English Language Development

Vignette 7.3. Reading, Analyzing, and Discussing

Complex Texts in American Literature

Integrated ELA/Literacy, ELD, and History in Grade Eleven (cont.)

After students have had sufficient time to read the text once, Ms. Robertson facilitates a

brief discussion to clarify terms and answer questions. She asks students to return to the text

and read it a second time, this time writing notes and marking up relevant parts of the text in

response to the following additional focus questions:

• What is the author’s perspective about the Native Americans’ experiences?


• What specific language (words and phrases) does Brown use to communicate to readers
  his point of view and attitudes?
  Students have used focus questions such as these to read sections of other texts
  analytically. Ms. Robertson reminds them of some previous occasions when word choices (e.g.,
  a glorious rebellion, a devastating and life-changing event, fortunately) have helped them
  determine an author’s viewpoint. The class has discussed how all authors, regardless of genre,
  have opinions and attitudes when they write, and how these perspectives are conveyed in
  history and science texts differently than they are in novels and stories. For example, the class
  has discussed how textbooks often depict a very small portion of history and how the process of
  selecting which portion to include or exclude (even when it is simply a list of factual events) can
  represent the bias or opinions of the individual making the selection.
  After the students have had sufficient time to read the text once again and write down
  some notes independently, Ms. Robertson asks them to share their ideas first in pairs (“2”)
  and then in their table groups (“4”). She randomly assigns a recorder at each table who will
  be responsible for taking notes on the group consensus, using a template Ms. Robertson has
  provided (all students must also write down the consensus statements on their handouts). She
  asks students to refer to their notes and the textual evidence as groups come to agreement
  in response to each question. She reminds them of the poster in the classroom that lists ways
  to respectfully participate in an academic conversation and tells them that she expects to hear
  some of this language as she listens to their discussions. She also asks the class to repeat some
  of the sentence frames together and encourages students to incorporate such language into
  their own academic speech and writing whenever possible. She also reiterates that they are
  free to use any type of language that helps them to communicate their ideas. Part of the poster
  follows.

(Some) Language for Taking an Academic Stance

To cite evidence from the text:

In this part of the text we see that ____.

My understanding of the text is that ____.

One thing I noticed was that ____.

To ask for clarification:

Can you say more about ____?

What do you mean by ____?

Can you show me evidence in the text

that ____?

To affirm or agree:

That’s a really good point.

I like what you said about ____

because ____.

Grades 11 and 12 Chapter 7 | 797