Winston-Salem State University. Critical Reading Manual

Transcription

1 Winston-Salem State University Written by Amanda Deal and Melissa Rareshide under contract May 2013

2 Introduction This manual provides tools for faculty to continue to improve the way they develop classes, create assignments, create assessments, and measure learning related to the Critical Reading Outcomes, using the Critical Reading Rubric. -Jamie B. Slater, Ed.D. Assistant Provost for Institutional Effectiveness, Assessment, and Sponsored Programs Winston Salem State University Winston-Salem State University created this to support faculty in developing courses with the Critical Reading Outcome. Ultimately, critical reading strategies and the resulting Critical Reading Outcomes support high-level content acquisition at Winston-Salem State University. The manual addresses the following topics: SECTION 1: The Critical Reading Outcome - An overview of Critical Reading and why it is important to develop critical reading in students. SECTION 2: Assessment Design Rubrics, backward design, and authentic assessment. SECTION 3: The WSSU Critical Reading Rubric How to use the Critical Reading Rubric developed by WSSU. SECTION 4: Instructional Practices to Develop Critical Reading An overview of critical reading strategies to use with students. SECTION 5: Critical Reading Learning Activities Examples and non-examples of learning activities to develop critical readers. SECTION 6: Data Collection and Submission Details on collecting and submitting assessment results. SECTION 7: Case Study An account of how to develop and implement a course with the Critical Reading Outcome. SECTION 8: Resources List of resources and tools to support the Critical Reading Outcome. SECTION 9: References List of sources used to develop the manual. 2

3 Manual Design The manual has been developed with the user in mind. Hyperlinks, indicated by red print or the critical reading icons, allow users to quickly move among sections of the manual based on particular needs and interests. The manual has also been purposely created as a digital, living document that will evolve, change, and grow over time. Icons for each component of the WSSU rubric are hyperlinked throughout the manual to remind users of the connection between the section they are reading and the reading component it supports: Construct Meaning Reflecting Evaluating Questioning Contextualizing We hope you find this resource helpful as you support Winston-Salem State University s initiative to develop critical readers who acquire content successfully across all disciplines. 3

4 Many of WSSU s faculty are already employing Critical Reading Strategies in their coursework without realizing it. It is our hope that you will find creating a Critical Reading Outcomes for your discipline will be simpler and more familiar than you imagined. The WSSU Critical Reading Committee Jo Ann Coco-Ripp, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Therapeutic Recreation Program Coordinator Avys Massey, MA Reading Instructor, UCaLL Nancy Polk, Ed.D Faculty Development Specialist Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning (CETL) Angela Steinburg Reading Specialist The Reading Center Angela Hartman, MS Instructor Therapeutic Recreation David N. Peay, Ed.D. Clinical Professor Education Department Jamie Slater, Ed.D. Assistant Provost for Institutional Effectiveness, Assessment, and Sponsored Programs Rebecca Wall, Ph.D. Professor of English (retired) 4

5 Table of Contents SECTION 1: The Critical Reading Outcome o What is critical reading? o What do students need to become critical readers? o How do instructors develop critical reading in students? SECTION 2: Assessment Design o What is a rubric? o Why are rubrics effective? o How do instructors use rubrics? o How do instructors at WSSU use General Education Outcome rubrics? SECTION 3: The WSSU Critical Reading Rubric o The WSSU critical reading rubric overview o Constructing Meaning o Reflecting o Evaluating o Questioning o Contextualizing SECTION 4: Instructional Practices to Develop Critical Reading o Monitoring Comprehension o Making Connections o Asking Questions o Creating and Using Mental Images o Inferring o Determining Importance o Synthesizing o Using Text Structure SECTION 5: Critical Reading Learning Activities o Instructional Design o Backward Design and Text Selection o Backward Design and Setting a Critical Reading Purpose o Learning Activity Examples Aligned with the Critical Reading Outcome o Learning Activity Examples Not Aligned with the Critical Reading Outcome SECTION 6: Data Collection and Submission o What is the timeframe for collecting and submitting data? o What is the format for submitting data? o Contacts o How can I learn more? SECTION 7: Developing a Course with the Critical Reading Outcome A Case Study SECTION 8: Resources Links to each section can be found in the Introduction. 5

6 SECTION 1: The Critical Reading Outcome Today a reader, tomorrow a leader. -Margaret Fuller American Journalist Women s Rights Advocate What is Critical Reading? The first step in developing a course with the Critical Reading Outcome is to fully understand how critical reading is defined. Winston-Salem State University has defined critical reading as interacting with written language to construct and reflect on meaning while evaluating and questioning in relation to contextual information. WSSU s definition emphasizes that it is not sufficient to read for basic meaning and understanding the WSSU definition differentiates critical reading from non-critical reading: Non-Critical Reading Critical Reading Passive reading of text. Active, analytic reading of text. Recognizing what a text says about a topic. Rereading to identify patterns and analyze how the text is written. Goal is to make sense out of text, understand information, ideas and opinions. Goal is to interpret information, assumptions, and language; dig into the underlying meaning of the text. 6

7 Critical readers go beyond reading as information gathering to reading as an active process where the reader interrogates, analyzes, and evaluates texts. Critical readers do not blindly accept information they read. Instead, critical readers employ critical reading strategies that allow them to evaluate whether they want to accept the information presented in texts (Benner, 2009). WSSU defines a text as anything written that can be read. Web pages, blogs, articles, textbooks, financial aid forms, diagrams, statistical data, etc. are all considered to be texts that require critical reading strategies. The components of the WSSU Critical Reading Rubric clarify the Critical Reading Outcome: CM R CONSTRUCTING MEANING Critical readers accurately derive meaning from their reading. They consider prior knowledge, research and experience when constructing meaning. REFLECTING Critical readers reflect on the text, make connections between the text and their lives, other texts, and/or the world; they use reading to synthesize information and add to their knowledge base. Critical Reading does not water down content acquisition; rather it supports content acquisition at a higher level. -Jo Ann Coco-Ripp, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Therapeutic Recreation Program Coordinator E Q C EVALUATING Critical readers evaluate texts to determine important ideas and themes; they question the reliability and motives of the writer and use those questions to create informed opinions and ideas. QUESTIONING Critical readers develop questions related to the assumptions, purposes, and perspectives of the text. CONTEXTUALIZING Critical readers consider the contextual setting of written language they think about how the text s relationship to prior knowledge, historical setting, and knowledge of discipline affect the overall meaning, message, or ideas conveyed through written language. 7

8 Why do students need to become Critical Readers? There are numerous reasons why students need to become critical readers. Critical reading supports academic success and content acquisition at the college level, is a needed life skill for an increasingly complex world, and creates more thoughtful and informed participants in society (Benner, 2009). New Generation of Critical Readers Academic: -Reading and the growth of the mind are related. -Reading supports being prepared to learn. -Active, critical readers are stronger writers and more critical thinkers. -Being a critical reader will help students be successful with any course across any discipline critical reading is a transferrable skill. Societal: -Reading makes us more thoughtful and informed participants in our governments. -Reading develops our understanding of other cultures. -Reading arms us against oppression (Gallagher, 2003). Reasons for Critical Reading Life Skills: -The world is becoming more complex. -Readers need to navigate a wider variety of texts today: written texts, visual texts, and auditory texts. -Readers are bombarded by messages from media: politicians, news outlets, business, bloggers, etc. -Readers need the ability to steer through a barrage of information and evaluate whether information is misleading and faulty or accurate and trustworthy. -Today s students need to be prepared for careers that change drastically in the coming years and for careers that do not yet exist. 8

9 How do instructors develop Critical Reading in students? Winston-Salem State University advocates backward design as the framework for developing courses that include the Critical Reading Outcome and achieve high-level content acquisition: Build your background knowledge about critical reading and critical reading strategies. Monitoring Comprehension Inferring Making Connections Determining Importance Questioning Synthesizing Creating Mental Images Text Structure Define the outcomes of your course (Critical Reading Outcome and content/discipline specific outcomes). Design authentic assessments that measure the desired outcomes. Model critical reading strategies for students. Create learning activities that allow students to practice critical reading strategies while acquiring content knowledge at a high level. The remaining sections of this manual provide detailed information about each of these components of course development. 9

10 SECTION 2: Assessment Design If our aim is merely to monitor performance then conventional testing is probably adequate. If our aim is to improve performance across the board then the tests must be composed of exemplary tasks, criteria and standards. -Dr. Grant Wiggins President, Authentic Education What is a rubric? A rubric is a scoring guide that seeks to evaluate a student's performance based on the sum of a full range of criteria rather than a single numerical score. It is a working guide for students and instructors so everyone is aware of the criteria on which their work will be judged. Rubrics are criterion-referenced measures. That is, a student's aptitude on a task is determined by matching the student's performance against a set of criteria to determine the degree to which the student's performance meets the criteria for the task. Rubrics are typically comprised of three components: criteria, levels of performance, and descriptors. For each criterion, the rubric can be applied to determine to what degree the student has met the criterion, i.e., the level of performance. Each of these levels of performance has descriptors that spell out what is expected for each criterion. A descriptor tells students more precisely what performance looks like at each level and how their work may be distinguished from the work of others for each criterion. Similarly, the descriptors help the instructor more precisely and consistently distinguish between student work. (Mueller, 2013) 10

11 Why are rubrics effective? Considering how well a learner performed a speaking or writing task, the performance is not evaluated as being right or wrong. Instead, the performance is placed along a continuum from exceptional to not up to expectations. Rubrics help set anchor points along a quality continuum so that there are reasonable and appropriate expectations for learners that can consistently judge how well the expectations are met. ADVANTAGES OF USING RUBRICS There are a number of reasons why rubrics are more effective than traditional assessment methods. Rubrics provide the following assessment advantages: Increase an assessment's validity by aligning evaluation criteria to standards, curriculum, instruction, and assessment tasks. Increase an assessment's reliability by setting criteria that raters can apply consistently and objectively. Evaluate student work by established criteria to reduce bias. Identify the most salient criteria for evaluating a performance and writing descriptions of excellent performance can help instructors clarify goals and improve their teaching. Help learners set goals and assume responsibility for their learning they know what comprises an optimal performance and can strive to achieve it. Help learners develop their ability to judge the quality of their work and the work of peers. Provide learners with specific feedback about strengths and weaknesses and how to improve their performance. Allow learners to assess their own effort and performance and make adjustments to work before submitting it for a grade. Allow learners, instructors, and other stakeholders to monitor progress over a period of instruction. Reduce time spent evaluating performance and providing feedback. Help instructors move away from subjective grading by allowing them and others, including students themselves, to assess work based on consistent, often agreed upon, and objective criteria. (CARLA, 2013) 11

12 How do instructors use rubrics? Research suggests that in order to most effectively achieve our goals for student learning, we need to reconfigure course design and instruction with a focus on the learning outcomes we desire for students. Wiggins and McTighe (2005) have a Backward Course Design model that can help with this. Their model suggests a very different approach from traditional instructional design that is activity-focused and coverage-focused. In addition to making student learning the primary concern, this backward design model makes authentic assessment a prominent and necessary part of the learning process rather than just a tool to attach to the end of the course, or units of the course, for the purpose of grading. SYLLABUS Learning Activity Learning Activity Learning Activity General Education Outcome Strategies Authentic Assessment What are the desired outcomes of my course? Content/ Discipline Outcomes Backward Design Driven Course How do instructors at WSSU use General Education Outcome rubrics? Instructors at WSSU use the General Education Outcome rubrics for multiple purposes: Communicate the General Education Outcomes to students. Use as an assessment tool. Guide course planning and backward design. Report student progress on General Education Outcomes. 12

13 SECTION 3: The WSSU Critical Reading Rubric "We plan. We develop. We deliver. We assess and evaluate the results of the assessment. We revise, deliver the revised material, and assess and evaluate again. Perfection is always just out of reach; but continually striving for perfection contributes to keeping both our instruction fresh and our interest in teaching piqued." -E.S. Grassian MLS, UCLA Distinguished Librarian The university has created a rubric to highlight what it means to be a critical reader. Winston Salem State University defines Critical Reading as: Interacting with written language to construct and reflect on meaning while evaluating and questioning in relation to contextual information. The rubric has four levels of performance. The capstone or level 4 is the goal for students in each component. The other levels denote skills on the way to mastery: milestones for levels 2 and 3 and benchmark for level 1. These levels are consistent across the General Education rubrics. Each of the components for critical reading: Constructing Meaning, Reflecting, Evaluating, Questioning and Contextualizing are represented in the rubric. Reflecting Construct Meaning Evaluating Critical Reading Components Contextualizing Questioning 13

14 Constructing Meaning: The capstone for this component states that the learner: Always derives accurate meaning from texts by making sense of written words and analyzing reading with respect to prior knowledge, research and experience. Readers who have reached this capstone are thinking about their reading from their own frame of reference and integrating what they read with their experiences. Instructor Actions to Support this Component Student Thinking Activate students prior knowledge before engaging in a text. Help clarify thinking. Provide opportunities for students to reflect on how their prior knowledge, research and experience formed their understanding of the text. Model the critical reading strategies that support this component. What images am I creating in my mind that will help me derive an accurate meaning? Am I developing an accurate meaning or am I confused? What questions can I ask? How can I address my confusion? What do I already know about this topic that will help me construct meaning? What are the most important points made by the author? How would I summarize the meaning I constructed while reading? Critical Reading Strategies that Support Constructing Meaning: Monitoring Comprehension Creating Mental Images Making Connections Determining Importance Questioning Synthesizing Click here for the complete rubric and descriptions of benchmark and milestone levels of performance. 14

15 Reflecting: The capstone for this component states that the learner: Always provides strong evidence of thoughtful processing of ideas by thinking about text and making connections to add to or change knowledge base. Critical readers use the text to refine their understanding. They use their connections to broaden and deepen their knowledge base. Instructor Actions to Support this Component Student Thinking Support students in adding to and/or changing their knowledge base. Expect students to share and use connections. Challenge students to defend their thinking and conclusions. Model the critical reading strategies that support this component. How does that relate to what I already know? What in the text supports my thinking? How would I summarize the way my thinking has changed? How does this text add, change, or refine my thinking about this idea, concept or knowledge of this discipline? Critical Reading Strategies that Support Reflecting: Monitoring Comprehension Creating Mental Images Making Connections Determining Importance Questioning Synthesizing Click here for the complete rubric and descriptions of benchmark and milestone levels of performance. 15

16 Evaluating: The capstone for this component states that the learner: Always considers written words from various perspectives: accuracy, reliability, appropriateness, underlying meanings, intentions, agendas, assumptions, priorities; choosing important ideas/thoughts. Proficient readers can take in the many aspects of a text to inform their understanding. This requires them to look critically at a text and analyze it in a variety of ways. Instructor Actions to Support this Component Include various perspectives in your presentations and discussions. Help students analyze texts multiple times with varied purposes. Model the critical reading strategies that support this component. Student Thinking What can I infer about the writer s perspective and how does that affect the way I approach the text? Who is the author? What questions do I have about the reliability of this author? Do I have background knowledge about the writer s agenda? How will that help me analyze this text? Which ideas are most important in achieving the writer s priorities and message? How would I prioritize what I have learned from this text? How can I synthesize what I know about the writer s perspective and agenda to read this text critically? How did the writer use the organization of the text to convey ideas and agendas? Was that organization effective? Have I thought about this from more than one perspective? Critical Reading Strategies that Support Evaluating: Making Connections Determining Importance Questioning Synthesizing Inferring Text Structure Click here for the complete rubric and descriptions of benchmark and milestone levels of performance. 16

17 Questioning: The capstone for this component states that the learner: Always explores perspectives, assumptions, purposes, and techniques exemplified or implied by the text by developing appropriate questions while reading. Level four students skillfully use their questioning to monitor their thinking, actively engage with the text and deepen their understanding. Instructor Actions to Support this Component Create opportunities for students to question and reflect before, during, and after readings, class lectures or activities. Challenge students to track their engagement while using this component. Model the critical reading strategies that support this component. Student Thinking Before: What does this text make me think of? What questions do I have about this topic? What kinds of text structure and features am I noticing how can they help me predict the information I will read? During: How can I connect this to background knowledge, other texts or the world? What vocabulary or sections confuse me? What new questions do I have from what I am reading? Are the techniques used by the writer effective in conveying the message? Why? How? What assumptions am I making about the text and/or the author s purpose? After: How did this refine my thinking? What questions do I still have about this text or topic? Critical Reading Strategies that Support Questioning: Making Connections Questioning Synthesizing Text Structure Click here for the complete rubric and descriptions of benchmark and milestone levels of performance. 17

18 Contextualizing: The capstone for this component states that the learner: Always connects written language with contexts such as prior experience, historical setting, physical setting, knowledge of the discipline, etc. Students who are proficient in this component go beyond the text to inform their reading accounting for many variables. This deep level of synthesis anchors the text. Instructor Actions to Support this Component Student Thinking Provide opportunities for students to identify relevant contexts and use them to support their analysis of the text. Help students to examine how context affects meaning. Model the critical reading strategies that support this component. How does the context affect what I infer from reading the text? Why did the writer choose this context for conveying an idea? What contexts relate to this text? Does my understanding of the text change when I look at those contexts? Is that important? Why? How does considering the context refine my thinking about the message of the text? How does considering the context affect my analysis of the text? How does the context affect the images I create while reading and how does that help me infer the message or idea? Critical Reading Strategies that Support Contextualizing: Making Connections Determining Importance Questioning Synthesizing Creating Mental Images Text Structure Inferring Click here for the complete rubric and descriptions of benchmark and milestone levels of performance. 18

19 Click here to view frequently asked questions about the Critical Reading Rubric. How is the rubric used to assess Critical Reading? The instructors at WSSU use the Critical Reading Outcome rubric for multiple purposes: Communicate the Critical Reading Outcome to students, giving them the opportunity to review and practice the criteria by which their assignments will be assessed. Use as an assessment tool to measure the components of critical reading as they connect to the content of the course. Guide course planning and backward design, providing the outcome criteria for critical reading to be used along with the content/discipline goals. Report student progress on Critical Reading Outcome. The rubric has been designed with proportional criteria for the General Education Program purposes, but this may not support the objectives for specific assignments. Certain criteria may be more important to the overall performance of a particular task, or you may choose to target specific criteria to aide learning. When students are learning something new it is difficult to assimilate all of the necessary skills into a coherent final project so weighting the rubric for assignments is a common practice to focus attention on select criteria and derive numeric values for grading. For General Education Program assessment, you will be encouraged to submit data from an artifact that encompasses as many of the criteria as possible in order to present a more complete picture of students critical thinking abilities. Click here to see example of an exam that targets different components of critical reading through different sections. 19

20 SECTION 4: Instructional Practices to Develop Critical Reading We believe that constructing meaning is the goal of comprehension True comprehension goes beyond literal understanding and involves the reader s interaction with text. If students are to become thoughtful, insightful readers, they must extend their thinking beyond a superficial understanding of the text. -Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis Reading Researchers and Authors of Strategies that Work There are many strategies used to engage with text, but there are a smaller number that are used consistently by proficient and successful readers. As texts become more sophisticated and genres more varied, students application of strategies become increasingly complex and intertwined (Keene & Zimmerman, 1997). So while we may model strategies in isolation as a way for students to learn to use strategies, it is important to emphasize to students that strategy use is fluid and overlapping. Students reading at the college level will rarely employ a single strategy when critically reading a text. Strategies Used by Critical Readers Monitoring Comprehension Making Connections Asking Questions Inferring Creating and Using Mental Images Determining Importance Synthesizing Using Text Structure 20

21 Developing critical reading in students requires the following instructional practice components: 1. Explain what the strategy is. 2. Explain how the strategy connects to the WSSU Critical Reading Rubric. 3. Model how you use the strategy to support the analysis of text. 4. Provide opportunities for students to practice using the strategy. The manual provides detailed information on the instructional practice components that support students in developing critical reading strategies. Additionally, Section 8 provides a variety of tools and resources that can be used with critical reading strategies. 21

22 Monitoring Comprehension and Applying Fix Up Strategies Explain the Strategy Critical readers monitor comprehension while reading to ensure they are constructing meaning from the text. Critical readers notice when they are confused and employ strategies to clarify their confusion (Tovani, 2000). Fix up Strategies: Deriving Accurate Meaning from Texts Make a connection What do I know about this topic? This writer? The historical context? Make a prediction What do I expect to learn from this section? What do I expect to happen next? Adjust reading rate Can I slow down to better understand the text or think about it more deeply and critically? Reread What word, phrase or sentence confused me? Will rereading it help? Ask a question What question am I trying to answer by reading this? Use text and print features to clarify understanding Are there bold print, subheading, side bars, diagrams, etc. that may help me? Have I read them? Pay attention to how the text is organized How did the writer set up this text? Compare/contrast? Problem/solution? Can that help me? Stop frequently to paraphrase the reading What did I just read? Can I remember the important parts and say them in my own words? Make notes while reading What am I reading that I think is important or interesting? Can I write that down? How Monitoring Comprehension connects to the WSSU Critical Reading Rubric Critical Reading Component Construct Meaning How Monitoring Comprehension supports the Critical Reading Component Critical readers must monitor comprehension and resolve confusion to derive an accurate meaning from the text. 22

23 Model the Strategy Reading for meaning is a covert process it happens inside our heads. Because of this, students have difficulty learning to read critically unless instructors make the process overt for them. This is achieved by modeling our thinking, an instructional strategy commonly referred to as a think aloud. When using think alouds, instructors explicitly verbalize their thoughts while reading orally. This allows students to see the thinking the instructor is doing to read the text critically (Reagan, 2013). Instructors are often unclear about what a think aloud is. This table provides information to clarify what it means for instructors to think aloud. What a think aloud is: Teachers verbalizing their thoughts about reading processes: When I read this part I thought A peak into someone s thinking Pausing while reading to share thinking Modeling how you use critical reading strategies to access content knowledge What a think aloud is not: Teachers telling students how to think: You should as you read Announcing directions Explaining what is happening in a story Summarizing key points for the students (Reagan, 2013) John Bean, author of Engaging Ideas: The Professor s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom, underscores the importance of sharing your thinking with students: It helps students to see a skilled reader s marked-up text, marginal notations, and note card entries. Bring in a book or article full of your own marginal notes and underlinings, along with entries you make on note cards or responses you make in reading logs. Show them what sorts of things you write in the margins. Explain what you underline and why show them how you take notes and how you distinguish between what the author is saying and your own reflections on the material (Bean, 1996). 23

24 Sample Think Aloud: Monitoring Comprehension and Applying Fix Up Strategies to Construct Meaning Text: Excerpt from cell phone contract Resources/Tools: o Fix Up Strategies: Deriving Accurate Meaning from Text o Graphic Organizer: Monitoring Comprehension and Applying Fix Up Strategies to Construct Meaning Think Aloud Language Today I am going to show you how I monitor my comprehension and then use fix up strategies when I am confused. What I am showing you to do is called Monitoring Comprehension and Applying Fix Up Strategies. This strategy will help you construct meaning when reading the first component on the WSSU critical reading rubric. This strategy will help you this semester when you find yourself confused by some of the reading for this course. Watch and listen as I read a short excerpt from something I found confusing my Verizon Wireless contract. Read aloud the first sentence at a relatively brisk pace: COVERAGE IF IT IS A SERVICE CONTRACT: If there is a defect (including pre-existing) in the material and/or workmanship of your individually owned wireless device (hereinafter the Product ), and the Product has been subject only to normal use and service, Verizon Wireless agrees to replace the Product at no charge, as long as you return it in accordance with the terms of this Service Contract to a Verizon Wireless Communications Store or another location specified by Verizon Wireless. WOW! That was a long sentence. I am confused already, so I need to try some strategies so I ll get the accurate meaning of this text. First, I am going to slow down my reading rate. It looks like this is going to be pretty complicated, so I think taking it slow might help me understand. 24

