THE READING/WRITING CONNECTION: A COGNITIVE
STRATEGIES APPROACH TO HELPING ENGLISH
LEARNERS ANALYZE THEME IN LITERARY NONFICTION
Carol Booth Olson
University of California, Irvine
cbolson@uci.edu
Miami Dade USD
June 2013
Reading
Literal Comprehension
Interpretation
What the text says
What the text means
Writing
Summary
Analysis
Interpretation
Commentary
Academic Literacy Expected of
High School Students on Exit Exams
in 26 States
Summarizing texts
 Using linguistic cues to interpret and infer the writer’s intentions
and messages
 Assessing the writer’s use of language for rhetorical and
aesthetic purpose
 Evaluating evidence and arguments presented in texts and
critiquing the logic of arguments made in them
 Composing and writing extended, reasoned texts that are welldeveloped and supported with evidence and details (Wong
Fillmore & Snow, 2003)

How well do all
students write?
2011 NAEP
Grade 8- Only 27% “Proficient” or Above
Grade 12- Only 27 % “Proficient” or Above
Gaps in Achievement
Grade 12
White
27% “Proficient”
Hispanic 11% “Proficient”
Black
8% “Proficient”
What about English
Learners?
Grade 8
EL
Not EL
At or Above
“Proficient”
1%
28%
Grade 12
1%
31%
“A major reason for this growing
inequality is that instruction is unequally
distributed by track level.”
Honors-rigorous academic work
Low achievers, children of the poor,
ELLs-receive instruction that places a
premium on the transmission of
information, providing little room for
“the exploration of ideas and higher
level literacy.”
Applebee, Langer, Nystrand, &
Gamoran (2003)
A sense of urgency …

Every school day 7,000 high school students drop out.

Only 70 percent of all entering freshmen and half of
students of color finish high school with a regular
diploma.

Only 30 percent of students entering high school read
at grade level.

An estimated 85 percent of current jobs and almost 90
percent of fast-growing and best-paying jobs now
require some post-secondary education. - Alliance for
Excellent Education
Enter the National Common
Core Standards for
English/Language Arts &
Literacy in History/Social
Studies, Science, & Technical
Subjects
Purpose
* Fewer, clearer, higher
*
*
*
*
standards
Focused on college and career
readiness
Inclusive of rigorous content
and higher order skills
Internationally benchmarked
Research and evidence-based
Let’s take a look at the CCSS College and Career
Anchor Standards for Reading and Writing. What
are students expected to know and be able to do?
College and Career
Readiness Anchor
Standards for
Reading
Key Ideas and Details
1. 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.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and
analyze their development; summarize the key
supporting details and ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and
ideas develop and interact over the course of a
text.
Craft and Structure
4. 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.
5. Analyze the structure of texts, including
sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the
text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza)
relate to each other and the whole.
6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the
content and style of a text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in
diverse formats and media, including visually and
quantitatively, as well as in words.
8. 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.
9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar
themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to
compare the approaches the authors take.
The same ten CCR anchor standards for
Reading apply to both literary and informational
texts, including texts in history/social studies,
science, and technical subjects.
College and Career
Readiness Anchor
Standards for
Writing
Text and Types and Purposes
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis
of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning
and relevant and sufficient evidence.
2. Write informatively/explanatory texts to examine
and convey complex ideas and information clearly
and accurately through the effective selection,
organization, and analysis of content.
3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined
experiences or events using effective technique,
well-chosen details and well-structured event
sequences.
Key Verbs
Analyze
Assess
Convey
Compare
Comprehend
Delineate
Determine
Draw Evidence
Evaluate
Examine
Integrate
Interpret
Make Inferences
Reflect
Summarize
Write (Compose)
So, as you can see,
the CCSS-ELA set a
high bar for all
students in terms of
their level of
academic literacy.
Juggling Contraints
Communicative
Contextual
Linguistic
Textual
Cognitive
Affective
Frederikson & Dominic, 1981
FACTS ABOUT ENGLISH
LEARNERS
• Fastest growing segment of the K-12 population
• Largest increases in grades 7-12
• Speak more than 350 languages
• 77% speak Spanish
•40% have origins in Mexico
• 30% of all ELS are in California!
• By 2020, 1 in 4 children enrolled in K-12
will be Latino
59% of ELS in California are Long Term
English Learners scoring at Below Basic
and Far Below Basic.
2011 NAEP — EL Performance
8th Grade
65% Below Basic
12th Grade
80% Below Basic
Application of Common Core Standards for English Language Learners:
The National Governors Association Center for Best
Practices and the Council of Chief State School
Officers strongly believe that all students should be
held to the same high expectations outlined in the
Common Core State Standards. This includes
students who are English language learners (ELLs).
However, these students may require additional time,
appropriate instructional support, and aligned
assessments as they acquire both English language
proficiency and content area knowledge.
Question! How can we help ALL of
our students to become confident and
complete readers and writers who can
meet the rigorous new Common Core
standards?
“Standards are not
curriculum; there are
multiple ways to teach to
these standards, and
therefore, there will be
multiple approaches that
could help students
accomplish the goals set out
in these standards.”
A focus on results rather than means
By emphasizing required achievements, the
Standards leave room for teachers, curriculum
developers, and states to determine how those
goals should be reached and what additional
topics should be addressed.
Teachers are
thus free to provide students with whatever
their professional judgment and
experience identify as most helpful for meeting
the goals set out in the Standards.
WHAT IS A COGNITIVE STRATEGY?
Cognition
=
Strategy
=
Cognitive Strategy =
the process of
knowing or
thinking
a tool or tactic one
uses to solve a
problem
a thinking tool
“Numerous reports from blue
ribbon panels implicate poor
understandings of cognitive
strategies as the primary reason
why adolescents struggle with
reading and writing.”
Conley, 2008
Tool Kit
Key Verbs
Analyze
Assess
Convey
Compare
Comprehend
Delineate
Determine
Draw Evidence
Evaluate
Examine
Integrate
Interpret
Make Inferences
Reflect
Summarize
Write (Compose)
Three Types of Knowledge

