Running Head: STRATEGIES BOOKLET

Literary Strategies Booklet

Corinna Sech

Towson University
STRATEGIES BOOKLET 2

Strategy: Arguing Both Sides

How it would work in your classroom/content area:

Arguing both sides would be very useful in my content area. This strategy will help students
articulate well thought-out arguments using evidence from a text. Before students read the text,
they should get into partner groups, face partner and should partner, and then groups for and
against of the topic. I would have students read the text and then assign them a side to argue for
or against the issue or have students decide on their own. This strategy is a great for having
students critically think about controversial topics.

Connections to a Common Core Standard and a MCSS Standard:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.6
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses rhetoric
to advance that point of view or purpose.

RH.9-10.5
Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.

RH.11-12.6
Evaluate authors’ differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the
authors’ claims, reasoning, and evidence.

RH.11-12.8
Evaluate an author’s premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with
other information.

Why you have chosen this strategy (Explain):

I picked this strategy because social studies is filled with many controversial topics. This strategy
will teach students to analyze a text and create an argument for or against it. Students should be
questioning sources and this is a way to teach students to generate constructive arguments. This
strategy will also teach students how to write a persuasive or argumentative essay – both of
which are useful for the ACT or SAT.

An explanation of how you would make this strategy your own (in your classroom- this might
include a handout that you would give to students). How would you make this strategy one that
works for you and your class?:
The original layout of the strategy works for my classroom but the face partner and shoulder
partner can be confusing. Instead, I would have students use only a face partner and discuss with
him or her the controversial topic. After the discussions, I would then have students go to their
assigned side or choose their side and begin the discussion. I think this should be done at least
once a quarter because this permits student-centered discussion instead of a standard lecture.

How might you differentiate the strategy for students (explanation):

Students with IEPs could be given the article or topic a few days ahead of the debate. If the
student is deciding his or her own side, this gives the student more time to come to that decision
and support it. It also allows a student to prepare the side he or she is assigned. Gifted students
STRATEGIES BOOKLET 3

could be assigned to lead their group to keep them on task and help facilitate well thought-out
arguments.
STRATEGIES BOOKLET 4

Strategy: Written Discussion

How it would work in your classroom/content area:

This strategy is similar to arguing both sides but it is completely silent. I think this will be useful
in my classroom for discussing current events or analyzing an article. I would have students read
the article and take notes, then pass their notes to the person to their left and create a written
discussion. Each paper must fully make it around the circle before returning to the original
author.

Connections to a Common Core Standard and a MCSS Standard:

CC. 9-12.W.1
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

CC. 9-12.W.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information
clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

CC. 9-12.R.2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key
supporting details and ideas.

Why you have chosen this strategy (Explain):

This strategy requires students to read the same article and write down any notes or annotations
that come to mind while reading. This strategy is great for those who are shy and do not want to
speak in class. It also practices writing skills as well as reading skills. This strategy forces
students to analyze a text and write down these observations.

An explanation of how you would make this strategy your own (in your classroom- this might
include a handout that you would give to students). How would you make this strategy one that
works for you and your class?:
In order to make sure each student is participating, I would want each student to use a different
color pen. If students have devices, this could definitely be completed on a laptop in order to
save paper. I could also create a handout that included writing models and prompts of the things I
am looking for during the written discussion. I could also include guidelines to handout before
beginning the strategy.

How might you differentiate the strategy for students (explanation):

ELL students could receive the text ahead of time or could listen to a voice recording of me
readying the text while other students read silently. The voice recording could have side
explanations of advanced vocabulary so students are fully grasping the content. I would also
want the groups in which the ELLs are in to have a gifted student so ELLs have substance to
comment on.
STRATEGIES BOOKLET 5

Strategy: Collaborative Annotation

How it would work in your classroom/content area:

I would pass out an article that is taped to a big poster board. Students, in small groups, would be
asked to annotate the article on the poster board in different color pens. Students should write on
the poster board if something is interesting to them, important, questionable, etc. Students should
also comment, disagree, or agree with their groups annotations. This strategy is written not oral,
which allows student who do not normally participate to write their opinions confidently.

Connections to a Common Core Standard and a MCSS Standard:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text.

RH.11-12.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting
insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole

Why you have chosen this strategy (Explain):

When we practiced this strategy in class, I liked how different it was from a regular discussion. It
engages every student in the classroom and gives students who do not like to orally participate
the opportunity to engage. It also creates an even playing field for students because no one can
dominate the conversation. This strategy is student-centered and interactive. Often, the
analyzation of a primary source or secondary source can be boring in social studies. This is an
active way for students to analyze and annotate.

