LOOKING BEYOND THE LITERAL USING NON-PRINT TEXTS TO TEACH CRITICAL THINKING AND READING SKILLS

Rita McDermott 2009

What is non-print text?

photographs, posters, art reproductions, advertisements, cartoons, and stills or clips from film or stage productions

“Same Song” by Pat Mora

While my sixteen year-old son sleeps,My twelve year-old daughterStumbles into the bathroom at six a.m.Plugs in the curling ironSqueezes into faded jeansCurls her hair carefullyStrokes Aztec Blue shadow on her eyelidsSmoothes Frosted Mauve blusher on her

cheeksOutlines her mouth in Neon PinkPeers into the mirror, mirror on the wallFrowns at her face, her eyes, her skinNot fair.At night this daughterStumbles off to bed at nineEyes half-shut while my sonJogs a mile in the cold darkThen lifts weights in the garageCurls and bench pressesExpanding biceps, triceps, pectorals,One-handed push-ups, one hundred sit-

upsPeers into that mirror, mirror and frowns

too.

Literal Questions: What does the girl do? What does the boy do?What details stand out? Who is the speaker?Beyond the

Literal:How are the boy and girl similar? What is the speaker’s tone, or attitude towards what is happening?What motivates the boy and girl?What is the theme of the poem?

Literal Questions: What is the girl doing? What is the boy doing?What details stand out?

Girl at the Mirror and The ChampNorman Rockwell

Beyond the Literal:How are the boy and girl similar?What motivates the boy? girl?What message is each picture trying to express? What is the tone of each picture?

By the end of this workshop, you should be able to answer… What is non-print text? What functions can non-print text serve? What skills/strategies can we teach using non-

print text? What terminology can we use to help students

“read” non-print text? What do lessons using non-print text look like? What resources are available to help me

implement more non-print text in my classroom?

How can I modify the lessons and ideas from this presentation to fit my content and grade level?

What functions can non-print text serve?

Activate Background Knowledge Activate students’ background knowledge before beginning

a new topic (i.e. non-print text from a certain time period, event, person)

Motivation Use as part of a warm-up to build student interest.

Scaffolding Use non-print text to model before moving to print text. Use non-print text for skills practice.

Enrichment/Extension Compare the “big ideas” in a non-print text to that in a

print text. Have students create or find their own non-print text to

match the “big ideas” in a print text.

What thinking skills can we teach using non-print text?

Analyzing subtleties Avoiding over‐

simplifications Clarifying conclusions Developing intellectual

perseverance Developing reasoning

skills Distinguishing the

relevant from the irrelevant

Making connections Providing Proof Using context clues

(videos)

Exploring thoughts and underlying feelings

Noting significant similarities and differences

Thinking independently

Transferring insights into new contexts

What reading skills can we teach with non-print text? Making inferences Identifying tone Identifying author’s purpose Identifying theme Comparing/contrasting Critiquing style Characterizing Symbolism Predicting Evaluating effectiveness Analyzing the contributions of setting Drawing and supporting conclusions Analyzing political and historical influences

Details to think about when analyzing non-print… Color

Who is wearing what? What colors dominate? Do those colors have symbolic meaning?

Balance Is there symmetry? What is opposite of the focal point?

Body Language Posture? Hands? Angle of head?

Facial expressions What are their mouths, eyes, and eyebrows doing?

Clothing Lines & Shapes

Are there sharp lines? Natural wavy lines?

Details to think about when analyzing non-print… Focal Point

To what are your eyes drawn?

Objects What else is present besides the focal point? Is anything left out that you thought would be there?

Placement of objects & people What is in the foreground? Background? What is next to what?

Repetition Lighting

What is in the dark? What is in the light?

Additional Considerations for Video Camera Angle

Centered? Birds Eye View? From a particular character?

Special Effects Are certain areas or characters blurred? Is anything in slow motion or fast forward?

Music Movement of camera Frame –

Close ups to emphasize emotion or certain objects? Wide angle to emphasize setting?

INFERENCES Reminder: Inference = Support from the text + Knowledge of human nature.