Declarative Knowledge

Procedural Knowledge

Conditional Knowledge
ESTRATEGIAS COGNITIVAS PARA EMPEZAR FRASES
Para planear y establecer metas
• Mi meta es…
• Mi prioridad mayor es…
• Cumpliré mi meta por…
Para formar interpretaciones
• Lo que esto me significa es…
• Creo que esto representa…
• La idea que se me ocurre es…
Para explotar mi saber y entender
• Ya sé que…
• Esto me recuerda de…
• Esto se relaciona con…
Para vigilar
• Me perdí aquí porque…
• Necesito releer la parte donde…
• Sé que estoy en la pista correcta
porque…
Para hacer preguntas
• Me pregunto ¿por qué…
• ¿Y si…
• ¿Por qué…
Para predecir
• Creo que…
• Pienso que…
• Si____, entonces….
Para aclarar
• Para comprender mejor, necesito
entender más sobre…
• Una cosa que todavía no es claro…
• Me parece que esto quiere decir___,
pero necesito…
Para imaginarse
• Me puedo imaginar…
• Me represento en la mente…
• Si esto fuera una película…
Para revisar el sentido
• Al principio pensé que____, pero
ahora yo…
• Mi último pensamiento de esto es…
• Me está formando otro imagen aquí
porque…
Para establecer relaciones
• Esto me recuerda de…
• Yo experimenté esto una vez
cuando…
• Puedo relacionarme con esto
porque…
Para analizar la astucia del autor
• Una línea dorada para mí es…
• Esta palabra/frase se destaca para
mí porque…
• Me gusta la manera que el autor
usa___para mostrar…
Para resumir
• La esencia fundamental es…
• La información clave es…
• En resumidas cuentas, esto
quiere decir…
Para reflejar y relacionarse
• Así, la idea principal es…
• Una conclusión que me ocurre es…
• Esto se pertenece a mi vida
porque…
Para adoptar un parentesco
• El personaje con quien más
me relaciono es…
• Me metí en el cuento cuando
• Puedo relacionarme con este
autor porque…
Para evaluar
• Me gusta/no me gusta___ porque…
• Mi opinión es___porque…
• El mensaje más importante es…
Planning and Goal
Setting
• My purpose is…
• My top priority is …
• I will accomplish my goal
by …
My goal:
To add to your teacher’s
tool kit and provide you
with language arts
strategies to teach ELs
text-based analytical
writing about theme in
literary nonfiction.
Why teach
theme?
College Board Survey of 2,351 High School and College
Teachers in the United States
Identifying and or summarizing the theme
or central argument of a text
Making Inferences and drawing
conclusions
Understanding organizational strategies
such Introduction, supporting examples,…
Understanding and paraphrasing points
made in a text
Distinguishing fact from opinion
Identifying the purpose of a portion of text
Justifying a personal interpretation of a
text through specific references
2.6
2.65 2.7
2.75 2.8
Somewhat Important
Important
2.85 2.9
2.95
Very
Somewhat Important
Important
Very
A Look at Theme in the National Common Core State
Content Standards
Grade 4
Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem
from details in the texts.
Grade 7
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and
analyze it development over the course of the
text objective.
Grade 5
Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem
from details in the texts, including how
characters in a story or drama respond to
challenges or how the speaker in a poem
reflects upon a topic
Grade 8
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and
analyze its development over the course of a
text, including its relationship to characters,
setting and plot.
Grade 6
Determine a theme or central idea of a text
and how it is conveyed through particular
details.
Grades 9-10
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and
analyze in detail its development over the
course of a text, including how it emerges and is
shared by specific details.
Grades 11-12
Determine two or ore themes or central ideas of
a text and analyze their development over the
course of a text, including how they interact and
build upon one another to produce a complex
account.


