How does the text say it?
Guiding Questions
(What are the genre, organization, features, word choice, figures of speech, etc.?)
1. How is the information organized? (e.g., time, topic, cause/effect, compare/contrast, persuasion) RI 5
2. What genre does the selection represent? RI 5
3. How does the piece open—exposition, lead? RI 5
4. Whose voice did the author choose as narrator? RI 6
5. From what point of view/perspective was this written? RI 6
6. What are the sources of information and fact? Is there more than one source of information? RI 3
7. What role does dialogue play in the text? RI 3
8. What language is used—technical, dialect, variant spellings, archaic words, etc.? RI 4
9. What are the style, mood, and tone? RI 4
10. What was the author’s claim, supporting evidence, reasoning and rebuttal? RI 8
Research Supporting - “How does the text say it?”
Beck, I.L., McKeown, M.G., Sandora, C., & Worthy, J.(1996). “Questioning the Author: A Yearlong Classroom Implementation to
Engage Students With Text.” The Elementary School Journal, 96, 385-414.
Meyer, B.J.F., & Rice, G.E. (1984). “The Structure of Text.” In P.D. Pearson, R. Barr, M.L. Kamil, & P. Mosenthal (Eds.), Handbook
of Reading Research (pp.319-351). New York: Longman.
Taylor, B.M. & Beach, R.W. (1984). “The Effects of Text Structure Instruction on Middle-Grade Students’ Comprehension and
Production of Expository Text.” Reading Research Quarterly, 19, 134-146
Guided Highlighted Reading for Critical Reading
(Uses the same procedures as Guided Highlighted Reading for “What does the text say?” except prompts are developed to highlight
the language that shows the structure, perspective, and craft of the text.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
I soon discovered that if a wayfaring stranger wishes to eavesdrop on a local population the places for him
to slip in and hold his peace are bars and churches. But some New England towns don’t have bars, and
church is only on Sunday. A good alternative is the roadside restaurant where men gather for breakfast
before going to work or going hunting. To find these places inhabited one must get up very early. And
there is a drawback even to this. Early-rising men not only do not talk much to strangers, they barely talk
to one another. Breakfast conversation is limited to a series of laconic grunts. The natural New England
taciturnity reaches its glorious perfection at breakfast. Steinbeck, John. Travels with Charley: In Search of America
Look through the passage and find and highlight evidence that this is formal first person. (I soon discovered….one must get up very
early…)
In line #2, find and highlight how the author says the stranger will be quiet. (slip in and hold his peace)
In lines #5 and 6, find and highlight the sarcasm. (Early-rising men not only do not talk much to strangers, they barely talk to one
another.)
In line #4, find and highlight how the author tells us that there are people in the restaurant. (find the places inhabited…)
Critical Reading
Reading
-
How does the text say it? Guiding Questions – Guided Highlighted
What Does the Text Mean? (Generative Reading)
Depth of Knowledge Taxonomy – Create Level
Equilibrium occurs when a person's background knowledge
allows him or her to deal with most new information through
something called assimilation. - Jean Piaget
Disequilibrium refers to our inability to fit new information
into our schema. When you come across information or
experiences that do not fit into your current knowledge
base, this is where disequilibrium begins. - Jean Piaget
New Equilibrium results in new insights and/or new
information forming generalizations, lessons learned and/or
theories that are applicable across disciplines.
Tools for using text to think generatively
Levels of Meaning - Abstracting
Profundity
Metaphorical Thinking
Michigan Anchor Reading Standards
Craft and Structure (Critical Reading)
How does the
text say it?
R4 Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining
technical, connotative, and figurative meanings and analyze how specific word
choices shape meaning or tone.
R5 Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs,
and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to
each other and the whole.
R6 Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
R8 Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including
the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the
evidence.
What does the Text Say? Guided Highlighted Reading
Michigan Reading Anchor Standards
Guided Highlighted Reading for what does the text say?
Reading Comprehension
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
I soon discovered that if a wayfaring stranger wishes to eavesdrop on a local population the places for him
to slip in and hold his peace are bars and churches. But some New England towns don’t have bars, and
church is only on Sunday. A good alternative is the roadside restaurant where men gather for breakfast
before going to work or going hunting. To find these places inhabited one must get up very early. And
there is a drawback even to this. Early-rising men not only do not talk much to strangers, they barely talk
to one another. Breakfast conversation is limited to a series of laconic grunts. The natural New England
taciturnity reaches its glorious perfection at breakfast. Steinbeck, John. Travels with Charley: In Search of America
Guided Highlighted Reading
In line # 1, find and highlight what the stranger wishes to do. (eavesdrop)
In line # 2, find and highlight where he could eavesdrop. (bars and churches)
In line # 3, find and highlight the alternative to bars and churches. (roadside restaurant)
In line # 5, find and highlight what early-rising men do not like to do. (talk much to strangers)
In line # 6, find and highlight what conversations are limited to. (a series of laconic grunts)
Profundity Scales
Analogical Thinking
When we seek out and find hidden identities of function and purpose, “degree by degree” we “surround” our perception of world and
see with meaning. And then, suddenly, we understand.
I soon discovered that if a wayfaring stranger wishes to eavesdrop on a local population the places for him to slip in and hold
his peace are bars and churches. But some New England towns don’t have bars, and church is only on Sunday. A good
alternative is the roadside restaurant where men gather for breakfast before going to work or going hunting. To find these
places inhabited, one must get up very early. And there is a drawback even to this. Early-rising men not only do not talk
much to strangers, they barely talk to one another. Breakfast conversation is limited to a series of laconic grunts. The natural
New England taciturnity reaches its glorious perfection at breakfast.
Steinbeck, John. Travels with Charley: In Search of America
Analysis of the above text with the Profundity Planes
1. Literal Plane: If a stranger wants to eavesdrop he goes to bars or churches, but in some New England towns there
are no bars and church is only open on Sunday. An alternative is a roadside restaurant where men gather before work
or hunting. The drawback is early-rising men do not talk to strangers and barely talk to one another.
2. Summary Plane: Eavesdropping is difficult in New England towns because even when you find where people meet,
they have limited conversations.
3. Concept Plane: Patterns, Perception, Culture, Relationships, Access, Communication
4. Analogical Plane: Eavesdropping in a New England town is like finding water in a desert