25 After I reread this slowly, I am going to try to paraphrase the first sentence say it in simpler words so it will make sense to me. Reread the first sentence more slowly. Ok. Now that I slowed down, I think I can paraphrase this. Here s how I can say this in simpler terms. If I have taken pretty good care of my cell phone and there is something wrong with it, then my cell phone company will replace it free. I just need to make sure I return in the way this contract says to return it. Rereading more slowly and then paraphrasing helped me clarify my confusion and derive the accurate meaning of this text. Notes for Instructional Delivery During this section of the modeling, it is helpful if you underline or circle the terms in the text that supported the ability to construct accurate meaning. For example, subject only to normal use and service, defect, replace at no charge are phrases that supported the summary above. It is also important to model the graphic organizer you want students to use when they are monitoring comprehension. Provide Opportunities for Students to Practice After modeling this strategy, provide students with the list of fix up strategies along with the graphic organizer created for this strategy. Encourage students to use this strategy and organizer when students are concerned they are not constructing meaning. Consider asking students to submit one example where they monitored comprehension and applied fix up strategies to construct meaning as a mini assessment of the Critical Reading Outcome. Refer to Section 8 for more critical reading organizers. 25

26 Making Connections Explain the Strategy Critical readers comprehend better when they make connections to the text. There are three types of connections critical readers use when applying this strategy: Text to self connections When using text to self connections, students engage in an internal dialogue that relates the text to their lives: o What am I reading about that is similar to something I have experienced? o What background knowledge do I have about this topic? o Am I adding to or clarifying my knowledge base? o How does what I know about calculating derivates in calculus help me understand velocity in my physics class? Text to text connections When using text to self connections, students engage in an internal dialogue that relates the text to other texts, what they know about writing styles, and text organization: o What do I know about this writer s style that may help me understand the message? o What do I know about the way the writer structured this article? o How can that help me analyze the writer s message? o This reminds me of something I read about in another textbook. How are these idea/topics similar and different? o How have those connections allowed me to add to / clarify my knowledge base? o I am reading a case study in my business class about providing incentives to employees. Does this company s incentive plan align with the most recent research I have read about motivation? Text to world connections When using text to world connections, students engage in an internal dialogue that relates the text to some event, historical time period, topic or subject matter: o What was happening in the world when this was written? o How does the historical context affect the writer s message? o How does the historical setting affect the importance of this document? o What do I know about recent developments in the study of genetics? Does this text align with the most recent research? Students should not focus on identifying which type of connection they made. The goal is to use connections to construct a deep understanding of text, not to categorize the connections. Also, it is often difficult to determine whether the connection is to self, text or the world. Instructors make students aware of different types of connections so students will have a variety of ways to connect with a text. 26

27 How Making Connections connects to the WSSU Critical Reading Rubric Critical Reading Components Construct Meaning How Making Connections supports the Critical Reading Components Connections allow readers to compare information from text to existing knowledge so they derive an accurate meaning from the text. When readers think about what they already know about a topic, the new learning acquired from the reading connects more successfully to existing schema. Reflecting Reflecting on connections while reading supports students in schema development and content acquisition. This reflection supports adding to, refining, and /or changing students knowledge base about a topic, idea or discipline synthesis of knowledge occurs. Evaluating Connections support students in evaluating texts while reading. Students can connect to existing knowledge about a writer s background to consider reliability and agendas. Questioning By connecting to what they know about the writer s purpose and the techniques used in the text, students develop critical questions about the text. Contextualizing Connections also provide students with a lens for analyzing texts: when students consider contexts such as prior experiences, historical settings, physical settings, and/or knowledge of disciplines, they are able to understand what the text means in terms of varying contexts. 27

28 Model the Strategy Reading for meaning is a covert process it happens inside our heads. Because of this, students have difficulty learning to read critically unless instructors make the process overt for them. This is achieved by modeling our thinking, an instructional strategy commonly referred to as a think aloud. When using think alouds, instructors explicitly verbalize their thoughts while reading orally. This allows students to see the thinking the instructor is doing to read the text critically (Reagan, 2013). Instructors are often unclear about what a think aloud is. This table provides information to clarify what it means for instructors to think aloud. What a think aloud is: Teachers verbalizing their thoughts about reading processes: When I read this part I thought A peak into someone s thinking Pausing while reading to share thinking Modeling how you use critical reading strategies to access content knowledge What a think aloud is not: Teachers telling students how to think: You should as you read Announcing directions Explaining what is happening in a story Summarizing key points for the students (Reagan, 2013) John Bean, author of Engaging Ideas: The Professor s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom, underscores the importance of sharing your thinking with students: It helps students to see a skilled reader s marked-up text, marginal notations, and note card entries. Bring in a book or article full of your own marginal notes and underlinings, along with entries you make on note cards or responses you make in reading logs. Show them what sorts of things you write in the margins. Explain what you underline and why show them how you take notes and how you distinguish between what the author is saying and your own reflections on the materia. (Bean, 1996). 28

29 Sample Think Aloud: Making Connections Text: Medicine by Design from the National Institutes of Health Resources/Tools: PIC (Purpose Important Ideas Connections) Think Aloud Language Today we are going to practice a reading strategy called making connections. We are going to practice using a pre-reading organizer called PIC. P stands for our purpose for reading, I stands for important ideas, and C stands for connections. Making connections between our background knowledge and our reading is really the basis of understanding, so this strategy aligns with all the components of the WSSU critical reading rubric. Let s start by setting our purpose for reading. Our purpose today is to build our background knowledge about A Drug s Life. I am going to jot that purpose in the P section of my organizer, but I am also going to begin to make some connections. Based on the word life in the title, I can make a connection. I know a life has a beginning and an end, so I am predicting this chapter will teach me about how a drug gets into our bodies (the beginning) and how long it stays there before it leaves (the end). Down here under connections, I am going to write, life begins and ends how drugs enter our bodies; how long they stay there. Why don t you go ahead and jot down any connections you have based on the title? Give students a few minutes to jot down their connections. Allow a few students to share before moving on to the important ideas portion of the think aloud. Now I am going to try to think about some ideas that seem important. I immediately notice some diagrams. Diagrams are usually a signal that an idea is important. In the important section of my organizer, I am going to jot down some of the words I notice in the diagram: inhaled, oral, and intravenous. I have some connections to add. I usually see intravenous administration of drugs in hospitals, so in the connections areas, I am going to write, Intravenous = more serious illness maybe more dangerous drug? As I read, I can check to see if this connection is accurate. 29

30 Now you go ahead and finish previewing the text for important information. Look for bold print, italics, diagrams, changes in the font, and other text features to signal something is important. If you can make any connections to those important ideas, go ahead and jot them down in the connections section of your organizer. Allow students some time to work on this portion of the organizer. As they work, walk around to confer with students about their thinking. If you notice confusion about how to use the organizer, go ahead and clarify it. When students finish, allow a few minutes for conversation. Finally, let s jot down any other connections we have to this topic. When we think about what we already know about a topic, it helps us learn new information more easily. I am just going to jot down a few more ideas about my connections to this topic. For example, Some drugs treat more than one illness; drugs can be dangerous and habit forming, drugs have side effects. Go ahead and take a few minutes to jot down any other connections you have. Notes for Instructional Delivery Keep the modeling brief and allow students time to practice after each section of modeling. After this pre-reading activity is complete, give students time to read the text. When reading is complete, bring students back together for a conversation about the purpose. Remind students that the purpose of this organizer is to help students make connections so they will understand and remember content more easily and accurately. Encourage students to use the organizer with other reading for the course. Provide Opportunities for Students to Practice After modeling this strategy, provide students with the opportunity to use the strategy to support critical reading of course content. Some of the practice opportunities can be used to assess the Critical Reading Outcome, but all practice with critical reading strategies will support content acquisition. Refer to Section 8 for additional critical reading organizers and resources. 30

31 Questioning Explain the Strategy Questioning supports students ability to analyze text in a number of ways (Zimmerman & Hutchins, 2003): Questioning helps students establish and maintain an inner dialogue with text. Questioning clarifies ideas and deepens understanding. Questioning identifies confusion and allows readers to clarify confusion. Questioning maintains engagement by establishing a purpose for reading. How Questioning connects to the WSSU Critical Reading Rubric Critical Reading Components Construct Meaning How Questioning supports the Critical Reading Components Questioning supports readers in constructing meaning. When readers ask questions that identify confusion (e.g., I wonder what this term means? ) and then apply a strategy to address the confusion (e.g., I think I will review this diagram and reread the paragraph to look for context clues), it supports the derivation of accurate meaning. Evaluating Questioning supports readers in evaluating texts by considering various perspectives: Is this information accurate and reliable? What do I know about the author? Is he or she an expert I can trust? How is the writer using language, dialogue, plot, etc. to convey the underlying meaning? What is the writer s cultural, economic, political, or ethnic background? How does that background influence the writer s thinking? 31

32 Questioning Contextualizing Questioning allows the reader to explore perspective while reading: What is the writer s perspective? How does that affect the message? What is the writer trying to do: persuade me? Provide me with information? How does that affect my reading of the text? What techniques is the writer using to convey a message? Are the techniques effective? Questions help readers frame the text within the appropriate context: Why did the writer choose this historical setting for the novel? How does that setting support the writer in conveying the overall message? How does my knowledge (or lack of knowledge) about this historical event affect my understanding of text? How does my knowledge of a topic (e.g., ecosystems) affect my support of the writer s argument (e.g., ecosystems should be protected)? Model the Strategy Reading for meaning is a covert process it happens inside our heads. Because of this, students have difficulty learning to read critically unless instructors make the process overt for them. This is achieved by modeling our thinking, an instructional strategy commonly referred to as a think aloud. When using think alouds, instructors explicitly verbalize their thoughts while reading orally. This allows students to see the thinking the instructor is doing to read the text critically (Reagan, 2013). Instructors are often unclear about what a think aloud is. This table provides information to clarify what it means for instructors to think aloud. 32

33 What a think aloud is: Teachers verbalizing their thoughts about reading processes: When I read this part I thought A peak into someone s thinking Pausing while reading to share thinking Modeling how you use critical reading strategies to access content knowledge What a think aloud is not: Teachers telling students how to think: You should as you read Announcing directions Explaining what is happening in a story Summarizing key points for the students (Reagan, 2013) John Bean, author of Engaging Ideas: The Professor s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom, underscores the importance of sharing your thinking with students: It helps students to see a skilled reader s marked-up text, marginal notations, and note card entries. Bring in a book or article full of your own marginal notes and underlinings, along with entries you make on note cards or responses you make in reading logs. Show them what sorts of things you write in the margins. Explain what you underline and why show them how you take notes and how you distinguish between what the author is saying and your own reflections on the material (Bean, 1996). Sample Think Aloud: Questioning Text: Financial Aid Terms and Conditions from WSSU website. Resources/Tools: Questions Game 33

34 Think Aloud Language Today we are going to learn a critical reading strategy called questioning. This strategy helps you construct meaning, evaluate the text, question perspectives and think about context while reading so it is aligned with several components of the critical reading rubric. We are going to practice this strategy with a text that students often have a lot of questions about the WSSU financial aid terms and conditions. We are going to practice by doing something called the questions game. Let s start by generating some questions before reading. Read the title without passing out the text. Model one question you have just from hearing the title. When I hear the title, the first question that pops into my head is, What do the words terms and conditions mean in the context of financial aid? Now, I want you to jot down 2 questions you have just from hearing the title. Give students a few minutes to write down their questions and then have a few students share their questions. Add them to your list. Now I am going to read the first paragraph and share my question. Read aloud the paragraph below: NOTE: This is a summary of the Award Terms and Conditions of Financial Aid. If there are any differences between this summary and the full Terms and Conditions, the full Terms and Conditions will override this summary. I have a question: This is telling that this is just a summary not all the information I need I wonder what they left out of the summary and how important that is for me? Your job today while reading is to pay attention to questions any questions that pop into your head as you read. After reading, you will spend some time discussing your questions with a partner. 34

35 Notes for Instructional Delivery Keep the modeling portion of the lesson brief so students stay engaged. While students are reading, circulate among students and confer with them about the reading and their questions. After reading, give students the opportunity to discuss their questions with a partner, determine whether they were able to develop answers to their questions and talk about any questions that remain. End the session by asking students to think about how creating their questions helped them while reading. If this is difficult for students, share some of the ways questioning helps readers from the explain the strategy section of this document. Provide Opportunities for Students to Practice After modeling this strategy, provide students with the opportunity to use the strategy to support critical reading of course content. Some of the practice opportunities can be used to assess the Critical Reading Outcome, but all practice with critical reading strategies will support content acquisition. Refer to Section 8 for additional critical reading organizers. 35

36 Creating and Using Mental Images Explain the Strategy Mental images are the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes that come to mind while reading. The images conjured up in our heads are influenced by our background knowledge, the type of text we are reading, and the words selected by the author. For example, narrative texts lend themselves to the creation of movie like images something Zimmerman and Hutchins call the motion picture of the mind (2000). When reading expository or informational texts, the images we create may be closer to a snapshot or diagram. Creating mental images helps readers in a number of ways (Hutchins and Zimmerman, 2000): Heightens engagement and interest Transports reader to the scene Supports meaning through visual memory Supports higher level thinking How Creating and Using Mental Images connects to the WSSU Critical Reading Rubric Critical Reading Components Construct Meaning How Creating and Using Mental Images supports the Critical Reading Components Mental images support the accurate derivation of meaning by creating visual memories, which are easier to remember than words. Contextualizing By creating mental images of the physical or historical setting of a text, students are transported to the scene of the writing and are better able to make meaning from the text. Model the Strategy Reading for meaning is a covert process it happens inside our heads. Because of this, students have difficulty learning to read critically unless instructors make the process overt for them. This is achieved by modeling our thinking, an instructional strategy commonly referred to as a think aloud. 36

37 When using think alouds, instructors explicitly verbalize their thoughts while reading orally. This allows students to see the thinking the instructor is doing to read the text critically (Reagan, 2013). Instructors are often unclear about what a think aloud is. This table provides information to clarify what it means for instructors to think aloud. What a think aloud is: Teachers verbalizing their thoughts about reading processes: When I read this part I thought A peak into someone s thinking Pausing while reading to share thinking Modeling how you use critical reading strategies to access content knowledge What a think aloud is not: Teachers telling students how to think: You should as you read Announcing directions Explaining what is happening in a story Summarizing key points for the students (Reagan, 2013) John Bean, author of Engaging Ideas: The Professor s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom, underscores the importance of sharing your thinking with students: It helps students to see a skilled reader s marked-up text, marginal notations, and note card entries. Bring in a book or article full of your own marginal notes and underlinings, along with entries you make on note cards or responses you make in reading logs. Show them what sorts of things you write in the margins. Explain what you underline and why show them how you take notes and how you distinguish between what the author is saying and your own reflections on the material (Bean, 1996). Sample Think Aloud: Creating and Using Mental Images Text: Facts and Figures from the Great Depression Resources/Tools: KWIL Organizer (Know Want to Know Images Learning) 37

38 Think Aloud Language Today we are going to use a strategy called creating mental images. Creating mental images helps us understand reading because our brains remember images better than they remember words. Since this strategy helps us understand and learn, it is related to constructing meaning and reflecting on the WSSU critical reading rubric. Creating mental images also helps transport us to the scene of the text. We can see, hear, smell, etc. what is happening in the historical setting we are studying. For this reason, creating mental also helps us contextualize, another component of the WSSU critical reading rubric. The goal of today s lesson is to add to our existing knowledge of a historical event the Great Depression. Before we begin, let s take a few minutes to (1) jot down what we already know about this historical event and (2) form some questions we have about this event. Go ahead and do that now, while I am jotting some things on my organizer. While students are completing the first 2 sections of their KWIL organizers, jot down one example of background knowledge you have as well as one question you have. After students have had time to write down their knowledge and questions, allow a few minutes for a whole class conversation about background knowledge and questions. During the conversation, add a few more thoughts to the organizer you are projecting. Now we are going to begin using the strategy of creating mental images. We are going to read a list of facts and figures about the Great Depression. I am going to read the first bullet point from our list: 13 million people became unemployed. In 1932, 34 million people belonged to families with no regular full-time wage earner. When I read the words, 13 million people became unemployed I started to get an image in my head. I can see lots of people standing in the streets with signs that say things like, Need work. Hungry or Will work for food. Their clothes are old, dirty and full of holes. Their shoes have a lot of holes in them and the people are all very skinny with blank, desperate looks in their eyes. 38

39 So on my organizer, I am going to write 13 million people became unemployed on the left side because these words created the image in my head. Then I am going to jot down what I saw. You can describe your images with words in this right hand column, or you can create a sketch. Now I want you to read this complete list of facts and figures. As you read, put an asterisk by the facts and figures that created the most vivid images in your head. Then come back and choose your 3 strongest images to put in your organizer. When all that is done, share your thinking about the last two questions on the organizer: What is my learning about this topic? How has my thinking about the topic changed? When everyone has finished we will talk about what we learned. Notes for Instructional Delivery Keep the first section of the lesson (accessing background and creating questions) brief. You want the bulk of the lesson spent with students using mental images to construct meaning and add to their knowledge base. While students are reading and completing the middle section of the KWIL organizer, circulate and confer with students. Use questions to probe their thinking: What images are you seeing? Which facts and figures created the most vivid image in your mind? How is your knowledge base changing or growing? Be sure to allow time for discussion after reading. You want students to have time to share how they created new learning and/or how their thinking about the topic changed. Provide Opportunities for Students to Practice After modeling this strategy, provide students with the opportunity to use the strategy to support critical reading of course content. Some of the practice opportunities can be used to assess the Critical Reading Outcome, but all practice with critical reading strategies will support content acquisition. Refer to Section 8 for a list of additional critical reading organizers. 39

40 Inferring Explain the Strategy Inferring is the ability to draw conclusions about messages, meanings, or ideas not explicitly stated by the writer. Readers are able to infer by combining background knowledge with textual evidence: where BK = Background knowledge TE = Textual evidence Because inferring requires readers to develop more than a literal understanding of a text, it is considered to be a higher-level strategy. Predicting before reading is similar to inferring because predicting requires readers to consider clues gleaned from previewing a text. Readers then combine those pre-reading clues with their background knowledge to anticipate what the text will be about or what they can expect to learn from the text. How Inferring connects to the WSSU Critical Reading Rubric Critical Reading Components Evaluating How Inferring supports the Critical Reading Components Writers rarely state underlying meanings, intentions, or agendas explicitly. Readers must infer these things by using a combination of background knowledge and clues implicit in the text. Questioning Writers purposes are also not always stated directly. Students must use their knowledge about writers perspectives and techniques to develop questions relevant to an analysis of the text. 40

41 Contextualizing Because inferring requires students to assimilate information from multiple sources (textual evidence and background knowledge), students must contextualize while reading to successfully infer the message of a text. Model the Strategy Reading for meaning is a covert process it happens inside our heads. Because of this, students have difficulty learning to read critically unless instructors make the process overt for them. This is achieved by modeling our thinking, an instructional strategy commonly referred to as a think aloud. When using think alouds, instructors explicitly verbalize their thoughts while reading orally. This allows students to see the thinking the instructor is doing to read the text critically (Reagan, 2013). Instructors are often unclear about what a think aloud is. This table provides information to clarify what it means for instructors to think aloud. What a think aloud is: Teachers verbalizing their thoughts about reading processes: When I read this part I thought A peak into someone s thinking Pausing while reading to share thinking Modeling how you use critical reading strategies to access content knowledge What a think aloud is not: Teachers telling students how to think: You should as you read Announcing directions Explaining what is happening in a story Summarizing key points for the students (Reagan, 2013) 41

42 John Bean, author of Engaging Ideas: The Professor s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom, underscores the importance of sharing your thinking with students: It helps students to see a skilled reader s marked-up text, marginal notations, and note card entries. Bring in a book or article full of your own marginal notes and underlinings, along with entries you make on note cards or responses you make in reading logs. Show them what sorts of things you write in the margins. Explain what you underline and why show them how you take notes and how you distinguish between what the author is saying and your own reflections on the material (Bean, 1996). Sample Think Aloud: Inferring Text: Shakespeare s Sonnet 18 Resources/Tools: Have students create a 3-column organizer with the following column headings: background knowledge, textual evidence, and inference. Think Aloud Language Today we are going to use a comprehension strategy called inferring. We use inferring to help us understand the writer s message which is usually not stated explicitly especially in poetry. Inferring aligns with evaluating, questioning, and contextualizing on the WSSU critical reading rubric. I am going to read the first line of this sonnet and share my thinking. I will also jot down my thinking on my organizer so you can see how I infer information about the message and ideas in this sonnet. Read aloud the first line of the poem. When I read the words, summer s day, I connect to some background knowledge. I m going to jot summer s day in the textual evidence column because those are the words that allowed me to make a connection. In the background knowledge section, I m going to jot down, summer is a wonderful time of year. It s warm and there s less work to do. I love summer. 42

43 Now, I am going to infer. Since the speaker is comparing the subject of the poem to a summer s day and summer is a really wonderful time of year, I am inferring that the speaker thinks the subject of the poem is wonderful maybe the speaker is even in love with the subject. I am going to jot those ideas down in the inference section of my organizer. Notes for Instructional Delivery Provide a similar think aloud for the second line of the poem and then allow a few minutes for students to ask questions. Allow time for students to finish the poem, adding to their organizers for each line of the poem. Ask students to write down the message of the poem at the bottom of the page. After students finish reading, facilitate a class discussion about the message of the poem. Ask students to provide evidence for their thinking based on what they wrote in their organizers. While students are working independently, circulate to confer with them. Provide Opportunities for Students to Practice After modeling this strategy, provide students with the opportunity to use the strategy to support critical reading of course content. Some of the practice opportunities can be used to assess the Critical Reading Outcome, but all practice with critical reading strategies will support content acquisition. Refer to Section 8 for additional critical reading organizers and resources. 43

44 Determining Importance Explain the Strategy Determining important ideas and information in text is central to making sense of reading and moving toward insight. (Harvey and Goudvis, 2000). Content Area Reading What s worth remembering? What content am I acquiring? Narrative and Persuasive Texts What s the message, theme, argument? What is the writer trying to tell me? How Determining Importance connects to the WSSU Critical Reading Rubric Critical Reading Components Construct Meaning How Determining Importance supports the Critical Reading Components Allows reader to make sense of and prioritize written words to acquire knowledge. Reflecting Supports readers in realizing when they have acquired new information and changed their knowledge base I already knew something about the structure of DNA before reading this, but the information in this paragraph is adding to my knowledge base. It is important to remember new information. Evaluating Allows a reader to choose the most important ideas or thoughts by considering multiple perspectives. 44

45 Contextualizing Encourages readers to see the importance of physical settings, historical settings, and knowledge of the discipline when analyzing texts. Model the Strategy Reading for meaning is a covert process it happens inside our heads. Because of this, students have difficulty learning to read critically unless instructors make the process overt for them. This is achieved by modeling our thinking, an instructional strategy commonly referred to as a think aloud. When using think alouds, instructors explicitly verbalize their thoughts while reading orally. This allows students to see the thinking the instructor is doing to read the text critically (Reagan, 2013). Instructors are often unclear about what a think aloud is. This table provides information to clarify what it means for instructors to think aloud. What a think aloud is: Teachers verbalizing their thoughts about reading processes: When I read this part I thought A peak into someone s thinking Pausing while reading to share thinking Modeling how you use critical reading strategies to access content knowledge What a think aloud is not: Teachers telling students how to think: You should as you read Announcing directions Explaining what is happening in a story Summarizing key points for the students (Reagan, 2013) 45