An explanation of how you would make this strategy your own (in your classroom- this might
include a handout that you would give to students). How would you make this strategy one that
works for you and your class?:
I would enforce students using different colored pens because I want to make sure every single
student is participating. After students have finished annotating, I would have each group hang
up their poster boards around the classroom. The groups would then rotate around the classroom
and look at the other groups’ work. This will also allow students to potentially see things they
missed throughout the article and see their classmates’ work.

How might you differentiate the strategy for students (explanation):

I would group students heterogeneously. I think it would be beneficial for ELL students to work
with gifted students to see if how they annotate the article. A gifted student could find something
important in the article and the ELL student may have missed it or vice versa.
STRATEGIES BOOKLET 6

Strategy: RAFT

How it would work in your classroom/content area:

RAFT writing is perfect for social studies. It allows students to write from different roles, to
different audiences, in different formats, and about different topics. This strategy provides
students to focus on perspective writing. For example, in social studies, students could write a
letter as a senator to the President of the United States about gun laws. As previously mentioned,
social studies is full of controversial topics and this is a way students can practice articulating
opinions from different perspectives.

Connections to a Common Core Standard and a MCSS Standard:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2.D
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.10
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and
shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and
audiences.

Why you have chosen this strategy (Explain):

I chose this strategy because it is helpful in teaching students how to write from different
perspectives. Often, when a writing prompt is given to students, it can be too broad and students
do not know where to start. RAFT writing is specific in telling the student what perspective he or
she is writing from, to whom, what format, and which topic. This strategy is versatile and will
not always be the same writing prompt.

An explanation of how you would make this strategy your own (in your classroom- this might
include a handout that you would give to students). How would you make this strategy one that
works for you and your class?:
I think a pre-writing handout would be helpful for this strategy. It could be something simple like
a chart that allows students to write down important things about each part of the RAFT.
However, I think the chart will only be helpful with longer format. If the format were a text, a
tweet, or a Facebook post, it may not be useful.

R U.S. Senator

A President of the United States

F Letter

T Gun laws/regulations
STRATEGIES BOOKLET 7

How might you differentiate the strategy for students (explanation):

For ELL students or students with learning disabilities I could provide examples of the RAFT or
key things to include when writing. I could even give model sentences with blank spaces so they
can see the structure of the writing and what to include. Gifted students could be given a more
specific and advanced RAFT. They could be required to use more sources than other students.
STRATEGIES BOOKLET 8

Strategy: Jigsaw

How it would work in your classroom/content area:

This strategy is very student centered. Students would have two groups: their expert group and
their home group. Students would be assigned a certain portion of the text and would have to
teach their portion to their home group. Students would then meet with their expert group and
make sure all members have the same important information. I would have to monitor the groups
discussions to make sure every student is able to successfully teach their home group. Students
would then move back to their home group and teach each other. For example, I could see this
being used for teaching students different reasons why the United States WWI. Each student
could be assigned one of the reasons: Lusitania sinks, Sussex sinks, Theodore Roosevelt’s
demand for immediate warfare, Wilson warns Germany, and the Zimmerman telegram. The
students would then have to read their primary source and instruct their group members.

Connections to a Common Core Standard and a MCSS Standard:

CC. 9-12.R.2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key
supporting details and ideas.

CC. 9-12.R.3
Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

Why you have chosen this strategy (Explain):

This strategy, if done efficiently, can be very effective. In order for it to be done efficiently, the
teacher needs to monitor that all students are instructing the correct information. It focuses on
student-centered instruction while helping the retention of information. If students know the
information and can teach it to other students, they will be able to recall that information easily.

An explanation of how you would make this strategy your own (in your classroom- this might
include a handout that you would give to students). How would you make this strategy one that
works for you and your class?:
I would create a review game after the jigsaw is finished. I would have students work in their
home groups and pass out white boards. I would ask questions regarding the text and have them
work as a group to answer the questions. This way I can assess the class and make sure all of the
information taught was correct.

How might you differentiate the strategy for students (explanation):

I would annotate the texts for ELL students and students with disabilities. This way the students
can follow my annotations to see what is important in the text and make sure they are addressing
key points. I could have gifted students be “group leaders” and they could be in charge of
making sure their group is on task and learning the content.
STRATEGIES BOOKLET 9

References

Daniels, H.S., and Steineke, N. (2011). Texts and lessons for content-area reading. Portsmouth,

NH: Heinemann

Fisher, D., Brozo, W.G., Frey, N., & Ivey, G. (2015). 50 Instructional Routines to Develop

Content Literacy (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School

Officers. (2010). Common Core State Standards for Language Arts. Washington, DC:

Authors.

National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, & Council of Chief State School

Officers. (2010). Common Core State Standards for U.S. History: Retrieved from

http://mdk12.msde.maryland.gov/instruction/hsvsc/us_history/standard5.html