Writing Instruction Across Content Areas

CCL- May 8, 2015

AnalyzeArgue

Compare/ContrastDescribe

DetermineDevelopEvaluateExplainImagine

IntegrateInterpretOrganize

SummarizeSupport

Transform

Essential Academic Skills

Jim Burke & Barry Gilmore

Analyze

• Break something down methodically into its parts– What are the elements of a primary source, or a poem?

• Recognize tools or elements– Rhetorical devices or types of argument

• Recognize patterns and structures– Repetition, structural elements

Before teaching students to analyze …

• Model- Use a strong example paper to show the component parts broken down. Then have students practice analyzing it in pairs or groups.

• Define Expectations- The teacher needs to define what analysis looks like in the specific discipline being taught. Do you expect a thesis? Specific evidence?

Before teaching students to analyze …

• Build Content Knowledge- Provide students with the academic language necessary to look for evidence in the particular content area.

• Practice Mental Moves- Assign short texts to students and have them practice Mental Moves:1. Look Closely- Key elements?2. Select Details- Which elements contribute most to the

meaning?3. Find Patterns- What repeats in the structure?4. Infer- What is implied, symbolic or metaphorical?5. Draw Conclusions- How can the overall meaning be

explained?

Teachers College Writing Lesson

Obstacles to watch for…

• Projection- Personal opinion is easily inserted instead of looking at what the evidence supports.

• A Point, but not THE point- In some cases, students analyze a minor theme in place of the core idea.

• Incorrect Inferences- When students get symbolic or inferential thinking wrong, the analysis can become skewed.

Thank you!!