46 John Bean, author of Engaging Ideas: The Professor s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom, underscores the importance of sharing your thinking with students: It helps students to see a skilled reader s marked-up text, marginal notations, and note card entries. Bring in a book or article full of your own marginal notes and underlinings, along with entries you make on note cards or responses you make in reading logs. Show them what sorts of things you write in the margins. Explain what you underline and why show them how you take notes and how you distinguish between what the author is saying and your own reflections on the material (Bean, 1996). Sample Think Aloud: Determining Importance Text: Math problem Resources/Tools: Skim and Scan Think Aloud Language Today we are going to learn about a critical reading strategy called Determining Importance. This strategy helps us think about what is worth remembering and paying attention to while we are reading. It connects to several components of the WSSU rubric: Constructing meaning - I have to know what is most important to derive an accurate meaning. Reflecting - I have to know what is important enough to add to my knowledge base. Evaluating I have to think about all ideas presented and focus on the big ideas. Contextualizing - The physical or historical setting is important when I read. I am going to show you how I use the strategy of determining importance to help solve a math problem. I am going to skim and scan the problem to help me determine the most important information. First I am going to skim the problem. That means I am going to read it quickly to get an idea of what the problem is basically asking. 46

47 Read aloud the problem quickly. Now, here are some things I noticed while skimming. First of all, there were a lot of words in the problem that related to how fast they worked (rate, twice as fast, hours, etc). Because there were so many words related to the speed of the work, I know the idea of their work speed is important. The other thing I noticed while skimming this problem was the word assumptions. It s repeated so it is important. Now I see the problem gives different ways they might paint the room. I ll need to figure out the fastest way to get the room painted. Skimming helped me figure out the big idea of the problem and that is important. Now that I skimmed to find out what the problem is basically asking, I am going to scan it for important math words and phrases that may help me solve it. These math words and phrases are also important. Allow the students to see you scan the problem, stopping to circle important math words and phrases such as twice as fast. For each word you circle, stop to share your thinking about why that phrase is important. For example, you might say When I read the phrase twice as fast I know that is going to help me set up my equation Continue scanning and thinking aloud. Allow students to see you solve the problem for the first assumption. Have students work to solve the problem for the remaining assumptions. Notes for Instructional Delivery Circulate while students are working to confer with them about their thinking and used of the critical reading strategy. If possible, provide time for students to do independent practice of the skim and scan strategy with a different problem. Provide Opportunities for Students to Practice After modeling this strategy, provide students with the opportunity to use the strategy to support critical reading of course content. Some of the practice opportunities can be used to assess the Critical Reading Outcome, but all practice with critical reading strategies will support content acquisition. Refer to Section 8 for additional critical reading organizers. 47

48 Using Text Structure Explain the Strategy Text structure is simply the way a writer chooses to organize a text. Plot serves as the generally used structure for narrative writing. Turning Point Rising Action Falling Action Beginning Ending Because students are more familiar with the structure of narrative texts, students are often more successful at reading narrative texts than other types of texts. Expository texts use a much wider range of structures to convey an idea or information about a topic. Some of the most commonly used expository structures are listed below. Chronological order Compare and Contrast Problem and Solution Cause and Effect Main Idea and Details Thesis Structure Factual Report When students are aware of the way a writer organizes the information, this awareness supports students ability to construct an accurate meaning and analyze the text. Students must be explicitly taught how to recognize text structure so they can use it as strategy for developing insight related to the text (Glass C. & Zygouris-Coe, 2005). 48

49 Characteristics of Common Text Structures Structure Characteristics Signal Words Chronological Order Writer provides events in order or steps in a process in order. First Next Last Finally After that Compare and Contrast Problem Solution Cause and Effect Main Idea and Details Writer explains two events, ideas, topics, etc. by noting similarities and differences in the characteristics shared. Writer identifies a problem that needs to be solved and presents a solution or solutions--often including her opinion about which solution is most effective and why. Writer outlines an event or occurrence and the reasons it happened. Writer organizes the text much like an outline. The text opens with a main idea. Supporting details follow, sometimes with text features such as headings and subheadings to support the structure. Likewise Similarly In contrast Unlike Although However Whereas Problem Solution Resolved Resolution Dilemma Puzzle Answer Difficulty Because As a result Due to Therefore This leads to For example For instance To illustrate Such as 49

50 Characteristics of Common Text Structures Continued Structure Characteristics Signal Words Thesis Structure Writer includes a thesis statement in the introduction that is generally repeated in the conclusion. Between the introduction and conclusion, there are generally paragraphs that develop the supporting details or ideas for the thesis (Jewell, 2012). Clearly stated thesis statement in the introduction and conclusion. May include subheadings for paragraphs with supporting details. Is evidenced by Reason Supported by For example Factual Report Writer includes a format that is similar to main idea and details; however, all details are factual. No argument or opinion is presented. Lacks statements that express arguments or opinions. How Text Structure connects to the WSSU Critical Reading Rubric Critical Reading Component Evaluating How Using Text Structure supports the Critical Reading Components Writers often choose a particular text structure because the structure allows the writer to convey her message most effectively; knowing about text structure supports the reader in evaluating the writer s underlying meanings, agendas, and priorities. Questioning When students create questions about how a text is structured, it supports them in defining techniques used by authors to convey a purpose. 50

51 Contextualizing Knowledge of text structure is a type of background knowledge that supports students in analyzing text. When students activate their knowledge of text structure while reading, they are more successful at comprehending and analyzing text. Model the Strategy Reading for meaning is a covert process it happens inside our heads. Because of this, students have difficulty learning to read critically unless instructors make the process overt for them. This is achieved by modeling our thinking, an instructional strategy commonly referred to as a think aloud. When using think alouds, instructors explicitly verbalize their thoughts while reading orally. This allows students to see the thinking the instructor is doing to read the text critically (Reagan, 2013). Instructors are often unclear about what a think aloud is. This table provides information to clarify what it means for instructors to think aloud. What a think aloud is: Teachers verbalizing their thoughts about reading processes: When I read this part I thought A peak into someone s thinking Pausing while reading to share thinking Modeling how you use critical reading strategies to access content knowledge What a think aloud is not: Teachers telling students how to think: You should as you read Announcing directions Explaining what is happening in a story Summarizing key points for the students (Reagan, 2013) 51

52 John Bean, author of Engaging Ideas: The Professor s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom, underscores the importance of sharing your thinking with students: It helps students to see a skilled reader s marked-up text, marginal notations, and note card entries. Bring in a book or article full of your own marginal notes and underlinings, along with entries you make on note cards or responses you make in reading logs. Show them what sorts of things you write in the margins. Explain what you underline and why show them how you take notes and how you distinguish between what the author is saying and your own reflections on the material (Bean, 1996). Sample Think Aloud: Using Text Structure Text: Exercise and Academic Performance Resources/Tools: PEEL Graphic Organizer Think Aloud Language Text structure is the way an author chooses to organize a piece of writing. There are several ways writing can be organized: problem/solution, cause and effect, and main idea/details are some of the ways writers choose to organize their ideas. As readers, we want to think about the text structure to help us construct meaning, evaluate and contextualize our reading three of the components on our WSSU critical reading rubric. Today I am going to show you how I use text structure to read an editorial critically. I am going to use the PEEL organizer to record my thinking. For today s lesson, the P will refer to the author s point. First, I am going to read the first paragraph and the last sentence. I am doing that because I have learned that people often put their big ideas in one of those two places. Read aloud the first paragraph and the last sentence. 52

53 Ok. When I read these two sections of the text, I am pretty sure I have figured out the writer s big idea: exercise should not be cut from the school day. I am going to write that idea down in the first section of the organizer. I am also thinking about how the writer organized this. It seems like the writer feels cutting exercise is a problem, so it could be the problem/solution text structure or the writer might just be trying to tell us why exercise should not be cut and that would be more like a main idea/supporting details structure. I won t know for sure until I finish reading. Now I am going to read the entire article. As I do, I am going to be looking for evidence to support the writer s point and also I want to figure out the structure. Read entire editorial. Stop several places to underline evidence. Paraphrase the evidence and write it in the evidence section of the organizer. As you do this, remember to share the thinking that is happening in your head. For example, you might say The words, children who are more active are better able to focus their attention provide evidence that cutting exercise from school seems like a bad idea. This detail also helps me figure out this may be a main idea/detail structure because the detail supports the writer s idea but the detail does not really provide a solution to the problem. Continue this process, stopping a total of 2 or 3 times while reading to record and share your thinking. When you have finished, share how this reading and thinking links to your life: As a professor, this makes me wonder whether students should be required to take courses that require physical activity. 53

54 Notes for Instructional Delivery If your course uses a lot of articles with a variety of text structures, your students may benefit from seeing you model your thinking with more than one kind of text structure. Provide Opportunities for Students to Practice After modeling this strategy, provide students with the opportunity to use the strategy to support critical reading of course content. Some of the practice opportunities can be used to assess the Critical Reading Outcome, but all practice with critical reading strategies will support content acquisition. Refer to Section 8 for additional critical reading organizers. 54

55 Synthesizing Explain the Strategy Stephanie Harvey compares synthesizing to working a jigsaw puzzle: A battalion of two, grandmother and granddaughter attacked the puzzles together and were delighted as entire pictures slowly emerged from the hundreds of cardboard pieces Isn t that what synthesis is all about? (Harvey and Goudvis, 2000). Synthesizing entails combining readers background knowledge with new information. As new and existing information comes together, new ideas and patterns emerge. As students read more, thinking evolves, becomes more refined, and becomes more complete. Synthesis allows readers to create original ideas, see a new perspective, or form a new line of thinking (Harvey and Goudvis, 2000). New Idea Website Textbook Article Newscast Transcript Existing Knowledge Existing Knowledge Synthesis 55

56 How Synthesizing connects to the WSSU Critical Reading Rubric Critical Reading Components Construct Meaning How Synthesizing supports the Critical Reading Components Synthesis requires merging new information with existing information. Students must create an accurate meaning from new information for synthesis to occur. Reflecting Integrating information from various texts and background knowledge is how synthesis occurs. Synthesis is adding to, changing, or refining our knowledge base. Evaluating Reading insightfully and critically requires students to assimilate various perspectives when reading. Likewise, synthesis involves bringing together a variety of information to evaluate an idea. Questioning Critical readers bring together thinking about their own perspectives, purposes, and assumptions with those of the author to develop questions that support synthesis of information. Contextualizing Synthesis involves bringing together all components of a text(s) to lead to the creation of new thinking. One of the components students must consider when synthesizing information is the context in which the text was written. Model the Strategy Reading for meaning is a covert process it happens inside our heads. Because of this, students have difficulty learning to read critically unless instructors make the process overt for them. This is achieved by modeling our thinking, an instructional strategy commonly referred to as a think aloud. When using think alouds, instructors explicitly verbalize their thoughts while reading orally. This allows students to see the thinking the instructor is doing to read the text 56

57 critically (Reagan, 2013). Instructors are often unclear about what a think aloud is. This table provides information to clarify what it means for instructors to think aloud. What a think aloud is: Teachers verbalizing their thoughts about reading processes: When I read this part I thought A peak into someone s thinking Pausing while reading to share thinking Modeling how you use critical reading strategies to access content knowledge What a think aloud is not: Teachers telling students how to think: You should as you read Announcing directions Explaining what is happening in a story Summarizing key points for the students (Reagan, 2013) John Bean, author of Engaging Ideas: The Professor s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom, underscores the importance of sharing your thinking with students: It helps students to see a skilled reader s marked-up text, marginal notations, and note card entries. Bring in a book or article full of your own marginal notes and underlinings, along with entries you make on note cards or responses you make in reading logs. Show them what sorts of things you write in the margins. Explain what you underline and why show them how you take notes and how you distinguish between what the author is saying and your own reflections on the material (Bean, 1996). Sample Think Aloud: Synthesizing Text: Quotes about Leadership Resources/Tools: Define, Annotate, Refine - A particular organizer is not needed; since students will do most of their thinking through annotations, they can jot the define and refine portions of this activity on notebook paper or the text itself. 57

58 Think Aloud Language Today we are going to learn a critical reading strategy called synthesizing. Synthesizing involves combining your background knowledge with new information to create a new idea or new perspective. Synthesizing is a high-level strategy so it supports students with all parts of the WSSU critical reading rubric. We are going to practice this strategy by thinking and reading about leadership. Let s begin by creating our own definitions of leadership. Take a few minutes to think about how you would define leadership and write it down. While students do this, write your definition of leadership. Be sure you share a definition that can be refined by reading the text for this lesson. Now, when we synthesize information, we take our existing ideas and add or refine them as a result of reading. Let me show you what I mean. When I thought about the definition of leadership, I thought part of it was someone who accomplishes something great. Now I am going to read the first quote to see whether it causes me to change my thinking any. I am going to record my thinking as an annotation. Read aloud the first quote. Hmmm. I am going to circle not, greatest, and others. Those words are causing me to refine my thinking a little. Now I see that leaders are not just people who accomplish great things. Leaders are people who inspire greatness in others. Your job is to read the rest of these quotes about leadership. As you read, make annotations around words or phrases that get you to think about leadership in a different way words and phrases that help you refine your thinking. When you finish, write a new definition of leadership based on the way these quotes changed your ideas. 58

59 Notes for Instructional Delivery Circulate while students work and ask them questions to support their critical reading: Are you noticing any patterns in the quotes about leadership? Have you paid attention to who said each quote? How does that person s background influence his or her ideas about leadership? How does that person s background influence how much importance you might place on the things he/she says? Synthesis is about creating new thinking, so be sure to save time for an after reading discussion of students refined definitions of synthesis. Provide Opportunities for Students to Practice After modeling this strategy, provide students with the opportunity to use the strategy to support critical reading of course content. Some of the practice opportunities can be used to assess the Critical Reading Outcome, but all practice with critical reading strategies will support content acquisition. Refer to Section 8 for additional critical reading organizers. 59

60 SECTION 5: Critical Reading Learning Activities Instructional Design Critical reading strategies support content acquisition because they allow students to be active participants in the learning process: students are accessing and processing content through reading, not passively receiving content that is delivered to them by instructors. Structuring learning activities in a way that supports students in (1) reading actively and critically while (2) acquiring content requires forethought and planning on the part of the instructor. The backward design model helps students achieve course outcomes. Backward Design and Text Selection The first step in the backward design model is developing course outcomes. Once those outcomes are established, instructors must select text that will allow students to achieve those outcomes: When selecting texts for our students to read, it is important to consider more than just the content or topic. What else is there to consider? We should select texts that lend themselves to the teaching of specific reading strategies or other academic skills. Because texts present a variety of linguistic and structural challenges, we need to expose students to a wide range of texts and teach them critical reading skills that will help them comprehend these difficult texts. (LeMaster, 2013) Here are some general guidelines for selecting texts: Questions to consider while choosing a text: Does the text allow students to develop or extend their knowledge of course concepts? Does the text allow students to use a variety of critical reading components? Does the text present varied evidence and support for its overall message? Does the text provide students with cognitive challenges? Questions to consider about how you will use a text: Which critical reading strategy might I teach with this text that will support students in acquiring course content? What will I have students do before, during, and after reading the text? How will students demonstrate their use of critical reading strategies and content acquisition? (LeMaster, 2013). 60

61 Backward Design and Setting a Critical Reading Purpose After selecting an appropriate text, instructors should develop a reading purpose that will support students in achieving course outcomes: Every reading task should begin with a purpose, or a prompt, that is articulated either verbally or in writing. Prompts are useful! They communicate to students our expectations for the reading, define what students should be thinking about and doing while reading and they also help students make decisions about the types of reading strategies they will need to employ. (LeMaster, 2013) Thinking about what you want students to do while reading to support acquisition of course content aids instructors in setting useful purposes. Here is a sample purpose. Text: Physics by Urone and Hinrichs Sample Purpose: The goal of today s reading is to develop your understanding of the physics concept of displacement. You will be reading a section from the textbook about displacement. Here is what I you to do before reading. Think about what you already know about displacement and write that on your organizer. Also, preview the text by looking at all the text features. Jot down any questions you develop while previewing the text. While you read, annotate the text by marking points of confusion and answering and/or adding to your questions. When you finish reading, summarize the reading and highlight the learning that was new to you. Critical Reading Strategies Used Before Reading Making Connections Write down existing knowledge of topic. Questioning Use text features to develop questions you hope to answer while reading. During Reading Monitoring Comprehension Annotations to indicate confusion. Questioning Add to pre-reading questions and/or develop answers to pre-reading questions. After Reading Synthesizing Write down new learning. Questioning Which questions remain unanswered? What new questions did the reading create in your mind? Critical Reading Components Addressed Constructing Meaning Reflecting Questioning 61

62 WSSU Learning Activity Examples Aligned with the Critical Reading Outcome The table below contains examples of WSSU learning activities that are aligned with the Critical Reading Outcome. Clicking on the hyperlink for each learning activity will allow you to see the assignment along with comments on how it is aligned with the components checked in this table. Learning Activity/ Course Final Exam Construct Meaning Reflecting Evaluating Questioning Contextualizing World Lit Critical Reading Classroom Activity Therapeutic Recreation Math Problem Math WSSU Learning Activities Less Aligned with the Critical Reading Outcome The examples below are not as strongly aligned with the Critical Reading Outcome. Click on the learning activity to read more about each. Literature Worksheet Debate Activity Math Problem 62

63 SECTION 6: Data Collection and Submission At the end of each semester, instructors collect data about students performance related to General Education Outcomes. The process for data collection and submission is outlined below. What is the timeframe for collecting and submitting data? Outcome data can be submitted anytime during the final three weeks of the semester. However, there is a deadline each semester, which will be communicated to you via . In the past, this deadline has coincided with the last day that faculty can submit their students final grades to the university. What is the format for submitting data? WSSU has developed an online data collection template for instructors to report the General Education Outcome data. Before the start of the data collection window, faculty who are teaching courses that fulfill General Education Outcomes will receive an from the Office of Institutional Assessment & Research, which contains information about the data collection process. In addition, a link to the actual data collection template will be embedded in this . Using the rubric that was created to assess the specific General Education Outcome for the course, instructors enter results into the online data collection template. For each rubric component being assessed, instructors will indicate the number of students who, based on defined criteria, performed at each of the following levels - Capstone (4), Milestone (3), Milestone (2), and Benchmark (1). Please note that the terminology associated with the performance levels, learning components, and criteria on the data collection template are consistent with the terminology used on the rubric. If you were unable to collect data for any of the learning components, please leave the performance level boxes associated with the particular learning component(s) blank. Note: The ultimate goal is for instructors to select student artifacts that address all components on the rubric. This may require revising assignments selected for assessment purposes/data collection so that all components of the rubric can be reported in subsequent semesters. In addition to entering assessment information related to student outcomes, the template provides faculty with the opportunity to provide feedback and suggestions about the General Education Outcome rubrics and the process for assessing general education 63

64 outcomes at WSSU. Faculty are also able to print the data they submitted so they have a copy for their records. The data template links change from semester to semester, so instructors will receive an with a unique data template link for each general education course/section taught each semester. What is the contact for data collection and submission? Dr. Becky Mussat-Whitlow Winston-Salem State University Institutional Assessment & Research Office [email protected] Where do I go for help if I encounter difficulty? If you have any questions about this data collection process, please contact Dr. Becky Mussat-Whitlow at [email protected]. If you need to correct any data that was already entered into the data collection template and submitted, please contact Yaohua Wang at [email protected] or How can I learn more about this process? Each semester, prior to the start of the data collection window, the Assessment Coordinator at WSSU will schedule a number of workshops for faculty who would like to see a demonstration of how outcome data is entered into the data collection template. 64

65 SECTION 7: Developing a Course with the Critical Reading Outcome A Case Study Several WSSU instructors have implemented courses with the Critical Reading Outcome. The goal of this section is to provide an overview of the thought process and planning used by instructors when developing and implementing a course with the Critical Reading Outcome. The section features an interview with Dr. Jo Ann Coco-Ripp. She recounts her experience implementing a Therapeutic Recreation course with the Critical Reading Outcome. Briefly describe your course. Course: TRC 2305 TRC 2305 (Living Well! Benefits of Leisure for People with Disabilities) is a connection of two big ideas: leisure for persons with disabilities and information about specific disability groups (e.g., muscular dystrophy, spinal injuries, etc.). There had been a class that was an introduction to therapeutic recreation and it was just so full of content. We were pondering: How can we take some of the load from that class? At about that same time, WSSU was coming up with the idea of the learning outcomes. The timing of these two events allowed us to create the new class as a general education class. We linked the course to a General Education Outcome and because it was a general education course, students could learn about the field and make an informed decision of their interest in the major. Course: TRC 2305 Build Background Knowledge: Disabilities Opportunity to interact with people with disabilities. Understand how leisure fits into their lives. What were the content / discipline specific outcomes of your course? We wanted to build students background knowledge about a variety of disabilities, wanted students to get some experience interacting with people with disabilities, and wanted students to understand the importance of leisure in the lives of people with disabilities. Why/How did you choose the Critical Reading Outcome? Well, you have to be an effective reader when you are out in the field. Reading just seemed to be so basic to the job the Critical Reading Outcome just seemed to be a good fit for the course. Academic vocabulary can be a challenge for students, so focusing on critical reading seemed like it would help students with that. Also, I wanted students to realize how language impacts beliefs and perceptions in culture. For example, there have been a lot of 65

66 changes in the language we use when speaking about people with disabilities how we now focus on people first language I wanted to help students realize how important this is. They need to think about the way language influences our thoughts and perceptions. For example, if you are watching the news and hear, suffers from a spinal cord injury that phrase creates a very different idea in our minds than had a spinal cord injury Finally, I chose the Critical Reading Outcome because I wanted to learn how to teach reading at the college level. It was a chance for me to learn too. How did you build your knowledge of critical reading and the instructional strategies you would need to employ to get students to read critically? I worked with Angie Steinberg in The Reading Center here at WSSU. She was able to share ideas and resources that were helpful. I have attended workshops on different teaching techniques. I also visited the websites for teaching and learning centers at various colleges and universities. Georgia Southern had some particularly helpful resources. I also became a member of the Critical Reading Committee and that has helped me learn as well. Reading Center at WSSU Building Background Knowledge on Critical Reading Workshops Websites How did the rubric influence the planning of your course? The rubric helped in a variety of ways. First, the rubric ensured I touched on all the components of critical reading. I knew students would be constructing meaning and reflecting in the course, but realized evaluating would be more difficult. I knew students would need help with evaluating. We made sure we developed an assignment for data collection that included all of the rubric components. I looked at the assignment carefully and made sure I included questions and prompts that would address all those parts of critical reading. So, the rubric helped me revise my assignments and helped me help my students. The rubric also made me think about which components would be most relevant to the work people do in the field of therapeutic recreation. Contextualizing while reading is really going to prepare students for work in this field. For example, when doing a session with a client, therapists must do progress notes. If as students, they have learned to think about reading considering the context, then they will see the importance of context on progress notes. For example, the treatment setting...the success of the therapy session can be greatly impacted by the context (who is there, who is not, where it is, etc.). 66

67 Finally, the rubric made me think about ways to ensure I could glimpse at students individual thoughts. I created a reading blog learning activity that required students to choose an autobiography of a person with a disability. Students had to write 5 blogs about the autobiographies they read. It was really an effective assessment. I knew I was getting a student s independent thinking not group thoughts. I included prompts so there was some structure to the writing this is not a writing class, so I was more interested in accessing the thinking they were doing about their reading and less interested in how the response was written. I gave students options on how to submit their work. It was not a test of content knowledge it was about getting students to reflect on their reading. How did the rubric help establish student expectations? Well we give out the rubric right along with the syllabus and I bring their attention to the rubric throughout the semester. When we do reading in class, I refer to the rubric. For example, if I want students to really focus on context, I might reference the rubric and ask a series of questions to get students thinking about context: Who would be reading this article? What is the context of the person who is reading this article? How does the context affect the way you might respond to the article? What kinds of assessments did you use for the course? I used a variety of assessments: There were weekly reading quizzes for the textbook reading. It was on online multiple-choice, open book quiz. Students completed a visual benefits project where they created visual representations of the benefits leisure activities have for people with disabilities. Students participated in an immersion project that include pre and post writing as well as documentation of interaction with people with disabilities. There were 10 worksheets that were mostly content-based. Students selected an autobiography to read and then responded to five blog prompts for their selected texts. There was a final exam that included content questions and questions about students use of the critical reading components. The critical reading questions really gave me a lot of insight about students thinking. How did the assessments support both your content outcomes and the Critical Reading Outcomes? All assignments addressed both, but some assignments had more emphasis on a particular type of outcome. For example, the weekly reading quizzes and blogs mostly addressed the Critical Reading Outcome and the visual benefits and immersion projects mostly addressed content. 67