“Sometimes, the Earth is Cruel”
Leonard Pitts
“The Man in the Water”
Roger Rosenblatt
“Sometimes, the Earth is Cruel”
I think the theme is about
disasters.
 Good things happen and bad
things happen.
 The earth always kills people.
 The rain will not stop.
 Earth is mean to Haiti.

“The Man in the Water”
The man cared for passengers,
nature did not.
 A man rather save other
people’s lives than his life.
 The most important theme is
when the helicopter comes.
 The theme of the story is
survival.

Please read paper 705539 Pre-Test.
What would you do to help this student
improve?
Analysis of Students’ Pre-Tests








Confusion of theme with character, plot, or topic
Pure summary of article with no theme statement or
commentary
Writer-based prose
“Well I’m going to tell you about…”
Informal diction
wanna, b4, cuz
Misuse of academic expressions (collocations)
“Jump into conclution” instead of “Jump to a
conclusion”
Hedges — kinda, sorta, maybe, probably
Lack of sentence variety
Errors in spelling, grammar sentence boundaries
So, how can we scaffold
instruction to improve ELs’
text-based analytical writing?
Tapping Prior Knowledge
• I already know that…
• This reminds me of...
• This relates to...
Japanese Earthquake
Visualizing
• I can picture...
• In my mind I see...
• If this were a movie...
“Hideaki Akaiwa:
Japan’s Scuba
Hero”
Mark Magnier
March 17, 2011
Making Predictions
• I’ll bet that...
• I think...
• If
, then...
Asking Questions
• I wonder why...
• What if...
• How come...
Revising Meaning
• At first I thought
but now I…..
,
• My latest thought about this
is...
• I’m getting a different picture
here because...
Analyzing the Author’s
Craft
• A golden line for me is...
• This word/phrase stands out
for me because...
• I like how the author uses
_ to show...
Summarizing
• The basic gist is…
• The key information is…
• In a nutshell, this says that..
Adopting an Alignment
• The character I most identify
with is...
• I really got into the story
when...
• I can relate to this author
because...
Clarifying
• To understand better, I need
to know more about…
•Something that is still not
clear is…
•I’m guessing that this means
____, but I need to...
Monitoring
• I got lost here because…
• I need to reread the part
where…
• I know I’m on the right track
because...
Forming Interpretations
• What this means to me is...
• I think this represents...
• The idea I’m getting is...
Reflecting and Relating
• So, the big idea is...
• A conclusion I’m drawing
is...
• This is relevant to my life
because...
Making Connections
• This reminds me of...
• I experienced this once
when...
• I can relate to this because...
Evaluating
• I like/don’t like
because...
• My opinion is
because…
• The most important message
is _____because…
Analysis of Students’ Pre-Tests








Confusion of theme with character, plot, or topic
Pure summary of article with no theme statement
or commentary
Writer-based prose
“Well I’m going to tell you about…”
Informal diction
wanna, b4, cuz
Misuse of academic expressions (collocations)
“Jump into conclution” instead of “Jump to a
conclusion”
Hedges – kinda, sorta, maybe, probably
Lack of sentence variety
Errors in spelling, grammar, sentence boundaries
WHAT IS A THEME?


