S6 E23 - Text Complexity: It’s About So Much More Than Levels

The Structured Literacy Podcast

This episode explores how to select rich texts for comprehension instruction by moving beyond traditional levelling systems. Jocelyn introduces four dimensions of text demand to help teachers find the "Goldilocks spot" - texts that challenge students without overwhelming them. She discusses four common reading scenarios and emphasises matching text complexity to students' abilities while considering cognitive load.

For teachers wanting to dive deeper into these frameworks and learn practical strategies for upper primary reading instruction, Jocelyn is offering a new Teach Along course: "Reading Success in the Upper Primary Years" starting Term 1, 2026. Details are available in the Professional Learning section of the website.

Has something in this episode resonated with you? Get in touch!

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Find out how you can help your students move beyond guessing and memorisation at https://www.jocelynseamereducation.com/spelling2

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บท

1. S6 E23 - Text Complexity: It’s About So Much More Than Levels (00:00:00)

2. Why Levels Fall Short (00:02:31)

3. From Strategies To Language Knowledge (00:04:09)

4. The Limits Of Matching By Level (00:05:35)

5. Cognitive Load And The Goldilocks Zone (00:06:44)

6. Decoding Versus Comprehension Access (00:08:26)

7. Four Classroom Reading Scenarios (00:09:28)

8. Defining Four Dimensions Of Demand (00:13:21)

9. Applying Demand To Real Students (00:16:36)