68 Did you feel the assessments worked well for you? Yes, I think the variety of assessments worked well. I also think giving people an understanding of what we are assessing is important. This means using rubrics and being explicit the purpose of the immersion is not just to get volunteer hours. It is reflecting on your experience with a person with a disability and using that experience to connect learning to other parts of the course. Students need to understand what [learning activity] they are doing, why they are doing it, and how to do it effectively. Did your assessments cover all the critical reading components or did some cover only particular components? Through the variety of learning activities and assessments, all critical reading components were covered. The blogs were used for the data collection for the course, so that single assignment addressed all critical reading components. How did you grade assignments that were used for content / discipline specific outcomes? Critical reading outcomes? Both? For assignments that were mostly content based, there were rubrics where I applied criteria to determine a grade. For the assignments related to the Critical Reading Outcome, I focused more on completion my main concern was, Are the students practicing these reading strategies? How many assignments did you use for your critical reading data collection? I used one the reading blog. Was the data collection and submission process cumbersome? Not for me. What did you learn through this process? I learned to be very intentional and to put the directions down for everything. When learning activities went well, I was reflective and would jot down notes so I could replicate that success. Also, I sometimes wrote scripts for what I would say to make sure I was being explicit. I learned to use rubrics for everything. We learned that a course like this needed to be smaller so we capped it at 40 students after the first semester. 68

69 What will change about this course going forward? I will get the student started on their autobiographies earlier in the semester so the reading blog learning activity will result in better student products and learning. How did including the critical reading component support content acquisition? Were students more successful with content acquisition than in the past? I think the critical reading emphasis made students ask more questions when they were confused and students became more confident in asking questions. This emphasis definitely helped students reflect on what they read. Students also learned to approach reading from a different framework. I have had students who took this class and are now in the second course. I can see a huge difference in their ability to read the textbook or a website. Students who had the course with the Critical Reading Outcome are better equipped to consume the information. Critical Reading Emphasis Students asking more questions Students better equipped to consume information If you could share one piece of advice with people who are just beginning to develop a course with the Critical Reading Outcome, what would it be? Start with the BIG IDEA and work backward from there. When creating the class, put your big idea for the course in one sentence. Then, be sure that all the course s learning activities are aligned with that big idea. Course Resources for the Critical Reading Outcome Syllabus Reading Corner Assignment Critical Reading Classroom Activity Critical Reading Exam Questions Reviewing these resources will provide on overall picture of how the Critical Reading Outcome is integrated effectively into a course. 69

70 SECTION 8: Resources for Planning and Student Use Student Use: This section provides learning activity examples, classroom tools and organizers that support the Critical Reading Rubric. The resources listed in the chart below can be accessed by clicking on the title. The table indicates which Critical Reading Components each resource supports. Resource Name Admit Slip Construct Meaning Reflecting Evaluating Questioning Contextualizing Components of Critical Reading Anticipation Guide Believing/ Doubting BKWLQ Concept Map Conversation Analysis Cornell Notes Cubing Difficulty Paper Exit Slip 70

71 Resource Name Flipbook Construct Meaning Reflecting Evaluating Questioning Contextualizing Components of Critical Reading Freewrite KWIL Monitoring Comprehension Opinionnaire PEEL PIC Predict/ Annotate REAP QAR Questions Game 71

72 Resource Name Reciprocal Teaching Construct Meaning Reflecting Evaluating Questioning Contextualizing Components of Critical Reading Skim and Scan SQ3R 3 Positions Reading Two Column Log What would You say? 72

73 Instructor Resources: This section has resources referred to through the document for your use and reference. Texts for Critical Reading Strategies Think Alouds Text for Inferring Text for Monitoring Comprehension Text for Determining Importance Text for Synthesizing Text for Making Connections Text for Creating Mental Images Text for Text Structure Text for Questioning Learning Activities Aligned and Not Aligned with the Critical Reading Outcome Reading Example Lit Non Example Final Exam Example Debate Non Example Math Example Math Non Example Case Study: TRC 2305 Course Materials Syllabus Reading Corner Activity Classroom Activity Exam Questions Other Resources Critical Reading Habits Checklist for GE course development Text Selection Tips Setting a Purpose Communicating GE Outcomes to Students Think Aloud Guidelines Fix Up Strategies FAQ about the Rubric Lit Exam with Capstone Responses Critical Reading Rubric 73

74 Predict and Annotate (Pre-reading, Reading; Generic to all reading assignments) Read the title and the first paragraph. Jot down 2-3 issues you predict the article will cover, and 2-3 questions you have about those issues. Annotate the essay as you read, using a pen/pencil (not a highlighter!). If you don't want to write in your book, you can make a photocopy or use Post-its. As you mark passages, try to emphasize short phrases (5-8 words) to help you remember key ideas: use circles, boxes, squiggles, double-underlines, etc., to indicate slightly different degrees or tonalities of emphasis. Aim to include 3-5 short, word-based comments per page, using one or more of the approaches/heuristics below: o Include short reactions (aha, huh?, heh, eek, wha-a? hmph, nah, ick), as well as questions, connections ("like my Milton class," "contrast w/macrorie"), and/or short summaries of an idea you want to remember ("silence voices in head"). o Include comments that summarize/comprehend, interact/evaluate, extend, or rhetorically analyze the text. (Credit to Mary Goldschmidt for this structure.) o Alternately, TXT to the text: use quick, familiar abbreviations: LOL, OMG, etc. (Reid, 2009) Return to Menu Opinionnaire (Pre-reading; Must be adapted to each reading assignment) Before you read, please respond to the following five statements with "Agree," "Don't know," or "Disagree." Write 1-2 sentences to elaborate on one response. Sample Opinnionaire Statements: Most people prefer. Doing X causes people to. ers should always be. (etc.) Return to Menu As you read, watch carefully for places where the author provides evidence that supports, contradicts, or provides interesting alternatives to the responses you gave. Does it seem as though the author is writing to people who share your opinions or who have different ones? How can you tell? (Reid, 2009) 74

75 Freewrite (Pre-reading; Generic to all reading assignments) Return to Menu Freewrite for 10 minutes on (the topic of the reading assignment). Write quickly without erasing or censoring; try to put down what occurs most vividly to you, even if you think you're getting "off topic." When you're done, go back and double-underline one or two phrases that seem most interesting to you, so you can look for connections to these ideas as you read. (Reid, 2009) SQ3R (Pre- and post-reading; Generic to all reading assignments) Return to Menu Survey the reading: look at starts and finishes, headers, topic sentences; note down 2-3 things you think it will be about. Write down 2-3 Questions: what do you want to know, or hope you'll learn, about these topics? Read a section at a time (no more than 2 pages), thinking about your questions. At the end of each section, Recite the main points or questions that occur to you so far; go ahead and speak aloud as you do this, to engage orally/aurally, and write a note or two if you'd like. After you've finished, Review all your earlier notes, and add any observations you've missed; in a day or so, return and review those notes again. (Reid, 2009) Cubing (Pre-reading or post-reading; Generic to all reading assignments, but may need some tinkering to fit particular topics) Explore (the topic of the reading) from 6 angles, writing a sentence or two for each. Describe it (key characteristics?). Return to Menu Compare it: what's it like? Associate it: what does it make you think of? Analyze its parts or steps: what's involved? how does it work?. Apply it: what can you do with it? how? Agree or disagree with it, or explain how/why it will or will not work or be useful (in a given situation). (Reid, 2009) 75

76 Two-column Log (Reading and/or Post-reading; Generic to all reading assignments) Divide your paper or screen into two columns (or insert a table). Label the left hand column "Summary" or "They Say." Label the right hand one "Response" or "I Say." Complete at least four, two-part "entries" to this log. In each entry, use the left column to paraphrase or quote a specific point from the reading that caught your eye. Use the right column to respond or talk-back to the author's point: try to be vivid rather than general, to speak your mind rather than to "translate" ("...by this the author means..."), to question or extend rather than just say "I agree" (say why), to make connections to other readings or experiences. You will write more, perhaps twice or three times as much, in the right column than in the left. Show what's in your head that might not be in some other reader's head. Return to Menu (Reid, 2009) QAR (Reading and post-reading; Generic to all reading assignments, but may require additional modeling beforehand and discussion afterwards, since this is a way to learn to read more than a preparation for discussion; see also "Discussion Questions" below) Review the four Question-Answer Relationships below. As you read or after you've read, write at least one question + answer pair that fits each category. Right there Q&As: questions that occur(ed) as you read that are answered clearly (a little later) in the text ("What are the 'three approaches'? ) Think-and-search Q&As: questions answered in the text, but only when you piece the answers together from several parts of the text ("How is X a feminist approach?") Author-and-you Q&As: interpretive questions that can be answered only when you put your knowledge and reasoning together with the text ("What does X imply?") On-my-own Q&As: factual or contextual questions that can be answered, but only by leaving the text and consulting other resources ("What else was happening when X was going on?") Return to Menu (Reid, 2009) 76

77 Return to Menu Three Positions (Pre- and/or Post-reading; Generic to all reading assignments) Pre-reading: Imagine three people who are closely involved in (this issue) but who each disagree with (or take a different stance from, or have a different investment in) the other two. Briefly describe each person (name, age, gender, status, background) and outline his/her argument. Be sure you identify three distinct positions -- not just one "pro" and two "con" arguments. Post-reading: Imagine -- and give a brief description of -- a single person who agrees with the author's main point. Then imagine two other people who each have a position or view different from the author's and from each other. Describe each person briefly, and list his/her argument or response. Be sure you identify three distinct positions -- not just one "pro" and two "con" arguments. (Reid, 2009) Believing/Doubting (Post-reading; Generic to all reading assignments) After you finish reading, freewrite for 5 minutes in a believing mode, during which you respond as if the author could do or say no wrong. What do you see? What could really happen if everything the author says is right? When you're done freewriting, copy at least two short quotations from the piece giving the author's exact most-believable words. Then freewrite for 5 minutes from a doubting perspective, during which you respond as if the author is totally looney and should never be allowed to speak/write in public. What problems do you foresee? What s been overlooked or unanalyzed? When you're done freewriting, copy at least two short quotations from the piece giving the author's exact most-doubtable words. Return to Menu (Reid, 2009) 77

78 Concept Map (Post-reading; Generic to all assignments, but may need stronger modeling than others) Take five minutes to visually map out -- using bubbles, streets, hills-and-lakes, graphs, etc. - - the relative locations (and interrelations) of either 5-6 concepts that you've been thinking about lately regarding (the general topic of this reading assignment), or 5-6 authors you've read (as part of this class or your current research). As or after you read, place this author and/or his/her main idea(s) on your map. Write a few sentences about the locations and connections you envision. Return to Menu (Reid, 2009) What Would Do/Say? (Pre-reading, Reading, and/or Post-reading; Generic to all reading assignments) Remind yourself of the main arguments/beliefs of another author you've read this semester. Choose one whose ideas remain vivid to you. As you read (or review) the text, imagine what that person would think about these arguments. Write 3-5 notes about what the other author's responses and reasons would be. (You may use a two-column log -- X says, Y might respond -- if you wish.) When you're done, check back with the first author, and copy out a few key phrases s/he actually did say. Return to Menu (Reid, 2009) Write Your Own Discussion Questions/Questions Game When you're done reading, compose 2-3 Discussion Questions of your own. Try to write real questions that you don't know (and want!) the answer to, rather than "teacher-like" questions ("what is the most important theme in this essay?"). You may write questions that ask the author something, ask about the author or other writers' experiences, wonder about "what if's," suggest links to other topics or readings, ask your classmates for input, or ask about related issues. If you get stuck, think about questions that begin with "How..." or "Why..." Don't ask if you don't really want to know the answer! Students can discuss in pairs and write a second set of questions that emerge from their discussion or are still unanswered. The activity can be repeated by combining pairs or switching partners. Return to Menu (Reid, 2009) (McTeague, 1996) 78

79 Conversation Analysis & Talkback Return to Menu Review the questions below before you read; ask and/or answer (and note your reason for asking/answering) at least one question from each category. Perspectives: What are the author's assumptions or guiding traditions? Are principles grounded in documented evidence? Is the text skewed to one (cultural) point of view? Experiences: What or whose experiences are omitted or overly-simplified? How are ethical issues addressed? Communication: Whose voices are heard? How does specialized language, if any, contribute to or limit access and understanding? How do metaphors/analogies reveal the author's ideology or assumptions? Politics: Whose interests are served by this piece? What approaches are taken for granted rather than challenged? Does the piece empower readers? (Reid, 2009) Write a "Difficulty Paper" (Adapted from Salvatori and Donahue, Post-reading; Generic to all reading assignments) Pick a passage or two in the text that stumped you. Instead of trying to explain what they mean, explain why they were difficult for you. What were you thinking before you encountered each passage, and how did the passage not match your expectations? What is covered later in the text that does not seem to match this passage? Point to terms or concepts that were difficult or unfamiliar, and explain how they contributed to the challenge of reading the passage. Describe any sentences that seemed to mean one thing at first but might have other meanings or implications. Point out any statement that surprised you or that does not match your own experience or previous knowledge; note any contradictions, omissions, exaggerations, or assumptions that made reading difficult. Describe other texts you've read that present alternate points of view not fully represented in this passage. If along the way you begin to see some elements of this text more clearly, you can indicate your current realization. However, your goal is neither to emphasize the "wrongness" of your earlier reading nor to argue for a current "right" reading. Instead, you should focus on explaining as thoroughly as possible why a reader might have difficulty with this passage, and what strategies might help a reader who encounters similar difficulties elsewhere. Return to Menu (Reid, 2009) 79

80 Anticipation Guide This strategy helps students set a purpose for reading and gets them thinking and talking about words in a text prior to reading. Already engaged, students are able to start reading and attempt to put the words in context. Before class, choose random (or important) words from a reading. List the words on a screen or board. Ask students, What do these words make you think of? Allow students to think, share and possibly record their answers. As a group, discuss their answers. Ask, Why, what made you think that? for example. This can be done before reading in class or at the end of class before assigning a reading for homework. Return to Menu Exit Slip The exit slip is an effective tool for assessing what students have learned at the end of a class or lesson. These are short prompts given to students for a focused writing that will give you feedback about their learning. Approximately 3-4 minutes before the end of class, ask students to complete their Exit Slip (note card or strips of paper). To encourage critical thinking, try some of the following: What made learning easier or more difficult for you today? What predictions do you have for the reading you will do after this? What questions were you left with at the end of class today? Write about something new you learned today. Return to Menu (Faber, 2006) 80

81 3-2-1 Reading This strategy requires students to summarize key ideas; also, students rethink ideas in order to focus on information they find particularly difficult or interesting. Once completed, these can be used in class discussions or small groups for cooperative learning. On paper or attached chart, students list the following: 3 key ideas learned from the reading 2 things that were especially interesting or especially hard to understand 1 question still unanswered Or, a different format: 3 differences between and 2 similarities between them 1 question still unanswered Return to Menu (Faber, 2006) Admit Slip The admit slip helps students establish a purpose for reading and/or learning. This can consist of a note card or simply a slip of paper for students to hand in at the beginning of class. After assigning a reading (homework), students can do 1 of the following: summarize text in a few sentences list 3 pieces of new knowledge from the reading list new words (with definitions looked up/written) 3-5 questions that were answered through the reading Or, before a class discussion, students can turn in an admit slip with 3 relevant points they would like to make Return to Menu (Faber, 2006) 81

82 PIC (Purpose--Important Ideas--Connections) This strategy is used before reading to activate background knowledge and by previewing the text. The goal is for students to establish a purpose for reading and to remember what they have read when they finish. P stands for Purpose: What is my purpose for reading? What am I going to do with the information when I finish reading? Will I write a paper, take a test, do a graphic organizer or a project? I stands for Important Ideas: How can I determine what important ideas are in the reading? Have students preview the text. Look at the title, pictures, headings, bold or italicized print, charts graphs, maps and sidebar sections. Are there questions to guide me in the reading? If not, can I form questions out of the headings? What are the key words I need to know? C stands for Connection: What do I already know about this subject? How does it fit with what I have already learned? What questions do I want answered? What does this remind me of? What questions would I like to have answered by the text? After reading, have students go back and see if their predictions were accurate, if their questions were answered and if they understood the important ideas based on their preview. (Faber, 2006) Return to Menu 82

83 Flip Book (note taking) A creative way to take notes, write definitions, formulas or concepts. Create a book with the number of edges you need. Each edge is labeled with a topic, skill, concept, formula or word that your students need to know. Students who don t review or take notes will make/use a flip book. Directions to make flip book: 1. Take 2 sheets of paper and fold them in half lengthwise. Tear them in half creating 4 long, narrow sheets of paper. 2. Place the 4 sheets of paper in a stack so the bottoms and tops are even. 3. Slide each of the top 3 sheets up until the bottom of the 4 sheet is staggered with an equal space showing on each sheet. 4. Fold the tops of the sheets so the staggered edges have the same space showing all the way down the book. There should be 8 flaps that can be flipped up for note taking. 5. Staple the top together. Return to Menu Reciprocal Teaching Reciprocal Teaching is an instructional approach in which teachers and students take turns leading discussions about shared text. Four comprehension strategies are employed: prediction, clarification, summarization, and question generation. These strategies are modeled by the teacher, and then practiced by the students in cooperative groups or pairs taking turns practicing the strategies. Teachers monitor the discussion and provide cognitive scaffolding. Return to Menu MMenuTop of the Document 83

84 Cornell Note Taking Method Return to Menu Make a two column chart and take notes on the right side. Skip a few lines in between each point of the lecture or reading. After class/reading, write study questions in the left side. Summarize this information at the bottom of your note page. Notes can be used for a study or discussion guide. Questions Answered by Notes or Study Questions Notes Summary of Notes: (Brief) 84

85 Skimming and Scanning Return to Menu SKIMMING What is it? Why skim? Skimming means reading quickly to get the main idea of a paragraph, page, chapter, or article, and few of the details. Skimming allows readers to read quickly and get a general sense of a text, so that they can decide whether it has useful information. They may also skim to get a key idea. After skimming a piece, they might decide that they need to read it more closely. How to skim? Read the first few paragraphs, 2-3 middle paragraphs and the final few paragraphs of a piece, trying to get a basic understanding of the information. Or, some people prefer to skim by looking at the first and last sentences of each paragraph. If there are visuals such as pictures, diagrams or charts, a quick glance at them and their captions will help identify the main idea or point of view of the text. Generally when readers skim their eyes are moving horizontally and quickly because they are not reading every word. SCANNING What is it? Why scan? Readers who SCAN move their eyes quickly down a page or list to find one specific detail. Scanning allows readers to quickly locate a single fact, date, name or word in the text without trying to read or understand the rest of the piece. That fact or word may be needed later to respond to a question. How to scan? Knowing the text well is important. This will help the reader make a prediction about where in a chapter they might find the word, name, fact, term or date. Note how the information is arranged on the page. Readers know that the headings, diagrams, and other text features might guide them. When a reader scans they move their eyes vertically or diagonally down a page quickly looking for the information they want. They look for associated words that might steer them to the detail they want. 85

86 Skimming and Scanning Graphic Organizer Students can use their skimming skills to list first impressions from the text. As they scan for details they will create their fast facts list. Finally, after discussion or a thorough reread of the text they can form and record their final thoughts. First Impressions Fast Facts Final Thoughts 86

87 B-K-W-L-Q Chart Directions: Before reading or studying a new topic, read students a selection or short story about that topic. Use that quick introduction to (B) build background knowledge. Students record this in the first column. Continue the chart as you would a KWL and then have students synthesize their learning by adding new questions in the last column after they have studied the topics. Building BACKGROUND What I KNOW What I WANT to know? What I LEARNED Return to Menu What new QUESTIONS do I have? 87

88 REAP (Read, Encode, Annotate, Ponder) Directions: 1. Hand out the graphic organizer (or have students create their own) and explain how it will be used, calling attention to the instructions and help at the bottom of the organizer. Advise students NOT to write while they are reading. 2. Hand out a passage of informational text (or direct students to the informational passage in their textbooks) and provide time for students to read the text. 3. Assist students as they work individually to complete the R, E, and A sections of their graphic organizer. Emphasize the importance of restating the information in their own words. 4. Organize the class into discussion partners. Guide students to share the work they have completed individually and to make additions or adjustments. 5. Lead students to discuss with their partner appropriate responses for the P section of the graphic organizer and to write their connections and questions in the appropriate space. Sample REAP organizer on the following page. Return to Menu 88

89 R REAP E A P R Read the text and write down the title and author. E Encode the text writing down the main ideas in your own words/thoughts. A Annotate the text by writing a summary statement of the important points. P Ponder the text by thinking and talking about what you learned. Ask yourself why the author wrote this text and what did they want you to learn. 89

90 PEEL (Point, Explain, Evidence, Link) Directions: Students respond to a question about their text following the PEEL format. After reading the text they compose their point (P) or answer to the question in a brief 1-2 sentences. They then explain (E) and provide evidence (E) for their point with 2-3 thoughts. Finally, they make a link (L) or connection to the text from another text, the world or themselves. Sample graphic organizer for PEEL is on the next page. Return to Menu 90

91 Question: P Point- state in 1-2 sentences: PEEL Graphic Organizer E1 Explain your first supporting idea: E E1Evidence from the text for your first idea: E2 Explain your second supporting idea: E E2Evidence from the text for your second idea: E3 Explain your third supporting idea: E3Evidence from the text for your third idea: L Link: Text-to-Text, Text-to-Self, or Text-to-World 91

92 Critical Reading Habits This table includes the critical reading habits recommended by The Reading Center at Winston-Salem State University. For each habit, there is a cross reference to each component of the WSSU critical reading rubric. When developing a learning activity that uses one of these habits, you would not include all components in a single learning activity. This table is intended to provide you with options for implementing the critical reading habits. Critical Reading Habits Construct Meaning Reflecting Evaluating Questioning Contextualizing Pre-Read Annotate Outline Repetitions/ Patterns Contextualize Compare/ Contrast 92

93 General Guidelines for Text Selection Questions to consider while choosing a text: Questions to consider about how you will use a text: Does the text allow students to develop or extend their knowledge of course concepts? Does the text allow students to use a variety of critical reading components? Does the text present varied evidence and support for its overall message? Does the text provide students with cognitive challenges? Which critical reading strategy might I teach with this text that will support students in acquiring course content? What will I have students do before, during, and after reading the text? How will students demonstrate their use of critical reading strategies and content acquisition? (LeMaster, 2013) 93

94 Tips: Setting a Purpose for Critical Reading There should be a clear critical reading purpose for every reading assignment students complete. Setting a purpose supports students in achieving the critical reading and content specific goals set for the course. Reflective Questions for Setting Critical Reading Purposes What do I want students to get from reading this text (i.e., what is the goal for reading)? How will students achieve the goal for reading? o Which critical reading strategies will they use? o Which components of the WSSU critical reading rubric does this learning activity address? How will I assess students success? o Content acquisition? o Critical Reading? Text: Physics by Urone and Hinrichs Sample Purpose: The goal of today s reading is to develop your understanding of the physics concept of displacement. You will be reading a section from the textbook about displacement. Here is what I you to do before reading. Think about what you already know about displacement and write that on your organizer. Also, preview the text by looking at all the text features. Jot down any questions you develop while previewing the text. While you read, annotate the text by marking points of confusion and answering and/or adding to your questions. When you finish reading, summarize the reading and highlight the learning that was new to you. Critical Reading Strategies Used Before Reading Making Connections Write down existing knowledge of topic. Questioning Use text features to develop questions you hope to answer while reading. During Reading Monitoring Comprehension Annotations to indicate confusion. Questioning Add to pre-reading questions and/or develop answers to prereading questions. After Reading Synthesizing Write down new learning. Questioning Which questions remain unanswered? What new questions did the reading create in your mind? Critical Reading Components Addressed Constructing Meaning, Reflecting, and Questioning 94