5. Universal Plane: Privacy is protected by limited access and communication
6. Transformational Plane: Connections can be subverted by limited access
What does the text mean? Explanation
Profundity Planes
Levels of Meaning: Abstracting Text to the Theory Level
I soon discovered that if a wayfaring stranger wishes to eavesdrop on a local population the places for him to slip in and hold his
peace are bars and churches. But some New England towns don’t have bars, and church is only on Sunday. A good alternative is
the roadside restaurant where men gather for breakfast before going to work or going hunting. To find these places inhabited one
must get up very early. And there is a drawback even to this. Early-rising men not only do not talk much to strangers, they barely
talk to one another. Breakfast conversation is limited to a series of laconic grunts. The natural New England taciturnity reaches
its glorious perfection at breakfast.
Steinbeck, John. Travels with Charley: In Search of America
Facts/Argument/Evidence
Stranger can eavesdrop on
local population in bars and
churches.
Topics
Places for
eavesdropping
Concepts
Connection
Theory
Access does not
insure connections.
Patterns of culture limits
connections.
Privacy is protected
by perfected
taciturnity.
Pattern
New England culture
Some New England towns
have no bars.
Principles/Generalizations
Conflict of cultures limits
connections.
Culture
Limited conversation
Conflict
Church only on Sundays.
Connections are limited by
access.
Relationship
Alternative is roadside
restaurant.
Communication
Access
Population
What does the Text Say?
Summary means a short version containing the gist of something: a shortened version of something that has
been said or written, containing only the main points, key details, significant inferences. The summary must
have evidence from the text.
Research Support
Schema Theory - Anderson, R.C., & Pearson, P.D. (1984). “A Schema-Theoretic View of Basic Processes in
Reading Comprehension.” In P.D. Pearson, R. Barr, M.L. Kamil, & P. Mosenthal (Eds.), Handbook of Reading
Research (pp.255-291). New York: Longman.
Summary - Robert Marzano’s Meta Analysis of Instructional Strategies 2004 to 2008 - Marzano Research
Laboratory
Retelling - Cambourne, B., 'Retelling: a whole-language, natural learning activity for helping learner-writers' in
Walshe, R. D., March, P. & Jenson, D. (eds), (1998), Writing and learning in Australia, Dellasta Books in
association with Oxford University Press, Melbourn
What does the text say? Guiding Questions - Summary Definition - Research Support
What Does The Text Say?
Guiding Questions
What is the gist/central idea? RI 2
What is the specific textual evidence used to support the central idea? RI 1
What are the most important ideas/events? RI 1, RI 2
What are the ideas in order of importance or presentation? RI 1
What ideas might the author be suggesting rather than directly stating?
What can you infer (obvious, logical inferences) from these hints or suggestions? RI 1
How would you summarize or determine a shortened version of the text containing only the main points?
RI 1, RI 2
Access does not insure connections.
Privacy is protected by perfected taciturnity.
Conflict of cultures limits connections.
Patterns of culture limit connections.
Connections are limited by access.
Connection, Pattern, Culture, Conflict, Relationship, Communication, Access,
and Population
Places to Eavesdrop
New England Culture
Limited Conversation
Stranger can eavesdrop on local population in bars and churches.
Some New England towns have no bars.
Church only on Sundays.
Alternative is roadside restaurant.
Early-rising men do not talk much to strangers.
Two or more concepts with a verb in between create a generalization!
Concept
s
Levels of Meaning
Concept
s
- Abstracting from Facts – Topic – Concepts – Generalization - Theory
Metaphorical Thinking
“A picture is worth a thousand words, but a metaphor is worth a thousand pictures.”
Daniel Pink
Definition of Metaphor: The comparison of one thing to another without the use of like or as: “A man is
but a weak reed;” “The road was a ribbon of moonlight.”
Formula for Making a Metaphor (Simile)
1. Explain to students what “intangible” means and then have them brainstorm a list of intangible items
related to the above text. List these on the left-hand side of a T-Chart.
2. Ask students if they can infer what “tangible” means. On the right-hand side of the chart, have them
brainstorm a list of tangible items related to the above text.
3. Have students complete the following sentence by selecting one intangible item and one tangible item
and then explore the relationship between these two items as follows: (Intangible item) is like (tangible
item) because both ______________________.
Kelly Gallagher
Deeper Reading
Michigan Anchor Reading Standards
Key Ideas and Details (Reading Comprehension)
What does the
text say?
R1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences
from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn
from the text.
R2 Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize
the key supporting details and ideas.
R3 Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the
course of a text.
Four Questions for Close, Critical and Generative Reading
Michigan Anchor Reading
What does the text say?
1. Michigan Anchor Standards
2. Definition of Summary
3. Guiding Questions
4. Scaffolding: Guided Highlighted Reading
What does the text mean?
1. Depth of Knowledge Taxonomy
2. Profundity for Informational Text
3. Abstracting – Levels of Meaning to
Generalization
4. Metaphorical Thinking
How does the text say it?
1. Michigan Anchor Standards
2. Guiding Questions
3. Scaffolding: Guided Highlighted Reading
What does the text mean to me?
1. Application of concepts and
generalizations
I soon discovered that if a wayfaring stranger wishes to eavesdrop on a local population the places for him to slip in and
hold his peace are bars and churches. But some New England towns don’t have bars, and church is only on Sunday. A
good alternative is the roadside restaurant where men gather for breakfast before going to work or going hunting. To
find these places inhabited one must get up very early. And there is a drawback even to this. Early-rising men not only
do not talk much to strangers, they barely talk to one another. Breakfast conversation is limited to a series of laconic
grunts. The natural New England taciturnity reaches its glorious perfection at breakfast.
Steinbeck, John. Travels with Charley: In Search of America.
These
words are from the text. Put
them together to make a simile.
Use one from each list. See
below.
Intangible
New England taciturnity
peace
eavesdropping
perfection
talk
grunts
silence
conversation
Tangible
New England town
stranger
roadside restaurant
breakfast
church
early-rising men
Examples:
Perfection is like early-rising men because both are driven by a mission.
Peace is like a roadside restaurant because both satisfy a need for autonomy.
Eavesdropping is like a New England town because both promote familiarity.
New England taciturnity is like a church because both promote the opportunity for reflection.
Metaphorical Thinking
Reading
and Generative
Close, Critical
A “Snapshot” of the Cognitive Rigor Matrix (Hess, Carlock, Jones, & Walkup, 2009)
Depth of Thinking
(Webb)
+ Type of Thinking
(Revised Bloom, 2001)
Remember
DOK Level 1
Recall & Reproduction
DOK Level 2
Basic Skills & Concepts