Who owns these? (inference)

What do you see? (literal)

PROVE IT!(TEXT SUPPORT AND PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE)

Who lives here? (inference)

PROVE IT! (TEXT SUPPORT AND PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE)

What do you see? (literal)

Picture # _______What is your immediate reaction to this picture? Why? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________What details do you see in this picture? (literal) _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________What would you title this picture? (do not use a literal title) _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________Write down 1 reason why you feel this is an appropriate title. (inference) _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________

Graphic Organizers

Details from text

My Experience

My Inference

Chart for analyzing one text, print or non-print

Write a response that explains whether the

photograph communicates ideas that are similar to or different

from the ideas found in the story, “The Flowers”.

Choose which picture best communicates the ideas represented in the story, “The Flowers”. Support your conclusion with details from both the story and the picture.

The tone of this picture is best described asA. detached C. ridiculousB. insecure D. threatening

Which conclusion is best supported by the ideas found in “The Flowers” and the picture?A. Children, especially girls, should not explore alone.B. Difficult experiences can have positive results.C. Childhood innocence can disappear in a moment.D. Violence can occur in the most peaceful places.

Video Clips as Text

Present a 2-5 minute video clip. Option to give a brief literal

comprehension listening quiz. Use the clip to work on whatever reading

or thinking skill you are targeting – main idea, characterization, drawing conclusions, providing support, using context clues, vocabulary, and so on.

Replay the clip as you would ask the students to return to the text for support.

Option to have students use video clip as a speaking grade, role playing.

Bonus of Video Clips as Texts for Language Learners Opportunity to hear other accents, voices, paces,

etc. Opportunity to hear “real world” language use –

regular pace of conversations, idioms, groups of native speakers, rhythm of speech patterns, fluency, pronunciation

Role playing at the pace of clip helps students improve speaking skills.

Video Friday Rubric – 1 -10 point scale each Accuracy of LinesPronunciation of WordsIntonation and ExpressionFluency Appropriate Pace & Volume

Son: I look so much _____1___ than everyone else.Mom: Enjoy it while you can. Daughter: Mom…it’s time.Mom: Can this wait ‘til we get home?Daughter: Mom. Pull over. Tell him the __2__. Tell him how old he is. Mom: He knows how old he is. Daughter: But other kids make fun of him because of how young he looks. Nobody ___3___ him. They call him “The Narc” behind his back. Son: They do?Mom: What’s a narc?Daughter: A _______4_______. Mom: Well, what’s wrong with that?Son: C’mon you guys. It’s no big deal. I’m twelve. She skipped me a __5___. Big deal. I’m a year younger. They’re 13, I’m twelve…………………………………………………….aren’t I?Mom: I also put you in first grade when you were five, and I __6___ told you.Son: So I’m how old? Mom: You’re eleven.Son: Eleven?!?!

“Reading” the Video Clip – Almost Famous

  Make and support your inferences to answer the following questions. 1. Where is his dad? 2. How old is the sister? 3. What decade is it? 4. Although a ‘narc’ is literally a narcotics officer, what does it most likely mean in

the context the other kids use it? 5. When the boy says “this explains so much,” to what is he most likely referring? 6. How does the daughter feel towards her mother? 7. Would the mother and daughter agree that “honesty is the best policy?” Consider this: 1. Is honesty always the best policy?2. How would you feel if you were the boy?3. In what ways was it better for the boy not to know? 4. How might adolescence be a “marketing tool”?5. How are the mother and daughter similar? 6. Does age matter?7. What does “who needs a crowd” have to do with

waiting for puberty?

“Reading” the Video Clip – Four Christmases

1. What is Stan’s TONE towards the holiday season?2. What does he do or say to create that tone?3. What is Eric’s TONE as he speaks?4. Support your claim.  5. Kate says, “not if you tell them you are doing charity work.” What is

charity? (Context clues) 6. What is the MAIN IDEA of this clip?a. Christmas b. Everyone should spend time with family at Christmas.c. Families d. The most interesting conversations at work have

sarcasm and controversy.e. Charity Work f. It’s okay to lie to your family to have a vacation. g. Many people feel obligated to spend holidays with family even if they don’t

enjoy it, while some find ways to get out of family functions.  7. Explain your choice. (Providing proof. Justifying Conclusions. Noting

Significant Details.) Bonus: What does it mean, “you can’t spell families without lies.”

