in
1900, female athletes were allowed to
compete. The games have continued
1) _______________ every four years since 1896 except
during World War II, and they will most
2) _______________ likely continue for many years to
come.
3) _______________
4) _______________
Appendix 3

Sequence

Event 1 Event 2 Event 3

Event 4 Event 5
 Compare/Contrast
The modern Olympics is very
author explains how two or unlike the ancient Olympic games.
Individual events are different. While
more things are alike and/or there were no swimming races in the
how they are different ancient games, for example, there
were chariot races. There were no
female contestants and all athletes
competed in the nude. Of course, the
Cue Words ancient and modern Olympics are also
different alike in many ways. Some events,
such as the javelin and discus throws,
in contrast are the same. Some people say that
cheating, professionalism, and
alike nationalism in the modern games are
same as a disgrace to the Olympic tradition. But
according to the ancient Greek writers,
on the other hand there were many cases of cheating,
nationalism, and professionalism in
their Olympics too.
Appendix 1

Comparison

Differences
Differences
Similarities
 Comparison Cold & Flu
Cold Flu
Differences
Differences
Similarities a more serious illness
usually last about
a week caused by a high fever
viruses
runny nose a dry cough
& sneezing
much worse aching
headache
sore throat
last for longer at
least two weeks
a cough
can be a deadly
aching disease
muscles
 Cause and Effect
author lists one or more There are several reasons why so
many people attend the Olympic games
causes and the resulting or watch them on television. One reason
effect or effects is tradition. The name Olympics and the
torch and flame remind people of the
ancient games. People can escape the
ordinariness of daily life by attending or
Cue Words watching the Olympics. They like to
reasons why identify with someone else's individual
if...then
sacrifice and accomplishment. National
pride is another reason, and an athlete's
as a result or a team's hard earned victory becomes
therefore a nation's victory. There are national
medal counts and people keep track of
because
how many medals their country's
Effect 1 athletes have won.

Effect 2
Cause
Effect 3
 Expository Text Structures and
their Associated Signal Words
Text Description Signal Words
Structure
Cause and The causes of an if/then
Effect event and its as a result
resulting effect(s) therefore
are presented.
consequently
since
because
hence
thus
this led to
Appendix 5

Cause and Effect

 Problem and Solution
author states a problem
and lists one or more
solutions for the problem
Cue Words
problem is
dilemma is
puzzle is solved
question... answer
Problem Solution
One problem with the modern
Olympics is that it has become very big
and expensive to operate. The city or
country that hosts the games often loses
a lot of money. A stadium, pools, and
playing fields must be built for the athletic
events and housing is needed for the
athletes who come from around the world.
And all of these facilities are used for only
2 weeks! In 1984, Los Angeles solved
these problems by charging a fee for
companies who wanted to be official
sponsors of the games. Companies like
McDonald's paid a lot of money to be part
of the Olympics. Many buildings that were
already built in the Los Angeles area were
also used. The Coliseum where the 1932
games were held was used again and
many colleges and universities in the area
became playing and living sites.
 Expository Text Structures and
their Associated Signal Words
Text Description Signal Words
Structure
Problem A problem and one or problem is
and more solutions to the solution is
Solution problem are if/then
presented.
to solve the
problem
Appendix 4

Problem and Solution