The theme of a literary work is the writer’s message or main
idea. The theme is what the writer wants you to remember
most. Most stories, novels, and plays, and sometimes poems
have more than just one theme. Some themes are easier to
spot than others. A character might say something about life
that is clearly important. For example, in E.B. White’s
Charlotte’s Web, Wilbur says at the end, “Friendship is one
of the most satisfying things in the world.” That’s a
statement of one of the book’s themes. The author leaves
clues, but it is up to you to put them together and decide what
the important message or lesson is.
The article you read for your pre-test was nonfiction.
Although some nonfiction texts are written solely to present
facts and information, others are also intended to present the
writer’s message and influence readers’ ideas about people,
places, or events. Therefore, nonfiction texts can also contain
themes.
HOW IS A TOPIC DIFFERENT
THAN A THEME?

A story’s theme is different from its topic
or subject. The topic is simply what it’s
about. The theme is the authors point
about a topic. It is the “So what?” To
identify a theme, sometimes it helps to
generate a list of topics or big ideas in a
story. Common topics for themes that
you’ll find in stories are usually abstract
nouns that deal with human
relationships, such as bravery, friendship,
injustice, revenge, etc.
What is a Theme Statement?
A theme is more than one word like “love” or “prejudice.”
Therefore, a theme statement must be a complete sentence
that states the author’s message about life or about human
relationships. A good theme statement applies to people in
general, not just to the specific characters in the text. Here
are some examples of theme statements.






It is important to stand up for your beliefs.
Prejudice is a destructive force in our society.
If you interfere with fate, you will be sorry.
Growing up means taking responsibility for yourself.
When you open your heart to others, you’re open to hurt
as well as love.
It is important to accept people for what they are on the
inside and not judge them based on how they appear on
the outside.
THE
LAND
BEFORE
TIME
TOPICS THAT LEAD TO
THEMES
Action
Belief
Bravery
Brotherhood
Courage
Death
Despair
Destruction
Determination
Endurance
Faith
Generosity
Hardship
Heart
Human nature
Heroism
Hope
Honor
Loss
Nobility
Persistence
Perseverance
Power
Risk Taking
Resilience
Sacrifice
Selflessness
Spirit
Survival
Faith: Faith can give you strength to persevere.
Persistence: Never give up. There is always a chance you will
achieve your goals if you keeping trying.
Belief: Sometimes you have to believe in something even if
you can’t see it.
Hope/Endurance: If you have hope, you can endure great
hardship.
Heart: “Some things you see with your eyes; other you see with
your heart.”
Bravery: When bad things happen, we have to think positive
and
have the courage to keep going.
PROMPT
“Hideaki Akaiwa: Japan’s Scuba Hero”
Writing Situation
After a massive tsumani struck Japan in 2011, flooding towns and leaving whole neighborhoods
submerged in seawater, Mark Magnier, a journalist for the LA Times, wrote an article about a
man who donned scuba gear, plunged into the raging water, and risked his life in order to save his
wife and mother from the disaster.
Writing Directions
After reading “Hideaki Akaiwa: Japan’s Scuba Hero,” select one important theme to write an essay
about. Create a theme statement which expresses the author’s main point, lesson, or message in
the article. Your theme statement will be the thesis of your essay—the claim you make about the
writer’s message or main idea.
As you develop your essay, pay special attention to:

Magnier’s description of Akaiwa’s actions after the tsunami hit

The language Magnier uses to describe the tsunami and the relationship between Akaiwa and the
tsunami (including similes, metaphors, symbols, personification, or other figurative language)

Magnier’s response to the fact that Akaiwa risked his life while others waited for help to arrive
When a journalist’s purpose is strictly to inform, he or she will present the facts objectively
without trying to influence the reader. However, Magnier does more than this. Discuss Magnier’s
purpose in writing “Hideaki Akaiwa: Japan’s Scuba Hero.” What message does he want his
readers to take away from reading his article and why is it especially significant?