“Reading” the Clip – What Women Want1. Which of the following statements did NOT have the

intonation of a question? a.You smoke cigars b.You know your office is looking

really snazzy c.Honey d.He has a daughter2. They might find Nick’s idea too retro. They might hear

_________ and think ______________. 3. What can you infer about the relationship between

Nick and his daughter?4. What is the tone of Nick on the phone with his

daughter?5. What time is his daughter going to be home?6. How old is his daughter’s boyfriend?7. What is the prom mostly about?8. Where is Nick’s daughter’s mom? 9. Where is Nick going when he leaves Darcy’s office?

Romeo & Juliet

Compare the idea of love presented in Marc Chagall’s “The Walk” to that in Romeo & Juliet.

 Consider what the style of the painting, the

positioning of the people, the setting (with particular regards to the spatial relationship between the people and the town), and the colors imply about how the artist views love.

 When considering how the idea of love is

represented in the play, you may consider either Shakespeare’s overall view, theme, or presentation of love, or how a particular character , such as Romeo, Juliet, or Friar Laurence, views love throughout the play or at a particular time.

 Remember to spend an equal amount of

time/evidence/detail on the ideas in painting and play.

Romeo and Juliet Photography Book

The object of this assignment is to match the big idea, tone, and mood from Shakespearean quotes to modern photographs. You should choose two striking quotes from Romeo & Juliet and match them with two photographs, each quote/photo pair making up one page of a bound photo journal. Your photos may be from the internet, books, or personal snapshot collections. They do not have to match the events in the quote, although many may; more importantly, the photos must reflect the same idea as the quote.

 You will also identify two themes illustrated in the play. Remember, themes are messages about the way the world works. Start by identifying a topic of the text, such as family, trust, friendship, etc., and then figuring out what the author is saying about that topic, such as “Friendship is important for overcoming obstacles.”

 Ordinarily, for a project created in college or for a company, you would need to cite where you acquired all your pictures; however, for this project, you only need to cite two sources of your pictures, as I want you to get more practice citing, but I do not want that to be the focus of this project.

 Grading:

Each quote and photograph pair is worth five points. 2 x 5 = 10

Does the photo represent the quote well? Does it illustrate the big idea?

Each theme and photograph pair is worth ten points. 2 x 10 = 20

Is the theme statement accurate? Does the photo represent the quote well?

Each photograph citation is worth two points. 2 x 5 = 10

 

Suggestions:

- Enter the big idea of the photo (such as “hope”) and “photographs” into the image browser.

- Flip through/ Borrow some of the National Geographic magazines in the classroom library. You may cut out or photocopy pictures.

- Search the professional photographer work on www.corbis.com.

Literature Specific Questions

Present students with photographs of 3 different people for them to choose which one best communicates the same attitude as a character.

Present students with photographs of 3 different houses, rooms, settings for them to choose which one best communicates the same mood as the text’s setting.

Compare a writer’s style (word choice, sentence length and structure, use of figurative language…) to a painter’s style (use of color, texture, lines…). Are they both whimsical? formal?

Other Ideas

Evaluate author’s purpose, effectiveness, intended audience, and bias in advertisements, posters, and political cartoons.

Create or evaluate advertisement campaigns for certain places (perhaps in social studies class and certain for science topics)

Evaluate how an ad campaign should be changed to target a different audience.

Previously pictured: Colombia: The only risk is wanting to stay advertisement.

The following advertisements are selected from several campaigns aimed at

increasing seat belt use among teen drivers. Write an essay arguing which

ad campaign is most effective.

First, consider the lives and concerns of teenage drivers. Then, introduce the problem and summarize two of the posters. Analyze the content and tools each uses to try to relate to teenagers, as well as the primary

emotional appeal of each. Compare the strengths and weaknesses of

each campaign. Finally, explain which ad is most effective and why.

Choose a text. Create three questions you could use in your classroom for a topic, skill, or objective you will be working on shortly.

Some pics removed that also appear on the first slide…