95 ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND CURRICULUM COMMITTEE Request for General Education Designation for New Course Date Submitted: Click here to enter text. Submitting Department: Click here to enter text. enter text. Submitter s Name: Click here to A) Proposed Course: Please attach a syllabus to the end of the proposal and submit as a single Word document. 1. Course Level: Choose an item. 2. Proposed Course Name: Click here to enter text. 3. Semester Hours: Choose an item. 4. Proposed Pre-requisites: Click here to enter text. 5. Proposed Course Description: Click here to enter text. B) Information: List any information about the course that you want the curriculum committees to consider such as the need for course and how the course fits in the curriculum, etc. Click here to enter text. C) Consultants: Please list any faculty/committees outside of your department with whom you consulted in the development of this course. Click here to enter text. D) Course Duplication: Does this course represent a duplication of content with existing courses in or outside of the department? Choose an item. What Courses? Click here to enter text. If the answer is yes, explain why this course is being presented for consideration for general education. Click here to enter text. E) GE Student Learning Outcome: A general education course must focus on developing at least one of the General Education Student Learning Outcomes (GE SLO). These include: (1) critical thinking; (2) critical reading; (3) written communication; (4) oral communication; (5) scientific literacy; (6) quantitative literacy; and (7) information literacy. OUTCOME STATEMENT: The outcome is EXPLICITLY reflected in the course syllabus as being one of the assessed learning outcomes for this course. Students must 95

96 demonstrate their learning related to the outcome. GE SLO data will be collected by Institutional Assessment and compiled as part of the on-going assessment of student learning. 1. What GE SLO is or will be the primary focus of the course? a. Choose an item. b. Please list the learning outcome that is on the syllabus that directly relates to the GE SLO you have chosen to address. You may have more than one SLO related to the outcome. Click here to enter text. Click here to enter text. 2. What specific activities have you designed to address the GE SLO? Click here to enter text. 3. Explain how you will assess student progress related to the GE SLO? Click here to enter text. F) Area of Knowledge: A general education course should, but does not have to, fit within a defined Area of Knowledge (AK) for WSSU. 1. Does the course fit within a General Education Area of Knowledge? Choose an item. If yes, which Area? Choose an item. 2. Please look at the description of this AK on the General Education Webpage. Please explain your rationale for why this course belongs under the indicated AK. Click here to enter text. 3. What specific activities have you designed related to the AK? Click here to enter text. 4. Explain how you will assess student learning related to the AK? Click here to enter text. G) Curricular Theme: A general education course may, but does not have to, address one of the WSSU Curricular Themes. 1. Does the course address one of the Curricular Themes? Choose an item. If yes, which Theme? Choose an item. 2. Please look at the description of this Theme on the General Education Webpage. Please explain your rationale for why this course belongs under the indicated Curricular Theme. Click here to enter text. 3. What specific activities have you designed to address the CuT? 96

97 Click here to enter text. 4. Explain how you will assess student learning related to the CuT? Click here to enter text. H) Content Area Outcomes: Please list the rest of the student learning outcomes (SLOs) you have for this course. Spaces for five additional SLOs are provided but you do not have to have that many. Course Outcomes: 1. Click here to enter text. 2. Click here to enter text. 3. Click here to enter text. 4. Click here to enter text. 5. Click here to enter text. Assessments of Student Learning: Please indicate the primary Assessments/ Measures of Student Learning for those outcomes you listed in E. o o o o o Course Outcome 1. Click here to enter text. Course Outcome 2. Click here to enter text. Course Outcome 3. Click here to enter text. Course Outcome 4. Click here to enter text. Course Outcome 5. Click here to enter text. I) Effective Date for Course to be Implemented as General Education: Click here to enter text. Submitted Print Name Sign Name Date by: Faculty: Chair *: *Chair s signature indicates the course has been vetted by the program/dept faculty; fits within the program/dept curriculum; and that resources are available to offer the course on at least a periodic basis. J) Recommendations: List the committees, councils, and other groups that have considered this proposal; the action taken, and the date that action was taken. This list does not mean that all these groups must consider the proposal. At the bottom of the chart the reasons for non-recommendation by any area should be summarized. Area Action Date of Action 97

98 Program/Dept Curriculum Committee Department Faculty College/School Curriculum Committee General Education Committee Other Curriculum Committees/Councils Recommended Not Recommended* Please summarize the reasons for Not Recommended by each area: Area: Click here to enter text. Reasons: Click here to enter text. Area: Click here to enter text. Reasons: Click here to enter text. K) Response to Criticism: Click here to enter text. Courses should go through the approval process in each department and college/school. However, in the case where all these bodies do not recommend the course, the faculty in the department can proceed to submit the course to the Academic Standards and Curriculum Committee. ASCC will look at the recommendations and responses as part of their deliberation. 98

99 Academic Standards and Curriculum Committee Review and Recommendation Criteria for judging the readiness of a course for inclusion in the general education course inventory. Criteria The course offers students the opportunity to explore content and theory that will enrich their intellectual journey regardless of intended major or career. The content is not too specific to a particular major so as to offer more content depth rather than curricular breadth. The content is appropriate for a generally educated person as opposed to being very specific to a particular major. The course appears to fit within the overall curriculum. The course clearly supports the development of one WSSU General Education Student Learning Outcome (GE SLO). -Has course level SLO statements that clearly support the GE SLO -Has adequate activities to support growth in the GE SLO -Has assessments that support measurement of growth in the GE SLO The faculty presented a compelling argument as to why the course belongs in a WSSU Area of Knowledge (AK). -Course design and/or activities support student learning in the AK Adequately Addressed Not Adequately Addressed Not Applicable 99

100 -Course assessments support measurement of learning in the AK The faculty presented a compelling argument as to why the course belongs in a WSSU Curricular Theme (CuT). -Course design and/or activities support student learning in the CuT -Course assessments support measurement of learning in the CuT The course is open to all students regardless of intended major. The course has no more than one course pre-requisite (unless adequate argument has been presented as to why more should be allowed). The course is at least 3 semester hours. The assessments appear to be available to contribute data towards the evaluation of the effectiveness of general education. Yes No Not Sure There is a need for a course in general education to support this GE SLO. There is a need for a course in general education to support this AK. There is a need for a course in general education to support this CuT. Actions: ASCC Recommended for Approval Sent back for Revisions Signature of Chair Date 100

101 Recommended for Non- Approval Provost Approved Sent back for Revisions Not Approved Signature of Provost Date Upon approval by the provost, the form is submitted to the registrar for creation of a course ID and CRN in Banner. The form is also posted electronically so that the actions are recorded permanently. The registrar notifies the appropriate department chair and the person responsible for the undergraduate catalog when the course is posted in Banner. 101

102 Constructing Meaning Reflecting Evaluating Questioning Contextualizing Winston-Salem State University Critical Reading Rubric Winston-Salem State University-General Education Interacting with written language to construct and reflect on meaning while evaluating and questioning in relation to contextual information. Capstone (4) Milestone (3) Milestone (2) Benchmark (1) Always derives accurate meaning from texts by making sense of written words and analyzing reading with respect to prior knowledge, research and experience Usually derives accurate meaning from texts by making sense of written words and analyzing reading with respect to prior knowledge, research and experience Derives meaning from texts in a limited fashion, makes sense of written words but no further analysis Derives meaning from texts in a confused or inaccurate way Always provides strong evidence of thoughtful processing of ideas by thinking about text and making connections to add to or change knowledge base Usually provides evidence of thoughtful processing of ideas by thinking about text and making connections to add to or change knowledge base Provides limited evidence of thoughtful processing of ideas including limited thinking or connections Provides no evidence of thoughtful processing of ideas, knowledge base not affected by reading Always considers written words Usually considers written words Attempts to rethink and refine Accepts or rejects ideas without from various perspectives: accuracy, reliability, appropriateness, underlying meanings, intentions, agendas, assumptions, priorities; choosing important ideas/thoughts from various perspectives: accuracy, reliability, appropriateness, underlying meanings, intentions, agendas, assumptions, priorities; choosing important ideas/thoughts ideas; attempts to consider written words from various perspectives: accuracy, reliability, appropriateness, underlying meanings, intentions, agendas, assumptions, priorities; choosing important ideas/thoughts further consideration Always explores perspectives, assumptions, purposes, and techniques exemplified or implied by the text by developing appropriate questions while reading Usually explores perspectives, assumptions, purposes, and techniques exemplified or implied by the text by developing appropriate questions while reading Attempts to explore perspectives, assumptions, purposes, and techniques exemplified or implied by the text by sometimes developing appropriate questions while reading Takes text at face value, showing minimal awareness of perspectives, assumptions, purposes, and techniques Always connects written language Usually connects written language Makes connections in a limited Read written language in with contexts such as prior experience, historical setting, physical setting, knowledge of the discipline, etc. with contexts such as prior experience, historical setting, physical setting, knowledge of the discipline, etc. fashion between written language and contexts isolation or connects it to irrelevant or inaccurately understood contexts 102

103 ENG 2302H1 S2012 Final Exam (Dec. 7) Name: LIT EXAM WITH CAPSTONE ANSWERS I. Multiple Choice: Choose the best available answer for each of the following questions. Read each question completely and then mark your answer on the NCS Test Sheet 1. Besides being an author, Nawal El Saadawi is A. a doctor and former Minister of Health B. a lawyer and former judge C. an editor of the Oxford English Dictionary D. a fashion designer and former model 2. In Camera is told from the points of view of all these characters EXCEPT A. the protagonist s mother B. the protagonist s father C. the arresting officer D. the protagonist 3. Using stream-of-consciousness techniques in In Camera allows the author to A. provide readers access to a different culture B. take readers into characters minds and inner thoughts C. compare and contrast legal systems D. make the story more difficult to read and interpret 4. Leila has been subjected to all forms of torture EXCEPT A. dangling in the air by her feet B. walking on hot coals C. being raped repeatedly D. standing on her head in water 5. Her numbed senses awoke and her ears pricked up to the sound of that strange name: Leila Al-Fargani. As though it wasn t her name. Why is Leila startled when her name is called? Student missed this one (only) A. She thought she had managed to keep her name secret. B. No one had spoken to her in a long time. C. In prison, when they addressed her, they used only animal names. D. She was not sure she could still hear. 6. Above the shoulders appeared the face she d seen thousands of times in the papers, eyes staring into space filled with more stupidity than simplicity. Leila sees the face of 103 A. the judge B. the lawyer C. the king D. the university s president 7. How do the people in the court react when the judge recounts Leila s crime? A. The people boo. B. The people applaud. C. The people cheer. D. The people stand. 8. Why is a recess called during Leila s trial? A. Leila s father publicly disowns her. B. The judge makes a grave error. C. Leila faints. D. Leila s mother s attempts to exchange places with her daughter. 9. What fate does Leila s father s prefer for her and for himself? A. death B. exile C. imprisonment D. rejection 10. Flashbacks reveal Leila s parents concerns and subtle warnings about her decision to A. attend the university B. date someone from a different culture C. participate in politics D. travel abroad 11. In an ironic turn of events, A. the court is cleared of spectators B. the king appears in court C. real animals enter the court D. the judge becomes the accused 12. A few minutes later, utter silence descended on the hall. The courtroom was completely emptied. As for her, they took her back to where she d been before. This action implies that Leila will A. receive a fair trial when court reconvenes with a new judge B. be released from prison very soon C. continue to be subjected to abuse and repression

104 D. live happily ever after 13. In an attempt to save her daughter from arrest, Leila s mother takes Leila into her own bed. The mother vows: You ll sleep in my arms so that if they come in the middle of the night, I will know it and I ll hold on to you with all my might and if they ll take you they will have to take me as well. This event demonstrates a sense of female A. solidarity B. pride C. urgency D. fear 14. Her mother always used to say to her: What s politics got to do with you? You re not a man. Girls of your age think only about marriage. In this culture, apparently, A. Only older women may participate in politics. B. Girls must be particularly pure and innocent. C. Women have restricted rights and freedoms. D. Modest young women do not think about marriage before they are engaged 104

105 Capstone Student Responses for Exam and Instructor Thinking with Dr. Rebecca Wall This exam asked students to work with a short story ( In Camera ) by a living Egyptian author (Nawaal el Saadawi) without assistance from the instructor and without any classroom discussion. A link to one online study guide was provided, and students were free to do online research or discuss the story with each other as they prepared. Because the story is by a contemporary author and is not yet widely known, the amount of material available online was limited. This was an honors section filled with second-year students. I rated the student s work as Insightful, (the highest category ) in all areas because I did not see that I could reasonably expect any sophomore to do more than this student did with reading and understanding a short story from another culture. (Actually, I m not sure it would be reasonable to expect more from any undergraduate, at least outside of a major curriculum.) II. Essay Questions: Write 2-3 paragraphs in answer to each of the following questions. Be sure to include specific details from the story to support what you say. Continue your answers on the backs of the pages if necessary, and ask for extra paper if you need it. (15 points each) This answer received a grade of 15. Note: Don t skip any of these questions. Do what you can with them you may surprise yourself! 15 Write a brief summary of In Camera : Who are the important characters? What is the setting? What has already happened before the story begins? What happens as the story continues? How does the story end? In Camera tells the story of a young woman, Leila, who has been imprisoned for expressing negative opinions of the king. The story is told in stream-ofconsciousness, which lets the reader see all of the brutality and injustice Leila has been subjected to. As she sits in court awaiting trial, it is revealed that she has been dehumanized, likened to that of an animal, she must rely on senses like smell and hearing to understand where she is. Leila s parents are also in the courtroom with her and the reader gets insight into their turmoil. While Leila s mother wishes she could trade places with her daughter and admires her strength to endure such torture, her father at first feels a sense of devotion to his daughter but is soon overcome by the traditional misogyny that is his culture. He wishes to disown his daughter because he realizes her rape and torture has dishonored him and his daughter. Both parents wish their daughter had never become involved with politics. Leila also feels that her younger sister 105

106 is in the court room although because of the intense dark she has been kept in and the brutal torture she has endured, she cannot tell who is who. During the trial readers learn that Leila is imprisoned because she called the king stupid. The judge says this to the courtroom which bursts into applause because as it is said at the end of the story, this is something many talk about in private, but not in public. When the judge realizes his error in saying this, a recess is called and the tables turn on him. It is ironic because he is reprimanded for exercising freedom of speech just as Leila is, although her punishment is much worse because she is a woman. In the end, everything goes back to the way it was. Leila is taken back to where she came from and there is no real conclusion to her story because this struggle continues. 16 The reading notes from Shepherd College (the ones found at the link given in Syllabus) suggest that In Camera both challenges our culture s stereotypes of women in the Islamic world and supports our ideas of how women in Islamic cultures are treated. Do you agree? Why or why not? Did reading the story affect your own views of Egyptian women and your own beliefs about how women in Egypt and countries with similar cultures are likely to be treated? This answer also received 15 points. I agree with this statement because In Camera accomplishes both of these things. Firstly, Leila is presented as a strong woman with her own ideas and beliefs. She is a woman that is not afraid and her intelligence is prevalent. This challenges the stereotype that Islamic women are always submissive and don t have their own ideas. On the other hand, In Camera also supports that same stereotype when Leila s mother illustrates her point of view. She wishes her daughter had looked for a husband like other girls her age, rather than joining politics, a dangerous world for women in Egypt. Leila s father shares similar sentiments, although he grows a strong aversion for his daughter after realizing he has been stripped of his honor because she was raped. This idea further supports the stereotype of the Islamic world. Reading this story affected my view of Egyptian women because all of the pain that Leila mentally shielded herself from, I felt for her. I cannot believe how unhuman Leila is treated and how an entire fleet of those meant to serve and protect could brutally harm someone repeatedly. This made me realize how strong an Egyptian woman has to be to make it. Although it is unfair, it makes me admire those women that dare to exercise the basic rights we are afforded in this country. 17 Here is a brief summary of some of the things that have happened in Egypt in the past two years (quoted sections are from CNN): Near the end of January, 2011, nonviolent protests (often publicized and coordinated by means of social media like Facebook and Twitter) began to spread 106

107 across the country. Protests in Tahrir Square, in Cairo, became the symbolic (and often the real) center of the movement. There was some violence, but reportedly the army refused to use live ammunition to stop the protests. During the first half of February, protests grew in strength, with a widely representative group of Muslims and Christians, women and men participating. On Feb. 11, Hosni Mubarak, Egypt s president since 1981, had resigned. The military took power but promised to rule only until a civilian government and a new constitution could be created. Demonstrations continued as a way of pressuring officials to continue the reforms and to move faster to dismantle the Mubarak government. Parliamentary elections were held between November 2011 and January 2012, with Islamist candidates winning a majority of the seats. Meanwhile demonstrations continued. On Dec. 20, 2011, women held a mass protest in Tahrir Square (scene of many of the earlier protests) in response to videos showing police beating female protestors. In June, just weeks before [current President Mohamed] Morsy's election, Egypt's military leaders declared parliament invalid and dissolved the body, a ruling which was upheld by Egypt's highest court in September. After his election, Morsy defied the military leadership by calling parliament into session. Morsy's edict [the November one described below] ruled out the possibility of repeat interference. In August, the president moved decisively against the military leadership, forcing several of the leaders who had been ruling to retire. In late November, President Morsy issued a decree which prevented any court from overturning his decisions until a new, post-mubarak constitution was ready. The ruling has essentially given him unchecked power, protecting from judicial review any decisions he has made since assuming office. President Morsy said his new powers were temporary and were necessary to prevent interference from the courts in the work of Egypt's Constituent Assembly, the body charged with drafting a new constitution. The judges, many of whom were holdover loyalists from the government of Mubarak, are widely viewed as hostile to the Islamists who now dominate the assembly that has been charged with framing a new constitution. Some had threatened to shut down the assembly. The Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists have generally supported President Morsy s decree, but Left-leaning and liberal Egyptians -- who had played a large part in the revolution but were sidelined by the success of Islamists in subsequent elections -- made up a large component of the protestors in Tahrir Square. Many of their chants accused Morsy, the first democratically elected president, of becoming a new pharaoh and dictator. How has reading In Camera broadened, changed, or otherwise affected your understanding of these and other current events in Egypt? How useful do you think it is to read fiction (short stories, novels, etc) in order to understand other cultures? This answer received 14 points. In Camera broadened my view of the current events in Egypt by allowing me to see a more intimate and personal side of the victims in these situations. As a mass communications major, I read a lot of news daily and I have been able to see how strength in numbers is pushing Egypt closer and closer to equality. Despite the fact that President Morsy has tried to gain absolute control over Egypt, steps towards change have been made in the form of Egypt s first democratic election. Reading news article about current events like these and reading the personal story of those affected are two completely different things. While the 107

108 news provides background and understanding, stories like In Camera provide reality and give human form to the unjustice in Egypt. For example, I read an article about a Muslim man in the U.S. killing his daughter because she wore revealing clothing. The article provided information and facts, but no cultural context as to why this happened. After reading the article I recalled a novel I had read in high school titled The Bookseller of Kabul. This novel illustrates real life in the middle east from the viewpoint of a family. Because I read this novel, I could piece together reasons as to why a man would kill his daughter for wearing revealing clothing. It made me realize that just because someone lives in America doesn t mean they ve adopted all American customs. People still retain their cultural beliefs no matter where they are and unfortunately, had this man killed his daughter in his home country, he wouldn t have even been arrested. It s definitely important to read stories like In Camera to gain a broader understanding of the world we live in. I think you can t be fully educated without understanding where you and others came from and where you can go in the future. How does this exam align with the Critical Reading Outcome? I was rating the exam as a whole, but some parts of the exam connected particularly well to some parts of the rubric: Exam Section Critical Reading Components Addressed Multiple Choice Questions Constructing Meaning Question 15 - Essay Constructing Meaning, Evaluating Question 16 - Essay Reflecting, Evaluating, Questioning, and Contextualizing Question 17 - Essay Reflecting, Evaluating, Questioning, and Contextualizing 108

109 ENG 2302H1 S2012 Final Exam (Dec. 7) Name: I. Multiple Choice: Choose the best available answer for each of the following questions. Read each question completely and then mark your answer on the NCS Test Sheet 1. Besides being an author, Nawal El Saadawi is E. a doctor and former Minister of Health F. a lawyer and former judge G. an editor of the Oxford English Dictionary H. a fashion designer and former model 2. In Camera is told from the points of view of all these characters EXCEPT E. the protagonist s mother F. the protagonist s father G. the arresting officer H. the protagonist 3. Using stream-of-consciousness techniques in In Camera allows the author to E. provide readers access to a different culture F. take readers into characters minds and inner thoughts G. compare and contrast legal systems H. make the story more difficult to read and interpret 4. Leila has been subjected to all forms of torture EXCEPT E. dangling in the air by her feet F. walking on hot coals G. being raped repeatedly H. standing on her head in water 5. Her numbed senses awoke and her ears pricked up to the sound of that strange name: Leila Al-Fargani. As though it wasn t her name. Why is Leila startled when her name is called? E. She thought she had managed to keep her name secret. F. No one had spoken to her in a long time. G. In prison, when they addressed her, they used only animal names. H. She was not sure she could still hear. 6. Above the shoulders appeared the face she d seen thousands of times in the papers, eyes staring into space filled with more stupidity than simplicity. Leila sees the face of E. the judge F. the lawyer G. the king H. the university s president 7. How do the people in the court react when the judge recounts Leila s crime? E. The people boo. F. The people applaud. G. The people cheer. H. The people stand. 8. Why is a recess called during Leila s trial? E. Leila s father publicly disowns her. F. The judge makes a grave error. G. Leila faints. H. Leila s mother s attempts to exchange places with her daughter. 9. What fate does Leila s father s prefer for her and for himself? E. death F. exile G. imprisonment H. rejection 10. Flashbacks reveal Leila s parents concerns and subtle warnings about her decision to E. attend the university F. date someone from a different culture G. participate in politics H. travel abroad 11. In an ironic turn of events, E. the court is cleared of spectators F. the king appears in court G. real animals enter the court H. the judge becomes the accused 109

110 12. A few minutes later, utter silence descended on the hall. The courtroom was completely emptied. As for her, they took her back to where she d been before. This action implies that Leila will E. receive a fair trial when court reconvenes with a new judge F. be released from prison very soon G. continue to be subjected to abuse and repression H. live happily ever after 13. In an attempt to save her daughter from arrest, Leila s mother takes Leila into her own bed. The mother vows: You ll sleep in my arms so that if they come in the middle of the night, I will know it and I ll hold on to you with all my might and if they ll take you they will have to take me as well. This event demonstrates a sense of female E. solidarity F. pride G. urgency H. fear 14. Her mother always used to say to her: What s politics got to do with you? You re not a man. Girls of your age think only about marriage. In this culture, apparently, E. Only older women may participate in politics. F. Girls must be particularly pure and innocent. G. Women have restricted rights and freedoms. H. Modest young women do not think about marriage before they are engage 110

