Assignments
Text Annotation
Teach students to underline significant or striking sections of their reading, writing responses and questions in the margins.
What It Says and What It Does
Beside each paragraph of an assigned reading, have students write one sentence summarizing what it says (summary) and one sentence describing what it does (purpose in relation to the text as a whole).
Before and After
For each assignment, have students write: "Before I read this text, the author assumed I believed …" "After I read this text the author wanted me to believe …" and "The author was / was not successful in changing my views because …"
Questions
Either before or during class, have students write down their questions about what they have read. These can be questions for the narrator or author, or questions they would like someone like you to explain. They can then exchange questions with another student and write possible answers for each other.
Double-entry Notebook
Before reading, have students draw a line down a piece of paper, dividing it into two sections. They will use the left-hand side of the paper to write down quotations or ideas that strike them as they read. They will use the right-hand side to write their responses and reactions (thoughts, feelings, associations, questions, confusions, connections) after they have completed the reading.
Triple-entry Notebook
Add an additional column to the double entry notebook (above). In the far-right column, have students describe the function or purpose of each passage they have chosen. In small groups or as a class, have students discuss the similarities and differences in how they read and interpreted the text. They may also discuss the relationship between the center column (their responses) and far-right columns (their analyses).
Focused Free-write
Have students pick one line from an assigned reading and free-write a response to this line (why it interests them, how it relates to the rest of the text, etc.). Share free-writes or use them as a jumping-off point for class discussion.
Visual Note-taking
Have students draw diagrams, flowcharts, maps or outlines of a text.
Believing and Doubting
First, have students read a text and try to agree with everything the author says. Next, have them read the same text and disagree with everything. Finally, write a paragraph describing the experience and different elements of the text each reading highlighted.
Translation
Have students "translate" a passage into plain English or re-write a text with a different audience in mind (such as a kindergarten class or specialized professionals).
Super-close Reading
Have students select one or two sentences from a text. As a class or in groups, analyze every single word of those sentences, including grammatical structures, connotations and ambiguities. Come up with as much information as possible to understand how those sentences create their meanings.
