Say/Do #3

Say/Do- Week 3

Formal Analysis

Robert Hand

EDSE 786

Styslinger

September 30th, 2012

Say/Do: Formal Analysis

Say:

In Readicide, Gallagher reminds us of an important component of reading instruction: the level of teacher involvement. When texts are “overtaught” or “undertaught”, students can fail connect to them. Some strategies that can help teachers to strike “the sweet spot” include framing, rereading, closely reading only specific portions of text, and fostering  an appropriate metacognitive awareness in students. Tovani shows the effectiveness of all of these strategies at various points.

In Bridging English, Milner and Milner provide the principles for using formal analysis in the classroom, as well as some tips for teaching formal analysis. I agree wholeheartedly with the authors when they state, “a technical reading alone… omit(s) the personal and communal steps that are essential for strong engagement with the text…” (143). Formal analysis should not constitute the entirety, or even the bulk of class instruction. Like personally responding to literature and interacting in an interpretive community, formal analysis is a tool to help students enrich their interpretation of a text.

             In Pathways to the Common Core, the authors also stress the importance formal analysis. They promote teaching students to read for meaning across stories. Furthermore, students should be taught to read text closely, and to make logical inferences. As the authors note, if a student is repeatedly shocked or confused by actions in a story, it is likely due to the fact that they do not have sufficient practice making inferences. Finally, as Milner and Milner also point out, the structure and craft of a story contribute to meaning. Students must understand this if they are to progress as readers.

             Beers focuses on before-, during-, and after-reading strategies for extending/expanding meaning from reading. Her suggestions echo the advice of Gallagher and Milner & Milner. In particular, she emphasizes the usefulness of rereading, cooperative reading, think-alouds, and annotating text.

             Ultimately, these texts form the message that formal analysis is a useful and necessary method of analyzing text, but it should not constitute the majority of class work. Furthermore, students should be taught how to properly interpret text before closely analyzing it.  Both the Pathways to the Common Core and  Readicide emphasize this importance of balancing formal analysis/close reading with informal reading, so that students are not overloaded. Milner & Milner, Beers, and Pathways... offer suggestions on how to help students interpret text, so that informed formal analysis becomes possible.

Do:

            For my “Do”, I practice Gallagher’s idea of a “Big Chunk/Little Chunk Philosophy”.  In the following lesson plan, I read through chapter 4 with students, sounding out my thinking as a model to students. For chapter 5, however, students will select particular passages that they believe are the most important. We will conduct formal analysis on these selections only. In this manner, I won’t overwhelm students with excessive formal analysis.

Lesson Plan

Instructor And Room #: Mrs. Lee Green Hall	Date & Length:  10/1 60 minutes	Subject and Block/Period: ELA 3 & 4 period	Topic: Bad Boy – Chapters 1-3
Student Objectives:        Students will -          Continue to talk about  issues that  raised in Bad Boy.. -          Read the memoir, making connections between Harlem as a setting and Myers’s experiences as a child/teen. -          Read for enjoyment.			Common Core -          RL.8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analogies or allusions to other texts; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone. -          RI.8.2: Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it is conveyed through particular details; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments. -          SL.8.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one and in groups) on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly
Items to Display as Agenda:  -          Admit Slip -          Argumentative Essay Introduction -          Read ch.4-6 of Bad Boy
Purpose: (same as previous) -          The purpose of this lesson will be to continue students’ understanding of setting, and how it influences character development. Students have gained some knowledge about Harlem, and now they will apply that knowledge to a longer text. This sort of interpretive work can help in the real-world, when assaying people. Furthermore, students will learn about issues of racial conflict, interracial unity, and self-perception vs. identity. There will be further discussion on ethics.
Lesson Procedures: -          Students will log on to Edmodo and access “Admit slip”. We will complete and discuss the questions (if necessary, students will complete reading of chapters 1-3 before doing this). -          I will then introduce the long-term project connected to this memoir (argumentative essay). -          We will read chapter 4 of Bad Boy. I will read the passage aloud, detailing my thinking as I read. -          On chapter 5 of Bad Boy, students will separate into groups of 3-4. Each group will be responsible for selecting what they consider to be the most important passage of the chapter (1-2 paragraphs). We will discuss their selections, and conduct formal analysis on these portions. I will ask them to consider the name of the chapter/book. Why is it called “Bad Boy”? -          Students will silent read chapter 6.
Assessments and Assignment: -          I will ask students to e-mail me their Admit Slips, and I will frequently make informal checks for student participation.