111 II. Essay Questions: Write 2-3 paragraphs in answer to each of the following questions. Be sure to include specific details from the story to support what you say. Continue your answers on the backs of the pages if necessary, and ask for extra paper if you need it. (15 points each) Note: Don t skip any of these questions. Do what you can with them you may surprise yourself! 18 Write a brief summary of In Camera : Who are the important characters? What is the setting? What has already happened before the story begins? What happens as the story continues? How does the story end? 19 The reading notes from Shepherd College (the ones found at the link given in Syllabus) suggest that In Camera both challenges our culture s stereotypes of women in the Islamic world and supports our ideas of how women in Islamic cultures are treated. Do you agree? Why or why not? Did reading the story affect your own views of Egyptian women and your own beliefs about how women in Egypt and countries with similar cultures are likely to be treated? 20 Here is a brief summary of some of the things that have happened in Egypt in the past two years (quoted sections are from CNN): Near the end of January, 2011, nonviolent protests (often publicized and coordinated by means of social media like Facebook and Twitter) began to spread across the country. Protests in Tahrir Square, in Cairo, became the symbolic (and often the real) center of the movement. There was some violence, but reportedly the army refused to use live ammunition to stop the protests. During the first half of February, protests grew in strength, with a widely representative group of Muslims and Christians, women and men participating. On Feb. 11, Hosni Mubarak, Egypt s president since 1981, had resigned. The military took power but promised to rule only until a civilian government and a new constitution could be created. Demonstrations continued as a way of pressuring officials to continue the reforms and to move faster to dismantle the Mubarak government. Parliamentary elections were held between November 2011 and January 2012, with Islamist candidates winning a majority of the seats. Meanwhile demonstrations continued. On Dec. 20, 2011, women held a mass protest in Tahrir Square (scene of many of the earlier protests) in response to videos showing police beating female protestors. In June, just weeks before [current President Mohamed] Morsy's election, Egypt's military leaders declared parliament invalid and dissolved the body, a ruling which was upheld by Egypt's highest court in September. After his election, Morsy defied the military leadership by calling parliament into session. Morsy's edict [the November one described below] ruled out the possibility of repeat interference. In August, the president moved decisively against the military leadership, forcing several of the leaders who had been ruling to retire. In late November, President Morsy issued a decree which prevented any court from overturning his decisions until a new, post-mubarak constitution was ready. The ruling has essentially given him unchecked power, protecting from judicial review any decisions he has made since assuming office. President Morsy said his new powers were temporary and were necessary to prevent interference from the courts in the work of Egypt's Constituent Assembly, the body charged with drafting a new constitution. The judges, many of whom were holdover loyalists from the government of Mubarak, are widely viewed as hostile to the Islamists who now dominate the 111

112 assembly that has been charged with framing a new constitution. Some had threatened to shut down the assembly. The Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists have generally supported President Morsy s decree, but Left-leaning and liberal Egyptians -- who had played a large part in the revolution but were sidelined by the success of Islamists in subsequent elections -- made up a large component of the protestors in Tahrir Square. Many of their chants accused Morsy, the first democratically elected president, of becoming a new pharaoh and dictator. How has reading In Camera broadened, changed, or otherwise affected your understanding of these and other current events in Egypt? How useful do you think it is to read fiction (short stories, novels, etc) in order to understand other cultures? Aligning Learning Activities and Assessments with the Critical Reading Outcome: A Conversation with Dr. Rebecca Wall Can you provide some basic background about this assignment? This exam asked students to work with a short story ( In Camera ) by a living Egyptian author (Nawaal el Saadawi) without assistance from the instructor and without any classroom discussion. A link to one online study guide was provided, and students were free to do online research or discuss the story with each other as they prepared. Because the story is by a contemporary author and is not yet widely known, the amount of material available online was limited. How did this text support students in practicing critical reading? Because the story is by a contemporary author and is not yet widely known, the amount of material available online was limited. This required students to do most of the analysis without the support of online resources. How did you grade this exam? How did you use it to report your Critical Reading Outcome? I graded the exams individually and recorded student scores as I usually do. After that, I reviewed each exam as a whole and rated it using the critical reading rubric and used that information to report my course outcomes for critical reading. How does this exam align with the Critical Reading Outcome? I was rating the exam as a whole, but some parts of the exam connected particularly well to some parts of the rubric: Exam Section Critical Reading Components Addressed Multiple Choice Questions Constructing Meaning Question 15 - Essay Constructing Meaning, Evaluating Question 16 - Essay Reflecting, Evaluating, Questioning, and Contextualizing Question 17 - Essay Reflecting, Evaluating, Questioning, and Contextualizing 112

113 CLASS MEETS WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY THERAPEUTIC RECREATION PROGRAM TRC 2305 LIVING WELL! BENEFITS OF LEISURE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 3.0 semester credits FALL 2012 TR 9:30 10:45 am in room TBD REQUIRED TEXT: Bullock, C. C., Mahon, M. J., & Killingsworth, C. L. (2010). Introduction to recreation services for people with disabilities: A person-centered approach (3 rd ed.). Champaign, IL: Sagamore Publishing. Additional required reading posted on Blackboard. COURSE OVERVIEW Catalogue description: This course explores recreation and leisure as it impacts health and well-being for people with disabilities. Students will focus on critical reading skills as a way to understand a variety of disabilities and chronic illnesses with a particular focus on the benefits of recreation and leisure. A variety of written materials will be used to view challenges and trends in recreation for people with disabilities. COURSE OBJECTIVES, STANDARDS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES COURSE OBJECTIVES The course will provide the opportunity to develop an understanding of techniques and strategies to increase critical reading skills. information about typical population groups of people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. benefits of recreation and leisure for health and well-being among people with disabilities. systems perspectives for health and human services for people with disabilities with an emphasis on elements related to leisure and wellness. NCTRC PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE DOMAINS COVERED IN THIS COURSE 9-Cognition and related impairments 10-Anatomy, physiology, and related impairments 11-Senses and related impairments 12-Psychology and related impairments 13-Normalization, inclusion, least restrictive environment 15-Societal attitudes COAPRT ACCREDITATION STANDARDS THAT ARE APPLIED IN TRC Historical, philosophical, theoretical, and scientific foundations of Recreation and Leisure a) Students successfully completing this course will demonstrate entry-level knowledge of the scope and practice of recreation with particular emphasis on these elements: 2. Role and function of recreation professionals in health, human, recreation, education, and other relevant systems c) Students successfully completing this course will demonstrate entry-level knowledge of the theoretical and scientific foundations of the TR profession with particular emphasis on these elements: 1. Theoretical foundations of play, recreation, and leisure behavior 5. Human functioning, including anatomy and physiology, human growth and 113

114 development across the lifespan, variations in development and resulting disability, psychology, including abnormal psychology, and theories of human behavior change. 6. Human services supportive areas such as education and state social services. 114

115 WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY THERAPEUTIC RECREATION PROGRAM STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES The student will... A. Interact with written language to construct and reflect on meaning while evaluating and questioning in relation to contextual information. B. Identify critical information related to diagnostic groups for persons with disabilities and chronic illnesses. C. Provide examples of recreation/leisure involvement that demonstrate improvements in health and well-being. D. Analyze health care and human services systems with a focus on wellness for people with disabilities. ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING ASSIGNMENTS Reading Corner 165 points Twelve topics (see course schedule) will be covered with a variety of reading components such as textbook chapters, websites, and other posted reading material. Each student will read one novel or biography/autobiography from a selected list. Assessment of reading will be done by online quizzes (120), a book report (20), and a reflection journal (25). Reading Review 40 points Each student will select one unique reading choice from list provided. After reading critically, student will prepare a five minute review that follows guidelines given with the reading list. The oral review will be given during a designated class period. Students will be responsible for information from all reading reviews provided throughout the semester. Evaluation of reviews will be done using Critical Reading Rubric. Immersion Experience 65 points Students will get to know persons with disabilities and chronic illnesses through actual interactions. These immersion experiences take place outside class but will be shared with the class. A minimum of 15 hours as well as participation documentation will be part of the requirements for the experience. Further details and forms are on separate pages. Visual Benefits 40 points Each student will design a visual depiction to represent the health benefits of recreation and leisure and share with the class. Guidelines and rubric are posted on separate pages. Worksheets 100 points Ten worksheets will be done in class throughout the semester. Students will need to be present to complete or contact instructor in advance for specific instructions. Participation 50 points Student participation in simulation exercises, initiatives, class discussion and other classroom activities will be assessed with a rubric applied on ten randomly selected days throughout the semester. Rubric is posted on separate page. 115

116 WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY THERAPEUTIC RECREATION PROGRAM Final Exam 40 points Comprehensive content exam will be given during University designated time. Content and format will be discussed in class. GRADING SCALE Summary of POINT VALUE OF ASSIGNMENTS 165 Reading corner review 40 Immersion 65 Visual benefits 40 Worksheets 100 Participation 50 Final exam 40 TOTAL 50 0 PERCENT OF TOTAL POINTS POINT RANGE ASSIGNED GRADE A B C D BELOW 60 BELOW 300 F COURSE CONTENT TOPIC AREAS Content Affiliated textbook reading 1. Overview of Persons Topic with Disabilities Ch Historical context of Persons with Ch. 2 Disabilities 3. Quality of life for Persons with Ch. 3 Disabilities 4. Leisure and recreation for Persons with Ch. 6, Ch. 15 Disabilities 5. Person First, diversity Ch Focus on select groupings of Persons with Disabilities Behavioral Health Ch Developmental Disabilities Ch Orthopedic, Neurological, Medical Ch Sensory Impairments Ch. 10, Ch Intergenerational focus Outside reading posted on Bb 11. System view recreation services Ch. 13, Ch System view health and human services Ch

117 WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY THERAPEUTIC RECREATION PROGRAM Student Learning Outcome Learning Activities Evaluation or Assessment Interact with written language to construct and reflect on meaning while evaluating and questioning in relation to contextual information Identify critical information related to diagnostic groups for persons with disabilities and chronic illnesses Text and other reading material Class activities focused on reading Novel report Reflection journal Pre-post paragraph evaluation various Reading Text and review other reading assignment material Worksheets Class discussion activities Simulations and class activities Immersion experiences experience Quiz questions Review of outcomes for targeted strategies Sharing and report on novel Comments from journal entries Reading Rubric applied to assignments Quiz questions such as Reading review Successful worksheet completion Feedback forms from class Participation rubric Comments in sharing immersion Novel and journal comments 117

118 Student Learning Outcome Learning Activities Evaluation or Assessment Provide examples of recreation/leisure involvement that demonstrate improvements in health and well being Analyze health care and human services with a focus on wellness for people with disabilities Immersion experiences Video assignment Text and other reading material Worksheets Immersion experiences Text and other reading material Class discussion Participation activities such as One Minute Paper Immersion assignment checklist showing performance levels, comments on immersion report, rubric evaluation on visual assignment, quiz questions on reading, comments from novel and reflection journal, worksheet Reading responses reaction exercise, analysis question on final, question cues on novel report and reflection journal, comment on immersion report, feedback from participation exercises 118

119 WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY-THERAPEUTIC RECREATION PROGRAM TENTATIVE WEEKLY SCHEDULE FOR FALL, 2012 DATE, WEEK TOPICS ITEMS TO NOTE ACTIVITY RELATED INFO Aug. 20 Orientation Initial drop/add Worksheets in class period ends Aug. 26 Quiz on BB due each week 27 1-Overview of Persons with Text-Ch. 1 Disabilities Monday holiday Text-Ch. 2 Sept. 3 2-Historical context of Persons with Disabilities Text-Ch Quality of life for Persons with Disabilities Reading reviews begin Text-Ch. 6, Ch Leisure and recreation for Persons with Disabilities 24 5-Person First, diversity Text-Ch. 7 Visual benefits due Oct. 1 Text-Ch Focus on Select Groupings of Persons with Disabilities Behavioral health 8 7- Developmental disabilities Fall break 10-8/9 Text-Ch continues Founder s Day Friday Orthopedic, neurological, medical Final drop date is Oct. 25 Majors Fair 10/23 Text-Ch Sensory impairments Text-Ch. 10, Ch. 11 Nov Intergenerational focus Outside reading posted on Bb System view recreation services System view health and human services continues Immersion, reading corner Text-Ch. 13, Ch. 16 Thanksgiving Text-Ch. 17 Journals due Sharing experiences Dec. 3 Mon last day of classes 119

120 WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY THERAPEUTIC RECREATION PROGRAM Participation Rubric Outstanding participation includes most of these elements [5 points] 1. On time for sessions 2. Well prepared in advance 3. Active involvement in discussions with thought-provoking comments and questions 4. Volunteers willingly and appropriately 5. Uses active listening skills effectively 6. Makes connections with prior learning, concepts, or activities 7. Contributes to large group goal or class agenda 8. Acknowledges and builds on others ideas 9. Reviews issues that need more attention 10. Provides authentic examples or illustrations for theories, concepts, or ideas presented. Acceptable participation includes most of these elements [4-3 points] 1. On time for sessions 2. Well prepared in advance 3. Active involvement in discussions with thought-provoking comments and questions 4. Volunteers willingly and appropriately 5. Uses active listening skills effectively Unacceptable participation includes most of these elements [2-1 points] 1. Comes in late, leaves early, or leaves and returns during session 2. Unprepared for session 3. Observes passively with an occasional question or comment 4. Rarely volunteers or does so inappropriately 5. Appears inattentive or distracted; gives impression of wanting to be somewhere else; texting or doing off task actions 120

121 Constructing Meaning Reflecting Evaluating Questioning WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY THERAPEUTIC RECREATION PROGRAM Critical Reading Rubric Winston-Salem State University-General Education Interacting with written language to construct and reflect on meaning while evaluating and questioning in relation to contextual information. Capstone (4) Milestone (3) Milestone (2) Benchmark (1) Always derives accurate meaning from Usually derives accurate meaning Derives meaning from texts in a Derives meaning from texts in texts by making sense of written from texts by making sense of written limited fashion, makes sense of a confused or inaccurate way words and analyzing reading with words and analyzing reading with written words but no further analysis respect to prior knowledge, research respect to prior knowledge, research and experience and experience Always provides strong evidence of thoughtful processing of ideas by thinking about text and making connections to add to or change knowledge base Always considers written words from various perspectives: accuracy, reliability, appropriateness, underlying meanings, intentions, agendas, assumptions, priorities; choosing important ideas/thoughts Always explores perspectives, assumptions, purposes, and techniques exemplified or implied by the text by developing appropriate questions while reading Usually provides evidence of thoughtful processing of ideas by thinking about text and making connections to add to or change knowledge base Usually considers written words from various perspectives: accuracy, reliability, appropriateness, underlying meanings, intentions, agendas, assumptions, priorities; choosing important ideas/thoughts Usually explores perspectives, assumptions, purposes, and techniques exemplified or implied by the text by developing appropriate questions while reading Provides limited evidence of thoughtful processing of ideas including limited thinking or connections Attempts to rethink and refine ideas; attempts to consider written words from various perspectives: accuracy, reliability, appropriateness, underlying meanings, intentions, agendas, assumptions, priorities; choosing important ideas/thoughts Attempts to explore perspectives, assumptions, purposes, and techniques exemplified or implied by the text by sometimes developing appropriate questions while reading Provides no evidence of thoughtful processing of ideas, knowledge base not affected by reading Accepts or rejects ideas without further consideration Takes text at face value, showing minimal awareness of perspectives, assumptions, purposes, and techniques. Contextualizing Always connects written language with contexts such as prior experience, historical setting, physical setting, knowledge of the discipline, etc. Usually connects written language with contexts such as prior experience, historical setting, physical setting, knowledge of the discipline, etc. Makes connections in a limited fashion between written language and contexts Reads written language in isolation or connects it to irrelevant or inaccurately understood contexts 121

122 WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY THERAPEUTIC RECREATION PROGRAM Rubric for Visual Benefits Visual elements Points All elements clear, Most elements clear, sharp, appropriate, sharp, appropriate, visually appealing visually appealing Some elements unclear, distorted Inappropriate or unappealing Most elements unclear, distorted Inappropriate or unappealing Specific clear purpose Direct connection of rec/leis to specific improvements in healthcare Stated (spoken or text) directly, succinctly, on target Connections very clear, directly made and supported by all elements (visual, audio, text) Somewhat direct, on target, concisely stated (spoken or text) May leave viewer with questions Connections made, somewhat clear and supported by all elements (visual, audio, text) Clear, understandable but too brief or too wordy; or concise but vague or not on target Somewhat fuzzy, some connections or indirectly hinted but not clearly made or supported Vague, difficult to understand and too brief or too wordy May reference leisure or recreation but no direct connection to improvements Within 2-3 minutes time limit Meets time limit of 2-3 minutes or sec. Over or under by 30 sec. Over or under by sec. Over or under by more than 60 sec. TOTAL 122

123 Reading Corner Assignment Suggested Titles for Reading a Biography or Autobiography for Reading Blogs Title: Sounds like home: Growing up Black and deaf in the South, Author: Wright, Mary Herring, Washington, D.C. : Gallaudet University Press, c1999. Title: Fortunate son: The autobiography of Lewis B. Puller, Jr. Author: Lewis B. Puller, Publisher: Grove Weidenfeld, 1991, ISB The game of life/ Jason McElwain, 2008, ISB Remind Me Why I'm Here: Sifting through Sudden Loss of Memory and Judgment by Diana Lund Gaby Brimmer: An Autobiography in Three Voices by Gaby Brimmer (Author) and Elena Poniatowska (Author) Return to Ithaca: A Woman's Triumph over the Disabilities of a Severe Stroke, Barbara Newborn (Author) Child of Promise: One Woman's Journey from Tragedy to Triumph, Cheryl Green (Author)My Last Breath, J.P. LaRue (Author) To the Mountain Top: Meeting the Challenge of Disability by Larry Walters Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: And Other Things I've Learned, Alan Alda (Author) (focus on mother s disability) A Child of Sanitariums: A Memoir of Tuberculosis Survival and Lifelong Disability, Gloria Paris (Author) The Doctor Will Not See You Now: The Autobiography of a Blind Physician, Jane Poulson (Author) Wheelchair Warrior: Gangs, Disability, and Basketball, Melvin Juette (Author), Ronald J. Berger (Author) Alone in the Mainstream: A Deaf Woman Remembers Public School (April 2004) by Gina Oliva 224 pages Others in this series of deaf lives at this link: Find these titles below and others at Publisher: Gallaudet University Press In Silence Growing Up Hearing in a Deaf World by Ruth Sidransky Lessons in Laughter The Autobiography of a Deaf Actor by Bernard Bragg, as signed to Eugene Bergman Blind Rage, Letters to Helen Keller by Georgina Kleege The People Who Spell, The Last Students from the Mexican National School for the Deaf by Claire L. Ramsey 123

124 In this compelling history of the now defunct Escuela Nacional para Sordomudos (Mexican National School for the Deaf), the last students known as ENS signers detail their remarkable lives and heritage, and question the future of Mexico s young deaf people. Alandra's Lilacs, The Story of a Mother and Her Deaf Daughter by Tressa Bowers Student suggestions from prior semester Book Title: Messenger Author: Jeni Stepanek with Larry Lindner Yes, You Can, Heather! by Daphne Gray Stevie Wonder by Mark Beyer Christy Brown My Left Foot, by Christy Brown Title: Brother Ray: Ray Charles' Own Story Author: Ray Charles and David Ritz "Still Me" by Christopher Reeve Title: Neither- Nor: A Young Australian s Experience with Deafness Author: Paul Gordon Jacobs "A Long Way Gone Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah The Patch of Blue author: Elizabeth Kata My Perfect son has cerebral palsy, a mother guide of helpful hints; the author is Marie A. Kennedy 124

125 READING CORNER Blog Guidelines for Reflection Journal entries Choose one of these formats and use the same format for all five entries: -Handwritten and given directly to instructor with notation in blog area (or possibly scanned and attached in blog area) -Word processed and pasted into the space on the blog or attached as a document -Audio/video item and attached in the blog area. Label blog entry title with which entry number is being submitted and student last name; for example, Smith entry 1 Evaluation of each entry will be done according to these five items: 1. on time each Journal entry prompt has a due date; late entries will be accepted up until Nov. 30; however, one point will be deducted for late entries. 2. addressed all prompts respond to each prompt provided and balance what is said so effort is given to each one 3. insightful comments show some understanding of what you are reading; do not just provide facts or tell the story; make connections 4. find one new word be on the alert for any unusual use of language or words you did not know 5. sentence completion each prompt has one so do not forget to do this item Full points earned by doing all five items; one point deducted for each missing item. Journal entry one prompts Due October 5 What are you reading? Title, author, type (novel, auto/biography) Describe your thought process in making this selection. Tell 3 specific differences in the way you read your selection as compared to the text chapters. What new word have you encountered in the novel or a text chapter? What does it mean? Where did you discover the word? 125

126 [Sentence completion] When I read information on a website Journal entry two prompts Due October 19 Briefly tell about the main characters of your reading selection. Describe the context of the reading selection. Contrast the pace with which you are reading your selection with the pace of reading a chapter in the text. What is one new idea or concept you have learned from your reading selection? What is it? At what point in the reading did you encounter it (beginning, end, etc.)? [Sentence completion] When I want to learn more about a disability, diagnosis or illness, my first resource to consult is. Journal entry three prompts Due November 2 Describe a connection that links textbook information or class topics with what you are reading. Pick out a phrase or sentence from your selection and quote it here with page number. Now write a question you might ask for a class or group discussion that uses the quote. What is one question you would like to ask a main character in the selection? Why? Tell one word or phrase that showed up in your reading that puzzles you. [Sentence completion] When I think about reading the next chapter in the text. Journal entry four prompts Due November 16 Give two specific examples of action, conversation, or other evidence from your reading related to the person s disability or chronic illness. Compare how you are reading your selection with how you are reading the textbook for class by finding at least one specific similarity and one specific difference. Tell a word or phrase related to topic content from the textbook that has shown up in your reading selection. What is something about the disability or chronic illness from your selection which you need to seek further information to fully understand? Where will you (or did you) go to get this information? [Sentence completion] Reading my selection motivates me to. Journal entry five prompts Due November 30 Compare your feelings at the start of the semester with regards to reading a book to your feelings now that you have finished reading it. Explain three assumptions that the author of your selection conveys which are not explicitly stated or written. If you were discussion leader for a book group reading your selection, tell two questions you would use to generate some discussion with particular focus on the disability or chronic illness in the reading. 126

127 Through information from class discussion, text, and other materials discuss some concrete ways that your views on the topic of reading selection have changed? [Sentence completion] My favorite part of the book was. 127

128 Critical Reading Classroom Activity Students are told aurally the title of the article, Examining Health Disparities among Adults with Disabilities and What it means for Public Health They are then directed to write five questions they have just from hearing/learning the title that might be expected to be answered after reading the report. Then they are given a copy of the two page report to read. Three sets of response prompts are given on the screen in the classroom with time allotted for answering each set. 1. Written text Give a brief statement or word on the report s written format. What is your impression of the writing style? What way did you approach reading this report? How did the language influence your understanding of content? Tell about terminology or vocabulary used in the report 2. Content How close did the report come to answering any questions you had before starting? What are three bits of new information you learned? What surprised you from the content? What else would you like to see in the report? 3. What is/are common themes (up to 3) or claims the author makes? 128

129 Critical Reading Exam Questions Critical reading is the general education focus for this course. The next set of questions is asked regarding critical reading skills developed in the class. Provide a brief response for each one. There are no right or wrong answers. Completion of all 5 questions will be awarded 10 points. 1. Reading was used as a way to derive meaning from a variety of texts, such as the chapters in the textbook, website material, script on slides, handouts or posted reading on Blackboard, and an auto/biography. Meaning was expected to be extracted within the framework of your prior knowledge, additional research, and personal experience. a. Regarding meanings of wellness and health, persons with disabilities, and recreation what were the most helpful types of text you read in the course? What type of text could be added to improve the goal of gaining meaning from what you read? b. Regarding the framework of getting the meaning from the text, comment on how your prior knowledge, any additional research, and personal experiences added to understanding of what was read. Give examples if possible. 2. One element in critical reading is the evaluation of what is being read. The critical reader considers written words from various perspectives; comment on any examples of your reading skills regarding these qualities over the semester: accuracy, reliability, appropriateness, underlying meanings, intentions, agendas, assumptions, priorities; choosing important ideas/thoughts 3. Questioning what is being read is another element of critical reading. Describe your improvement in developing appropriate questions while reading throughout the semester. 4. Putting the text into the context or proper background is also helpful in becoming a skillful critical reader. Tell some ways that you connected the written language with contexts such as prior experience or other classes or knowledge connected to the topic. 5. Reflecting on what you read and making connections is another element for critical reading. Give some examples of thoughtful processing of ideas by thinking about the text and making connections that add to the understanding of what is read. 129

130 Shakespeare Sonnet XVIII Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest; Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou growest: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this and this gives life to thee. Source: 130