Recall, locate basic facts,
definitions, details, events

Select appropriate words
for use when intended
meaning is clearly
evident

Use language structure
(pre/suffix) or word
relationships
(synonym/antonym) to
determine meaning

Understand

Apply





Analyze
Identify the kind of
information contained in
a graphic, table, visual,
etc.

Specify, explain
relationships
Summarize
Identify central ideas
Use context to identify
word meanings
Obtain and interpret
information using text
features
Compare literary
elements, facts, terms,
events
Analyze format,
organization, & text
structures
DOK Level 3
Strategic Thinking &
Reasoning

Explain, generalize, or
connect ideas using
supporting evidence
(quote, text evidence,
example…)

Use concepts to solve
non-routine problems


Explain how concepts or
ideas specifically relate
to other content domains
or concepts

Devise an approach
among many
alternatives to research a
novel problem
Analyze or interpret
author’s craft (e.g.,
literary devices,
viewpoint, or potential
bias) to critique a text

Analyze multiple
sources or texts
Analyze complex/
abstract themes

Cite evidence and
develop a logical
argument for conjectures
based on one text or
problem

Evaluate relevancy,
accuracy, &
completeness of
information across texts/
sources


Develop a complex
model for a given
situation
Develop an alternative
solution
Synthesize information
across multiple sources
or texts
Articulate a new voice,
alternate theme, new
knowledge or
perspective
Evaluate

Create
Brainstorm ideas,
concepts, problems, or
perspectives related to a
topic or concept

Generate conjectures or
hypotheses based on
observations or prior
knowledge and
experience
DOK Level 4
Extended Thinking

Macomb Intermediate School District
www.misd.net
44001 Garfield Road
Clinton Township, MI 48038
586-228-3300

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