131 Math Problem Bob and Tom have decided to get together to paint a room in a house. The friends work together and complete the job. Your directions are to answer the question given different assumptions about Bob and Tom s working: Assumption 1: They work at the same rate and the job is finished in 5 hours: Assumption 2: Suppose Tom is doing the trim and Bob is painting the walls, so Bob paints twice as fast as Tom and they complete the job in 5 hours. Assumption 3: Suppose Bob can get the job done in 15 hours if he works alone. If they each pace themselves and work at a constant rate (not the same rate), how fast can Tom paint the room if he works alone if they can get the job done in 10 hours working together: Assumption 4: Suppose the following chart represents the percentage of the job done by Tom per hour if he works alone. Hour % of Job Done Per Hour by Tom 1 10% 2 20% 3 25% 4 25% 5 20% Bob paints 25% of the room per hour. How much time would it take them if they work together? Which assumption is the most realistic? Source: Winston-Salem State University, Math Department 131

132 Facts and figures from the Great Depression Effects of depression in the U.S. 13 million people became unemployed. In 1932, 34 million people belonged to families with no regular full-time wage earner. Industrial production fell by nearly 45% between 1929 and Homebuilding dropped by 80% between the years 1929 and In the 1920s, the banking system in the U.S. was about $50 billion, which was about 50% of GDP. From 1929 to 1932, about 5,000 banks went out of business. By 1933, 11,000 of the US' 25,000 banks had failed. Between 1929 and 1933, U.S. GDP fell around 30%; the stock market lost almost 90% of its value. In 1929, the unemployment rate averaged 3%. In 1933, 25% of all workers and 37% of all nonfarm workers were unemployed. In Cleveland, the unemployment rate was 50%; in Toledo, Ohio, 80%. One Soviet trading corporation in New York averaged 350 applications a day from Americans seeking jobs in the Soviet Union. Over one million families lost their farms between 1930 and Corporate profits had dropped from $10 billion in 1929 to $1 billion in Between 1929 and 1932, the income of the average American family was reduced by 40%. Nine million savings accounts had been wiped out between 1930 and ,000 families had been evicted from their homes in There were two million homeless people migrating around the country. Over 60% of Americans were categorized as poor by the federal government in In the last prosperous year (1929), there were 279,678 immigrants recorded, but in 1933 only 23,068 came to the U.S. In the early 1930s, more people emigrated from the United States than immigrated to it. 132

133 With little economic activity there was scant demand for new coinage. No nickels or dimes were minted in , no quarter dollars in 1931 or 1933, no half dollars from 1930 to 1932, and no silver dollars in the years The U.S. government sponsored a Mexican Repatriation program which was intended to encourage people to voluntarily move to Mexico, but thousands, including some U.S. citizens, were deported against their will. Altogether about 400,000 Mexicans were repatriated. New York social workers reported that 25% of all schoolchildren were malnourished. In the mining counties of West Virginia, Illinois, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, the proportion of malnourished children was perhaps as high as 90%. Many people became ill with diseases such as tuberculosis (TB). The 1930 U.S. Census determined the U.S. population to be 122,775,046. About 40% of the population was under 20 years. Source: 133

134 EDITORIAL Exercise and Academic Performance By THE EDITORIAL BOARD As schools everywhere strive to improve the academic performance of their students, many have cut physical education and recess periods to leave more time for sedentary classroom instruction. A sensible new report from the Institute of Medicine, a unit of the National Academy of Sciences, shows how shortsighted this trend can be. It found that exercise can significantly improve children s cognitive abilities and their academic performance, as well as their health. Students who exercise have lower body fat, greater muscular strength, and better cardiovascular and mental health. While admitting that the studies are limited, a panel of experts assembled by the institute says that a growing body of evidence suggests children who are more active are better able to focus their attention, are quicker to perform simple tasks, and have better working memories and problem solving skills than lessactive children. They also perform better on standardized academic tests. Academic performance is influenced by factors like parental involvement and socioeconomic status, but the panel reported that active children tended to have stronger performance, especially in reading and mathematics. It believes that the benefits of exercise during the school day outweigh the benefits from increasing class time. 134

135 The report recommends that all students get at least 60 minutes a day of vigorous or moderate physical activity, equivalent to a brisk walk. Only about half of all school-age children meet this guideline, according to the panel. The way to increase exercise is to promote physical education classes, recess and classroom breaks during the school day; encouraging after-school sports and walking or biking to school when feasible would also help. Physical activity should be a core educational concern, not a dispensable option. Source: 135

136 AWARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF FINANCIAL AID NOTE: This is a summary of the Award Terms and Conditions of Financial Aid. If there are any differences between this summary and the full Terms and Conditions, the full Terms and Conditions will override this summary. Your acceptance of financial aid indicates that you have read and understand all related terms and conditions of your award. I am a United States citizen or an eligible non-citizen. I understand that if I am an Eligible non-citizen I may be required to present a current and valid Permanent Resident Form or an Arrival/Departure Form in person to the Office of Financial Aid (OFA) to document my eligibility for federal aid. Any federal funds I receive during the award period(s) covered by this award will be used solely for expenses related to my attendance at Winston-Salem State University. I must be enrolled as a regular student at least half-time (at least six hours for undergraduate students and at least three hours for graduate students) to receive aid. Exceptions to this requirement are Federal Pell Grants, which are available to less than half-time undergraduate students. Audit credit hours are not included in determining my enrollment status. I must meet the requirements of the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy. I will notify the OFA immediately: If my residency status changes If I graduate and immediately re-enroll If my status changes from undergraduate to graduate 136

137 If my status changes to non-degree, post baccalaureate or visiting. I cannot receive federal and state financial aid from any other college or university for the same award period(s). I understand that if I accept a Federal Work-Study (FWS) award, that award is the maximum amount I may earn as a work-study student. I cannot use this award to pay my tuition and fees or my room and board. If I withdraw from all of my classes during the semester, federal law may require that I repay all or a portion of the aid received, based on the length of my enrollment. I understand that the OFA receives my grades information at the end of each term. If all grades are W s, I s, and/or F s, the OFA is required to determine my official last date of attendance and if necessary, return unearned financial aid to the federal government. I may be required to repay all or a portion of the aid received, based on the length of my enrollment. I understand that is my choice to accept or decline student loans awarded to me. I understand that summer financial aid is very limited. If I borrow the maximum annual federal loan amount available to me during the fall and spring semesters, I will not be able to use a student loan during the summer session. I am responsible for reporting changes in my financial status. If I receive additional funds or financial support from any source, I am required to report these to the OFA. Adjustments to my financial aid package may occur as a result of these additional funds. If required, I will provide any additional documentation, verification, corrections and/or new information to the OFA which may be used to determine my eligibility for financial aid. 137

138 I am responsible for repaying any assistance received as a result of providing incorrect information to the university. I understand that intentionally misreporting information on forms for federal aid is a violation of the law and is considered a criminal offense subject to penalties under the United States Criminal Code. I am responsible for repaying my loans. Acceptance of any loan carries a serious legal and financial obligation. Failure to meet this obligation may adversely affect my credit. Source: terms.pdf Copyright 2010 Winston-Salem State University 138

139 The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things. Ronald Reagan Power isn t control at all power is strength, and giving that strength to others. A leader isn t someone who forces others to make him stronger; a leader is someone willing to give his strength to others that they may have the strength to stand on their own. Beth Revis, Across the Universe You have to be burning with "an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right." If you're not passionate enough from the start, you'll never stick it out. Steve Jobs Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results. George S. Patton Jr. Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. John F. Kennedy I don t see myself being special; I just see myself having more responsibilities than the next man. People look to me to do things for them, to have answers. Tupac Shakur A leader is a dealer in hope. Napoleon Bonaparte The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it. Theodore Roosevelt A leader...is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind. Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing. 139

140 Albert Schweitzer A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be. Rosalynn Carter The day the soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership. Colin Powell I would like to be known as a person who is concerned about freedom and equality and justice and prosperity for all people. Rosa Parks We're here for a reason. I believe a bit of the reason is to throw little torches out to lead people through the dark. Whoopi Goldberg Source: 140

141 Text for Making Connections Think Aloud The text for this think aloud is a public domain document published by the National Institutes of Health. Because of the size of the document, the link to the online document is listed below

142 COVERAGE IF IT IS A SERVICE CONTRACT: If there is a defect (including pre-existing) in the material and/or workmanship of your individually owned wireless device (hereinafter the Product ), and the Product has been subject only to normal use and service, Verizon Wireless agrees to replace the Product at no charge, as long as you return it in accordance with the terms of this Service Contract to a Verizon Wireless Communications Store or another location specified by Verizon Wireless. The replacement device may be a new or reconditioned device of equal or comparable value to the Product. Non-original manufacturer s parts may be used in reconditioned devices. All Products replaced by Verizon Wireless shall become the property of Verizon Wireless. THIS SERVICE CONTRACT COVERS THE WIRELESS DEVICE ONLY AND NOT ITS ACCESSORIES OR BATTERY, INCLUDING THOSE CONTAINED WITHIN THE ORIGINAL PACKAGE. Source: 142

143 Modeling Your Use of Critical Reading Strategies for Students Modeling is Modeling is not Reading aloud from a text while students watch. Stopping at several points in the text to think aloud about how you are using the critical reading strategy you are teaching. Using clear explicit language that clearly identifies the strategy being used, how it links to the WSSU rubric, and how it helps you comprehend the text. Telling students to use a strategy. Distributing a graphic organizer and telling students to use it with their reading (without modeling it). Telling students to read carefully and critically. Remember Critical reading is a covert process that happens inside the head of proficient and successful readers. Instructors must make the covert overt by modeling their thinking using explicit language. 143

144 Fix Up Strategies: Deriving Accurate Meaning from Texts Make a connection What do I know about this topic? This writer? The historical context? Make a prediction What do I expect to learn from this section? What do I expect to happen next? Adjusting reading rate Can I slow down to better understand the text or think about it more deeply and critically? Rereading What word, phrase or sentence confused me? Will rereading it help? Ask a question What question am I trying to answer by reading this? Use text and print features to clarify understanding Is there bold print, subheading, side bars, diagrams, etc. that may help me? Have I read them? Pay attention to how the text is organized How did the writer set up this text? Compare/contrast? Problem/solution? Can that help me? Stop frequently to summarize the reading What did I just read? Can I remember the important parts and say them in my own words? Make annotations while reading What am I reading that I think is important or interesting? Can I write that down? Tovani, C. (2000) 144

145 Name Date: Text: Monitoring Comprehension and Applying Fix Up Strategies to Construct Meaning Return to Menu Words/Phrase that Confused Me Strategy I Applied My understanding now 145

146 K-W-I-L Chart Return to Menu Directions: Have students record their background knowledge and questions about a topic. While reading, students should attend to the mental images they create in their minds and the words and phrases that prompted those images. After reading, students reflect on new learning and how their thinking about the topic may have changed as a result of reading. Background Knowledge What do I already know? Questioning What do I want to learn? CREATING MENTAL IMAGES TO CONSTRUCT MEANING Words, phrases, or numbers from the text Images in my mind What is my new learning about the topic? How has my thinking about the topic changed? 146

147 General Education Critical Reading Outcome Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Understanding the Rubric 1. Are the criteria proportional or is there a ranking of criteria? That is, is questioning more important than contextualizing? The rubrics have been designed with proportional criteria for the General Education Program purposes, but this may not support your objectives for specific assignments. Certain criteria may be more important to the overall performance of a particular task, or you may choose to target specific criteria to aid learning. (When learning something new, it is difficult to assimilate all of the necessary skills into a coherent final product for you as well as for students.) Weighting the rubric for assignments is common practice in order to focus attention on select criteria and derive numeric values for grading. 2. What do the rubric headings mean? The headings across the top of the rubric form an ordinal scale that situate student learning outcome performance on a continuum from low to high. In discussions with students, you may wish to emphasize the distinctions between levels of progression that define the headers. The terms are consistent across the General Education rubrics. 3. Benchmark #1: How can you derive meaning if you re confused or inaccurate? A student performing at this level would have produced work that demonstrated limited understanding of the text s meaning or of having derived meaning in a random or hit/miss manner. There may be some meaning found from the text, but that meaning is shallow, guessed without sufficient information, or randomly uncovered. For example, a student talks or writes about a short story he or she has read, and there are bits and pieces that show the student really did look at all the words and decode them, but what he or she thinks happened is not at all what happened. The same thing can happen when a student has read an essay. The student has put some sort of meaning together, but that meaning is not at all the meaning a skilled reader would derive or one that the author can have intended. 4. What is the difference between constructing meaning and contextualization? The descriptions are very similar. When one reads a text, one reads through the lens of one s own experience. The reader understands the words on the page and their significance based on what that reader knows and values from living in a particular time and place. It is from personal experience with the text that one constructs meaning. But texts were all written in the past, in another place from where 147

148 the reader came, sometimes in a radically different time and place. To read critically, one needs to contextualize, to recognize the differences between one s contemporary values and attitudes and those represented in the text. 5. Contextualizing is meant to be taken in the widest sense of the work s context, right? That is, etc. can be extended, say, to the religious or political, correct? Correct. Critical reading involves consideration both for what has been written and what has been left unsaid. One who reads critically steps back from the text he s reading and puts the text in a context with consideration for such clues as language used by the author, setting, milieu, surroundings, the topic's place in society of the time, and the social, historical, political, or religious perspective presented. 6. What does the concept of various perspectives mean? Does it refer to comparing or deconstructing texts? Perhaps an example will help with the various perspectives concept. The same text read from different perspectives would likely take on different meanings. For example, given the classic English mystery, from a political perspective, a reader might notice that the mystery is at least partly a defense of the very class-based English establishment as it existed in the 1920s. While from the perspective of someone who is reading for entertainment, that point might be missed as the mystery is read very literally, accepting just what is explicitly stated. Thus different perspectives bring different understandings, attitudes, and needs to the reading of the same text. 7. What denotes always, usually, inaccurately, appropriate, etc.? 8. How am I to judge usually, always, etc. when I am assessing one assignment? In our General Education rubrics, usually and always are relative to a particular assignment. So using the same criterion or criteria with multiple assignments, a student may perform at the usually level in one assignment, but at the always level in another assignment. It is feasible for performance levels to vary from one assignment to the next. One of the most common challenges in designing rubrics is to avoid unclear language and insufficient detail. The key is to define levels so transparently that those using the rubric see precisely what features of work characterize each level of performance. There should be enough descriptive detail in the form of concrete indicators, adjectives, and descriptive phrases. As you work with the rubric, you might use exemplars of student work or product-specific indicators with particular assignments. Still, reliability of our assessment may be compromised if instructors are not applying the rubric similarly. If you and your students have difficulty using the rubric because 148

149 the terms are unclear, be sure to share this with a member of the Critical Reading Outcome Committee or Dr. Lynn Berry. 9. The delineation between level one and the others is very clear, but 3 and 4 seem very similar. How do we create a concrete division between the two? As noted above, rubrics must have clear operational definitions in order to make it easy for everyone using the rubric to distinguish one performance level from the next, and to enhance reliability of the assessment process. Design flaws in rubrics, due to lack of clarity or consistency, are not uncommon, but they must be addressed in order for the rubrics to be useful. The variability of student and instructor interpretation can be reduced significantly when generic terms are clarified with task-specific exemplars or indicators. For example, a descriptor such as moderately clear becomes more observable when it is accompanied by a list of possible indicators. If you have difficulty applying the rubric in your class, contact a member of the General Education Critical Reading Committee or Dr. Lynn Berry to share your concern. 10. Is it necessary to meet all criteria within one assignment? 11. Can this rubric be adapted to specific reading tasks? The criteria are intended to provide guidance over a wide range of assignments and may not all apply in particular instances. For a specific reading task you may wish to emphasize some criteria over others, but you should not change the operational definitions of criteria or levels of performance. For General Education Program assessment, you will be encouraged to submit data from an artifact that encompasses as many of the criteria as possible in order to present a more complete picture of students critical thinking abilities. 12. How effective has this rubric been for those who have used it? The approved General Education outcome rubrics were just recently introduced across campus, so it is too soon to respond fairly to this question. Course Design 13. For courses that combine subject matter with CR skills, how can we keep students on task, i.e., focused on critical reading. It s reasonable that students may come to your class with preconceived ideas and expectations about your course, i.e., how it will be organized, how it will be taught, what they will be asked to do, etc. A few simple but significant suggestions may help you address their assumptions, confusion, even objections. First, communicate explicitly and frequently with them about the purpose and design of your course, and back up what you say by telling them about the research behind our General Education initiative. 149

150 Second, find ways to let students appreciate and experience the value of critical reading themselves. You might also explain the value of critical reading in your own life. Finally, align all of your activities with your course s learning outcomes, i.e., consistently measure what matters. 14. How do you evaluate (measure) these categories correctly? Measuring student learning correctly is largely a design matter. If assessments are misaligned with learning objectives or instructional strategies, it can undermine both student motivation and learning. For instance, if you want students to learn to read critically and have given them numerous opportunities to practice reading critically, but your assessment measures only factual recall, you have not measured what students have learned. Or, if your assessment measures students abilities to compare and critique writing styles of different authors, but in class you lecture students about different writing genres, you haven t evaluated learning effectively. Consequently, students do not learn or practice the skills of comparison and evaluation that are assessed. So, design effectively! 15. How can such a rubric be formulated to apply directly to mathematics or mathematical sciences? Rather than applying the rubric to your math course, apply your math course to the rubric! Seriously, research suggests that in order to most effectively achieve our goals for student learning, we need to reconfigure course design and instruction with a focus on the learning outcomes we desire for students. Wiggins and McTighe (2005) have a Backward Course Design model that can help with this. Their model suggests a very different approach from traditional instructional design that is activity-focused and coverage-focused. In addition to making student learning the primary concern, this backward design model makes assessment a prominent and necessary part of the learning process rather than just a tool to attach to the end of the course, or units of the course, for the purpose of grading. Please consult with the Critical Reading Outcome Committee or CETL for more specific help with this. Activities 16. How can students reach the capstone column when they will not pursue the course material any further? For example, this is the last math class they will take. It is unlikely that students will get to capstone 4 in a single course unless they begin that course with fairly significant critical reading skills. All of our General Education outcome rubrics contain criteria that represent broad learning targets rather than features of a particular task or course-specific skill. The rubrics have been designed to be useful in a broad range of subjects and activities. Given that our outcomes are quite complex, multiple opportunities are needed for students to develop the skills 150

151 reflected in the high end of the continuum. Ideally, critical reading will be expected of students throughout the curriculum. These subsequent opportunities should reinforce or build upon the skills students develop in your class. 17. How do the students derive meaning what is the process? There is a great deal of evidence suggesting that students are unlikely to develop significant skills in critical reading, critical thinking, etc. unless these skills are stated explicitly, taught directly, required in students work in meaningful ways, and practiced at progressively higher levels of achievement. The General Education Program provides for this. Assessment of learning is integrated into the process to assure its continuous improvement. 18. How does the rubric address a reader s limited experience or knowledge that may hinder comprehension? This question raises a basic principle that underlies effective learning: students prior knowledge can help or hinder learning. New knowledge is built on existing knowledge, thus it is important to determine what your students are likely to know coming into your course and how well they know it. There are a number of ways to assess the extent of students knowledge and skills. One easy way is to administer a simple diagnostic pretest during the first week of class that asks students to demonstrate what they know and can do. By using the rubric as a diagnostic tool you could determine the most effective starting point and the most appropriate level at which to begin instruction. If mastery of prerequisite skills seems poor across the majority of students, you may have to adjust the pace or scope of the course accordingly. If just a few individuals lack the necessary skills, this information can help you advise them appropriately. 19. How can we asses that the students questioning activity is right while reading? 20. How can I be sure that students are giving successful interpretations of material? Effective assessment requires that you select/design activities, assignments, and tests that measure what matters, in a format that allows students to demonstrate what they know or can do with regard to the learning outcomes. When the focus is on thinking skills, the instructor needs to see or hear students thinking in order to assess it. Otherwise, you will be forced to make inferences about learning. Following are three examples of activities you might use. 151

152 Marginal Notes (Bean, 2001) is one activity that invites students to make their thoughts visible. When the focus is on questioning, instructions to students might read: Interact with the text; have a lively conversation with the author as you read. Use the margin of the text itself to make copious notes of your thoughts, paying particular attention to the questions that arise as you read. As best you can, align your questions with the passages to which they refer. The instructions could be similar if interpretation is the desired outcome but instead of asking for questions they would ask for interpretations of passages. Quiz Questions Developed by Students (Bean, 2001) is another activity to focus on students questioning skills. In this activity, you would ask students to write their own quiz questions for reading assignments. Instructors could provide guidelines for the kinds of questions they want students to write, e.g., ask questions that a professional panel might ask of this scientific paper, or ask questions that reflect the different stakeholders perspectives. Writing Translations (Bean, 2001) is an activity that asks students to translate select passages from text into their own words. Encouraging students to closely paraphrase text should help students suspend their own ideas in order to listen carefully to the author and interpret her ideas precisely. The instructor would evaluate the work submitted (e.g., margin notes, quiz questions, translations) against the rubric, circling the cell that best characterizes student performance for each relevant criterion. 21. How does one teach CR without equal attention to good writing? 22. What should I do about my propensity to grade for grammar and usage errors with student writing, i.e., getting off track from the CR focus? It is important not to lose sight of the purpose of an activity by getting bogged down in the details of good writing, unless there is an explicit requirement for quality writing in an activity. Good writing is important, but so are a number of things that students would, ideally, keep in mind and display in their work. But effective teaching involves prioritizing the knowledge and skills we choose to focus on. Too many topics and requirements work against student learning, so it is necessary for us to make decisions sometimes difficult ones about what we will and will not include in a course or in an assignment. Keep the rubric close at hand to serve as an external reminder of what you care about most, i.e., student learning outcomes. 23. What are some activities that will help me get students to capstone 4? 24. How might I help students move from benchmarks to capstone? 25. How can I design activities which are engaging and geared toward critical reading? 26. What is the process for moving the students along the milestones? 152

153 There will be opportunities in the weeks to come for a more generous response to these requests for activities to help students develop these sophisticated reading skills. Here I will offer a few simple points to begin the conversation. 1. Design learner activities for specific learning outcomes those that are likely to elicit from students the kind of learning you expect. Consider their proper sequence to reinforce and build skills incrementally. Make them interesting, relevant, and appropriately challenging for the students. 2. Share the rubric with students at the start of an assignment. This can help them understand the skills desired and performance standards. The rubrics are useful in that they can help students become more thoughtful judges of the quality of their own and others work. When rubrics are used to guide self- and peer-assessment, students usually become increasingly able to spot and solve problems in their own and others work. 3. Effective prompts can facilitate personal connection between the student and the assigned text, orient students with a critical reading stance, and guide students thinking as they read. Good prompts focus students on the big ideas and prompt students to reflect upon and analyze what they have read. Without prompts to guide them, students typically just mine the text for facts and details. 4. Good prompts can also model the kinds of questions students should ask on their own as they read. Provide a reading guide for support. For example: What seems to be the author s purpose in writing this? What qualifies the author to write on this subject? What relevant evidence does the author give to support her stance? What inferences can one make from the evidence given in the reading? 5. Develop effective assessment techniques that produce evidence of student skills and abilities. Direct, authentic assessments are the gold standards so strive to assign tasks for students to perform or produce in order to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have mastered. Be sure to provide significant feedback to students to reinforce and encourage them and call attention to areas that need more work. 27. What are some evaluation tools that we can use to make these determinations, especially on those aspects of contextualization? Assignments can serve as assessment or evaluation for critical reading. For example, a student is assigned the task to read a paragraph then write all he knows about the setting of the main focus in the passage. The instructor can evaluate the information provided in the assignment using the rubric or another benchmark to assess the outcomes expected. Another assignment might be to read a chapter in the textbook. The instructor can let the student know that there will be a multiple choice quiz on the vocabulary in the text or another targeted component. The results of the quiz can be a form of evaluation. Another activity 153

154 would be to ask students to write 3-5 questions for the author of a research brief to find out information not in the text. Again, this could be used as an evaluation of a component of reading. With assignments as evaluation, the instructor needs to be clear in her own mind what is being evaluated related to critical reading as it may not be specific in the assignment. This may not be something the student needs to know to complete the assignment. An assignment may be used to evaluate multiple dimensions of critical reading as well. Also, one reading passage may have several related activities. For example, reading a scholarly article, students may be asked to do multiple tasks, such as list all the scientific terms used or explain the participants in the study or describe the instruments used to collect data or discuss the approach to data analysis. Strictly evaluating contextualization, students can be asked to describe elements of the study (in the case of a research article) or the home life (for a case study article) or the major historical events (a novel or short story) or the physical landscape (descriptive paragraph) or event/circumstances (persuasive speech), etc. Evaluation would depend on the text being read. Student Motivation, Readiness, and Engagement 28. How can you accept or reject an idea without reflection, e.g., prior knowledge? According to intellectual development theory, most new college students believe that knowledge is right or wrong, and that it can be obtained with certainty by direct observation. They also find thinking about options or points of view confusing, so they resist thinking independently. William Perry s theory characterizes individuals at this stage of intellectual development as dualists (1969). King and Kitchner referred to thinking at this stage as pre-reflective reasoning (1998). 28. How can I encourage students to participate in class activities that are worth fewer points? 29. How can I motivate students to read? This is such an important question given what we know from learning research: students motivation determines the effort, persistence, and quality of the learning behaviors in which they engage. When students find positive value in a learning goal or activity, expect to achieve that outcome, and perceive support from their environment, they are likely to be strongly motivated to learn. One of the most frequent complaints of instructors is that students don t come to class prepared for class. That is, they don t read what s been assigned, and they 154

155 don t complete homework. Students don t read carefully because they feel confident that their teachers will review the important points from the readings during their lectures. Needless to say, the important question then becomes how can you hold students accountable for having read carefully and critically? A minute (or two) paper at the start of class and requiring students to use what they gained from the readings rather than you telling them what they should have gained are two such possibilities. As research suggests, there are many good everyday teaching practices for motivating students. Several are noted below. Contact CETL for a more elaborate discussion on this topic. 1. Focus on the meaningful activities that students can see are related to their own future. That is, repurpose the course on learning rather than on earning a grade. 2. Make the learning interesting through the use of variety and novelty. Try to connect the material to students lives and interests. Capture students imaginations. 3. Make the learning challenging but achievable. 4. Display interest in students learning and confidence in their abilities. Discourage students from comparing their achievements to others achievements. 5. Inform students about how your course fits into the curriculum and prepares them for future opportunities. 6. Use a variety of student-centered, active learning activities. Teach by discovery. 7. Use well-designed cooperative learning activities to encourage students to work together toward a common goal. Reward groups in which everyone participates and performs at a given standard. 8. Provide useful and regular feedback, and be generous with praise. 9. Give students some choice in what they are going to do, e.g., a choice of several possible assignments, a choice of topics, etc. 10. Display your interest and passion for the subject. 11. Give quizzes. 12. Create an atmosphere which fosters inquiry. Students must be encouraged to question, to make predictions, and to organize ideas which support value judgments. 155

156 29. How can you move students from Benchmark #1 to the other levels if they are not interested in reading? Interests change over time. Students who are not interested in reading today may become interested in reading under the right conditions. Well-chosen and welldesigned instructional activities; relevant, significant, and personally meaningful activities; useful performance feedback; and encouragement are factors that could have an influence on student motivation and interest. 30. How do you assist students with limited reading skills, i.e., at the low benchmark level? 31. How can I help students keep up with the reading? 32. How can I help students with difficult/challenging texts? It is important to qualify this response by noting that students may have difficulty reading for any number of reasons, including disabilities, visual problems, misunderstandings, failure to adjust reading strategies for different purposes, lack of cultural literacy needed by a particular text, inadequate vocabulary, etc. Some kind of diagnostic assessment at the start of the course may be helpful for understanding your students skills and needs. While it s hard to generalize about a diverse group of students, it s probably safe to say that all students can benefit from a learning environment that nurtures reading growth. Bean (2001) addresses this issue in good detail. Among his suggestions are to: 1. Talk about your own reading processes, i.e., how they vary with your purpose. 2. Share your own note taking and responding process when you read. 3. Encourage students to get in the habit of using the dictionary. 4. Teach students how to write what it says and what it does statements. 5. Make students accountable for assigned readings. 6. Develop ways to encourage student interest in upcoming readings, 7. Show that all texts reflect the author s frame of reference and this should be uncovered through attentive reading. 8. Explain cultural codes and show how they have a bearing on comprehension. 9. Create reading guides for particularly difficult texts or for texts with unfamiliar cultural codes. 10. Help students see that all texts are trying to change their view of something. 11. Teach students to play the Believing and Doubting game. 12. Develop assignments that require students to interact with texts, as opposed to being passive readers. It is essential to properly prepare students to read and understand difficult and challenging texts. While students need to be challenged, they must have methods of succeeding if they are going to continue to invest time in arduous tasks. 156

157 Evaluation & Assessment 33. If students reach capstone 4 in one area and benchmark 1 in another, how do we evaluate this overall performance in the course? You may be conflating two different processes: assessment and grading. For our General Education Program purposes, you will be asked to document student learning into component parts, i.e., for each criterion, from one artifact of your choice. You won t need to do any calculations other than counting how many students performed at each level, for each criterion relevant to that artifact. Your data may well span more than one level of performance, and you will simply report the raw data. Your contribution to our institutional assessment of General Education will be a snapshot of your students critical reading performance. With regard to evaluating student performance over the course of the semester for grading purposes, you can assign weights and numeric values to the criteria and levels of performance in your critical reading rubric that will enable you to factor critical reading performance into your grading formula. Assessment and grading are not the same. Although grades are sometimes treated as a proxy for student learning, they are not always a direct and reliable measure of learning as they are often based on more than learning outcomes, e.g., attendance, participation, effort, etc. A student who has not achieved major learning goals might still earn an acceptable grade by fulfilling other grading criteria. Conversely, a student who has achieved a course s major learning goals might nonetheless earn a poor grade by failing to do the other things expected of her. 34. May some type of scoring rubric be combined with the Critical Reading rubric in order to ascertain a grade for students? You may assign numeric values and weights to the Critical Reading rubric for grading purposes, and you may use another rubric with the Critical Reading rubric in order to incorporate additional learning outcomes for the course or specific assignments. For assessment, you will be asked to submit critical reading data only, from one artifact that best represents student performance on most, if not all, of the critical reading skills 35. What forms of evidence can be provided for assessment purposes? 36. What kinds of tasks will reveal whether students have achieved the outcome? Authentic (or performance ) assessment is an umbrella concept for types of assessment that directly examine student performance on meaningful, 157

158 significant, often complex intellectual tasks. Such assessments tend to enable students to demonstrate their competency in a more authentic setting while generating direct evidence of their achievement. Compare this to indirect measures that evaluate low-level cognitive skills, from which instructors can only infer what students would be capable of knowing or doing in a variety of unfamiliar and ambiguous real-world situations. Authentic assessment is the much preferred alternative to traditional educational testing. The following chart compares the two assessment categories. TRADITIONAL Generally relies on forced-choice, written measures Contrived Encourages memorization of correct answers Goal is to measure acquisition of past knowledge Emphasis on developing a body of knowledge Promotes "what" knowledge, e.g., recall, recognition Targets simplistic skills or tasks in a concrete, singular fashion Generates indirect evidence of learning AUTHENTIC Promotes integration of various written and performance measures Real-life Encourages divergent thinking in generating possible answers Goal is to enhance development of meaningful skills Emphasis on ensuring proficiency at realworld tasks Promotes how knowledge, e.g., construction, application Prepares students for ambiguities and exceptions that are found in realistic problem settings Generates direct evidence of learning The following table presents some ideas for activities that can be used to assess critical reading learning outcomes. Some activities may be more conducive than others for particular outcomes, time requirements, and settings (at home, in class). Again, this is just a start. You can develop and use other assessments, just make sure that they align with your learning objectives and instructional strategies and that they are well designed. Work toward developing a repertoire of valid assessment options for variety and usefulness. We will continue to offer workshops to introduce and share ideas for activities and assessment tools for critical reading. Type of learning Examples of appropriate assessments outcome Constructing meaning Activities such as summaries/abstracts, reading journals, dialogue journals, reading quizzes, think-pair-share in class, letter writing, admit slip, focused reading notes, summary/response notebooks, writing translations, reading and retellings, instructor-student discussions, annotating text, outlining Reflecting Activities such as papers, reading log/journals, summaries/abstracts, marginal notes, class discussions, reading logs, letters/editorials, diaries, reading quizzes, thinkpair-share in class, letter writing, focused reading notes, 158

159 reading and retellings, instructor-student discussions, annotating text Evaluating Questioning Contextualizing Activities such as papers, reports, critiques, reviews, reading log/journals, reading quizzes, think-pair-share in class, letter writing, reading and retellings, instructor-student discussions, annotating text Activities such as critiques, papers, reading log/journals, dialogue journals, real or invented interviews with authors, marginal notes, developing quiz questions, think-pair-share in class, letter writing, summary/response notebooks, reading and retellings, instructor-student discussions, annotating text Activities such as papers, summaries/abstracts, reading log/journals, critiques, reading quizzes, think-pair-share in class, letter writing, reading and retellings. instructor-student discussions, annotating text 37. Will I be asked to measure performance for SACS? During the last three weeks of each semester, the Institutional Assessment and Research Office (IAR) will ask you to provide critical reading outcome data from one artifact for each of your critical reading General Education designated classes that semester. Using the rubric, you will indicate the number of students who, based on defined criteria, performed at various levels. This data will be entered into a data collection template that you will have access to via a survey hyperlink. IAR will then aggregate all of the critical reading outcome data to summarize University-wide student performance in each learning component of the rubric. This summary report, along with reports that indicate student performance in other General Education areas, will be prepared by the IAR office and made available to SACS. To the degree possible, IAR has designed the process to make your responsibility for reporting data fairly simple and straight forward Resources Bean, J.C. (2001). Engaging ideas: The professor s guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. King, P. M., & Kitchener, K. S. (1994). Developing reflective judgment: Understanding and promoting intellectual growth and critical thinking in adolescents and adults. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. McKeachie, W. J., & Svinicki, M. (2006). Teaching tips, 12th Ed.). Boston: MA, Houghton Mifflin. Perry, W.G. (1968, 1970, 199). Forms of intellectual and ethical development in the college years: A scheme. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 159

160 Tomasek, T. (2009). Critical reading: Using reading prompts to promote active engagement with text. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 21(1), Retrieved Nov. 10, 2012 from: ttp:// Weimer, M. (Ed.). (2010). 11 Strategies for getting students to read what s assigned, Faculty Focus. Magna Publications. Retrieved Nov. 11, 2012 from: Articles/report-11-strategies-getting-students-to-read.pdf Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. (2nd Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ/Alexandria, VA: Pearson Education/Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. 160

161 Debate Not Strongly Aligned with the Critical Reading Outcome 1 st Affirmative Outline Form 1 st AFFIRMATIVE DEBATE SPEECH OUTLINE FORM Current Critical Issues and Trends in Education Name Date Course Meeting Time (list class Hour/Day, e.g., 9:30 a.m. TTH or 2:00 p.m. MW): Debate Speech Topic: PRAYER AND RELIGION SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND IN PUBLIC MEETINGS. I. Introduction- State Your Opening Line. II. Which point will you present to indicate that there is a problem with our current system? III. Which Point do You Expect the Negative Team to Present in Favor of Keeping the Current System? IV. If they Present the above Points, Which Argument will You use to Counterattack those Points? V. List at Least Three Questions You Expect to Ask the 1 st negative Speaker during Cross-X? VI. Additional Main Points and Supporting Information (examples, quotes, anecdotes, etc.) VII. CONCLUSION A. SUMMARY B. CONCLUDING SATAEMENT VIII. SOURCES- List the Title, Author, and Date of Each Source Used from a Book, Magazine, or Pamphlet. If You are Citing a Web Site, give the Name of the Site and the Web Address (URL) of the Site. Why this assignment is not aligned with the Critical Reading Outcome The primary purpose of this assignment is to support students in writing their arguments for an upcoming class debate. However the assignment does not explicitly require students to have read conflicting texts about the topic and critically evaluate, question, and analyze the information they used to research their debate topic. 161

162 Literature Worksheet Not Strongly Aligned with the Critical Reading Outcome ENG Worksheet: The Wife of Bath s Tale, Chaucer 1. Identify all of the conflicts in the story. None Critical Reading Component Comments This question requires students to provide a basic recall of one element of plot (conflict) but does not require an overall summary or any adequate evidence that the student derived an accurate meaning from the text. 2. How is symbolism expressed in this text? Critical Reading Component Reflecting Comments This question requires students to connect to their background knowledge of the term symbolisim but does not require the students to evaluate how the author s perspective may have affected the text, to question the purpose(s) of the writer, or to use the historical setting of the text as a tool for understanding this term. 3. Identify the theme (s) in the story. Critical Reading Component Construct Meaning Comments Finding the theme of a text does requires students to have derived an accurate meaning from the text, but does not require the student to evaluate the writer s agenda in developing the theme, question the techniques the writer used to convey the them, or think about how the historical setting of the text supports the development of the theme. 4. Are the conflicts resolved at the end of the story? None. Critical Reading Component Comments This question requires no analysis of text or demonstration of any understanding of the text; students have a 50% chance of getting this correct even without having read the text. 162

163 WSSU Assignment Aligned with the Critical Reading Outcome This assignment includes elements that align with a variety of critical reading components. Math Problem Suppose Bob and Tom have decided to get together to paint a room in a house. The friends work together and complete the job. Your directions are to answer the question given different assumptions about Bob and Tom s working: Assumption 1: They work at the same rate and the job is finished in 5 hours. Assumption 2: Suppose Tom is doing the trim and Bob is painting the walls, so Bob paints twice as fast as Tom and they complete the job in 5 hours. Assumption 3: Suppose Bob can get the job done in 15 hours if he works alone. If they each pace themselves and work at a constant rate (not the same rate), how fast can Tom paint the room if he works alone if they can get the job done in 10 hours working together. Assumption 4: Suppose the following chart represents the percentage of the job done by Tom per hour if he works alone. Hour % of Job Done Per Hour by Tom 1 10% 2 20% 3 25% 4 25% 5 20% Bob paints 25% of the room per hour. How much time would it take them if they work together? Which assumption is the most realistic? 163

164 Alignment with Critical Reading Components Critical Reading Components Construct Meaning Reflecting Comments Every math problem requires an answer which is constructing meaning. It also addresses student experience through the question: Which assumption is most realistic? Students are asked to process their ideas through multiple scenarios which provide them many opportunities to reflect on their methods and calculations, adding to their knowledge base. Evaluating Each assumption has students reevaluating and redefining what they have read so that they can apply it to the new assumption. Questioning Although it is not explicitly stated students will engage in questioning as they work through each assumption. Contextualizing Because this problem has multiple restraints and parameters students have to employ their contextualizing skills to be successful. Section 8 contains three organizers that could be used with this assignment for students to record their thinking: SQ3R, PEEL, and SKIM/SCAN. 164

165 Learning Activity Not Aligned with the Critical Reading Outcome. Example 1: Suppose an airplane takes off and reaches an altitude of 20,000 feet in 1 minute. How fast is the plane ascending? Your directions are the following: 1) List out any assumptions you are making about the path the airplane is taking to reach 20,000 feet, and 2) Describe the mathematical tool needed to solve this problem. Critical Reading Component Construct Meaning Addressed in Assignment? Comments Calculating a correct answer would require students to make sense of words to derive an accurate meaning from the problem. Students would also have to select the correct mathematical tool to solve the problem correctly. Reflecting Requiring a response to a prompt in a math journal would allow students to practice this component. For example, students might respond to a prompt such as, How did solving this problem add to your understanding of <math concept>? Evaluating Having students write about the reliability of their answer would incorporate this component into the assignment. The problem requires students to question and explore the assumptions they made when answering the question. Questioning Contextualizing Providing a follow up problem would allow students to contextualize. For example, Imagine the plane s rate is faster or slower than the average ascent. Choose one of the following factors related to the physical setting and make a prediction about how it would affect the rate of the plane s ascent: inclement weather, size of plane, weight of cargo. 165

166 WSSU Assignment Aligned with the Critical Reading Outcome This assignment includes elements that align with a variety of critical reading components. When taken as a whole, this assignment addresses all five components of the WSSU critical reading rubric: constructing meaning, reflecting, evaluating, questioning and contextualizing. Critical Reading Classroom Activity Students are told aurally the title of the article, Examining Health Disparities among Adults with Disabilities and what it means for Public Health. They are then directed to write five questions they have just from hearing/learning the title that might be expected to be answered after reading the report. Critical Reading Components Reflecting Comments The questions students create in this prereading activity will result from the student having made connections between the title and their background knowledge of the topic. Contextualizing The questions students create will also be influenced by the context implied in the article title (public health). Then they are given a copy of the two-page report to read. Three sets of response prompts are given on the screen in the classroom with time allotted for answering each set. 1. Written text Give a brief statement or word on the report s written format. Critical Reading Component Questioning Comments This question requires students to think about the techniques (i.e., format or text structure) employed by the author to convey its message. 166

167 What is your impression of the writing style? Critical Reading Component Evaluating Comments This question requires students to evaluate the style used by the writer to convey the message about the topic. What way did you approach reading this report? Critical Reading Components Construct Meaning Comments This question links to any of the components depending on the student s response. The goal of this question is to get students to be metacognitive to think about the way they thought about the text; to think about what they did to read, comprehend, and analyze the text. Reflecting See note above. Evaluating See note above. Questioning See note above. Contextualizing See note above. 167

168 How did the language influence your understanding of content? Critical Reading Components Evaluating Comments Writers word choice often is a tool used to convey the writer s meanings, intentions, agendas, and priorities. As a result, analyzing the language support students in a critical analysis of the text. Questioning Since word choice is a technique used by writers, thinking about word choice requires students to question the writer s use of this technique. Tell about terminology or vocabulary used in the report Critical Reading Components Construct Meaning Comments This question requires students to derive an accurate meaning of terms in the report. Reflecting Learning new terms adds to students knowledge base. 168

169 2. Content How close did the report come to answering any questions you had before starting? Critical Reading Components Construct Meaning Comments If students were able to answer the questions they developed before reading, then some construction of meaning occurred. Reflecting When the reading results in students being able to answer questions they had before reading, then student s knowledge base has increased. What are three bits of new information you learned? Critical Reading Components Construct Meaning Comments New learning requires an accurate derivation of textual meaning. Reflecting New learning implies that students knowledge base has changed or grown. 169

170 What surprised you from the content? Critical Reading Components Construct Meaning Comments This question is framed to encompass a variety of components depending on a student s response. For example, if a student answers, I was surprised by how the information in this report conflicts with the information I read in then he was analyzing the reading with respect to prior knowledge. Reflecting This question is framed to encompass a variety of components depending on a student s response. For example, if a student answers, I was surprised that my opinion about the health disparities of adults with disabilities changed when I read this article, then the student is reflecting. Evaluating This question is framed to encompass a variety of components depending on a student s response. For example, if the student responds, I was surprised that the report contained so many facts and statistics. That added to the reliability of the information, then the component addressed is evaluating. Questioning This question is framed to encompass a variety of components depending on a student s response. For example, if the student responds, I was surprised that I had so many questions about the author s perspective, then questioning is the component addressed. Contextualizing This question is framed to encompass a variety of components depending on a student s response. If the student responds, I was surprised to learn how much the health disparities of adults with disabilities affects the public health system, then the student addressed the component of contextualizing. 170

171 What else would you like to see in the report? Critical Reading Component Evaluating Comments This requires students to evaluate the effectiveness of the writing and make suggestions about what could improve the report. 3. What is/are common themes (up to 3) or claims the author makes? Critical Reading Components Construct Meaning Comments Students must derive accurate meaning to infer themes. Evaluating Students must consider the writer s intentions and agendas when inferring theme. Questioning Students must infer the author s purpose for writing to infer the themes. 171

172 Think Aloud Tips Reading for meaning is a covert process it happens inside our heads. Because of this, students have difficulty learning to read critically unless instructors make the process overt for them. This is achieved by modeling our thinking, an instructional strategy commonly referred to as a think aloud. When using think alouds, instructors explicitly verbalize their thoughts while reading orally. This allows students to see the thinking the instructor is doing to read the text critically (Reagan, 2013). Instructors are often unclear about what a think aloud is. This table provides information to clarify what it means for instructors to think aloud. What a think aloud is: Teachers verbalizing their thoughts about reading processes: When I read this part I thought A peak into someone s thinking Pausing while reading to share thinking Modeling how you use critical reading strategies to access content knowledge What a think aloud is not: Teachers telling students how to think: You should as you read Announcing directions Explaining what is happening in a story Summarizing key points for the students (Reagan, 2013) 172

173 Ways to Communicate General Education Outcomes to Students Students may not be aware that General Education Outcomes are often implicit components of learning activities and assessments. Instructors must explicitly tell students when learning activities are related to General Education Outcomes. Here are some tips to help instructors be explicit when communicating General Education Outcomes to students. Use the syllabus as a vehicle for communicating General Education Outcomes: o Include clear language in the syllabus linking all learning activities to the General Education Outcomes they support. o Review the syllabus in class with an emphasis on how learning activities link to General Education Outcomes. o Use the syllabus as a text where you model a strategy for a General Education Outcome and then allow students to finish reading using the same strategy you modeled. Use explicit language when providing directions for learning activities and assessments: o Make sure directions on learning activities and assessments list General Education Outcomes supported by the activity. o Explicitly state the relationship between the learning activity/assessment and General Education Outcomes. Today we are doing and it supports outcomes. Use the rubric to deepen students understanding of General Education Outcome covered by your course. o Make sure students have read and understand the rubric. Consider using the rubric as a text for practicing strategies associated with General Education Outcomes. o Explain how learning activities and assessments align with components of the rubric. This learning activity will allow you to practice X component of this rubric. 173

174 SECTION 9: References Allen, J. (2004). Tools for teaching content literacy. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers. Bean, J. (1996). Engaging ideas: The professor s guide to interactive writing, critical thinking, and learning in the classroom. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Benner, M. (2009). Critical reading at the University of Oregon. Retrieved from CARLA, (2013). Process: Why use rubrics? Retrieved from Davis, A. (2006). Medicine by design. Retrieved from Faber, S. (2006). How to teach reading when you re not a reading teacher. Nashville, TN: Incentive Publications. Gallagher, K. (2003). Reading reasons: Motivational mini-lessons for middle and high school. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers. Glass, C. & Zygouris-Coe. (2005). Text structure. Retrieved from Harvey, S., & Goudvis, A. (2000). Strategies that work. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers. Hinrichs, R. & Urone, P. (2013). Physics. Retrieved from Jewell, R. (2012). Typical structures of college texts. Retrieved from m#structures Keene, E. & Zimmerman, S. (1997). Mosaic of thought: Teaching comprehension in a reader s workshop. Portsmith, NH: Heinemann. LeMaster, J. (2013). Critical reading: Deep reading strategies for expository texts. Retrieved from McTeague, F. (1996). The questions game. In A. Chambers, Tell me: Children, reading, and talk. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers. Mueller, J. (2012). Authentic assessment toolbox. Retrieved from 174

175 Reagan, H. (2013). Think aloud. Retrieved from Reid, S. (2009). Shelley s quick guides for writing teachers: Critical reading assignments. Retrieved from Rosenthal, A. (2012). Exercise and academic performance. Retrieved from Tovani, C. (2000). I read it, but I don t get it. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers. Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. (2nd Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ/Alexandria, VA: Pearson Education/Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. Zimmerman, S., & Hutchins, C. (2003). The 7 keys to comprehension. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press. 175