Read the prompt
Highlight
Do

What
Make a T chart
Do
What
PROMPT
“Hideaki Akaiwa: Japan’s Scuba Hero”
Writing Situation
After a massive tsumani struck Japan in 2011, flooding towns and leaving whole neighborhoods
submerged in seawater, Mark Magnier, a journalist for the LA Times, wrote an article about a
man who donned scuba gear, plunged into the raging water, and risked his life in order to save his
wife and mother from the disaster.
Writing Directions
After reading “Hideaki Akaiwa: Japan’s Scuba Hero,”
to write
about.
a
which
in
the article. Your theme statement will be the thesis of your essay—the claim you make about the
writer’s message or main idea.
As you develop your essay,
to:
 Magnier’s
of Akaiwa’s actions after the tsunami hit
 The
Magnier uses to describe the tsunami and the relationship between Akaiwa and the
tsunami (including similes, metaphors, symbols, personification, or other figurative language)
 Magnier’s
to the fact that Akaiwa risked his life while others waited for help to arrive
When a journalist’s purpose is strictly to inform, he or she will present the facts objectively
without trying to influence the reader. However, Magnier does more than this. Discuss Magnier’s
purpose in writing “Hideaki Akaiwa: Japan’s Scuba Hero.” What message does he want his
readers to take away from reading his article and why is it especially significant?
Do
Select
Write
Express
Pay
(Discuss)
(Discuss/Analyze)
(Discuss)
Discuss
Explain
Explain
What
one important theme
an essay
the author’s main point, message, or lesson
attention to
author’s description of actions after the tsunami
The language the author uses to describe the
tsunami and the relationship between Akaiwa
and the tsunami
author’s response to
• the fact that Akaiwa risked his life while
others waited
the author’s purpose in writing the article
the message
why it is especially significant
Writing Directions
After reading “Hideaki Akaiwa:
Japan’s Scuba Hero,” select one
important theme to write an essay
about. Create a theme statement
which expresses the author’s main
point, lesson, or message in the
article. Your theme statement will be
the thesis of your essay—the claim
you make about the writer’s message
or main idea.
TOPICS THAT LEAD TO
THEMES
Action
Belief
Bravery
Brotherhood
Courage
Death
Despair
Destruction
Determination
Endurance
Faith
Generosity
Hardship
Heart
Human nature
Heroism
Hope
Honor
Loss
Nobility
Persistence
Perseverance
Power
Risk Taking
Resilience
Sacrifice
Selflessness
Spirit
Survival
SAMPLE THEME STATEMENTS FOR
“HIDEAKI AKAIWA: JAPAN’S SCUBA
HERO”
Action: “In the face of seeming helplessness,” some people
will rise to the occasion, take action and make a
difference.
Loss: Loss can bring people together.
Heroism: A true hero is someone who will risk his life in
order to ensure that others are safe.
Determination/Perseverance: Through perseverance and
through sheer determination, ordinary people can
accomplish extraordinary feats of courage.
Hope: The act of one man can give hope to a nation.
Persistence: Never give up. There is always a chance that
you will achieve your goals if you keep trying.
Disaster/Heroism: When disaster strikes, the most heroic
among us will risk everything to save others.
Students can then read two
sample papers:
 84132
 46896
84132
49896
• Mostly summary
• Doesn’t have a thesis in the
introduction
• Doesn’t respond to all parts of
the prompt
• Has many errors in writing
conventions
• (Note: Students may say that the
writer has a theme statement at
the end. When color-coding, show
how the writer could turn this into
a theme statement and make it
the thesis in his/her introduction)
• Opening hook
• Essay structure: introduction,
main body, conclusion
• Responds to all parts of the
prompt
• Clear thesis/theme statement
• Use of quotes
• Balance of commentary,
summary, and supporting
detail
• Use of transition words
• Sentence variety
• Descriptive language
• Solid conclusion which
restates theme and considers
why it is significant
Summary
Supporting
Detail
Commentary
Yellow
Green
Blue
What is obvious
Just the facts
Examples
Evidence
Quotes
Deeper thinking
Interpretations
Conclusions
The So What?
Insights
Ahas
Opinions
Writing Directions
After reading “Hideaki Akaiwa:
Japan’s Scuba Hero,” select one
important theme to write an essay
about. Create a theme statement
which expresses the author’s main
point, lesson, or message in the
article. Your theme statement will be
the thesis of your essay—the claim
you make about the writer’s message
or main idea.
Sample Hooks from “Hideaki Akaiwa”
Introduction to Essay on “Hideaki Akaiwa:
Japan’s Scuba Hero”
“As the death toll keeps rising, most of what we
hear from Japan is bad news. But within all the
sadness are these few stories of triumph and
downright determination.” One such story
TAG
recounted in the article, “Hideaki Akaiwa:
Japan’s Scuba Hero,” by LA Times journalist,
Summary Mark Magnier, describes how one man risked his
Statement/ life to save family members from the devastating
Conflict tsunami in Ishinomaki, Japan. Donning scuba
gear, Akaiwa plunged into a violent torrent and
dodged floating cars and battered houses in order
to locate his missing wife and bring her to safety.
Theme
Statement/ When disaster strikes, it often motivates ordinary
people to perform extraordinary acts of courage.
Thesis
Hook
Summary
Supporting
Detail
Commentary
Yellow
Green
Blue
What is obvious
Just the facts
Examples
Evidence
Quotes
Deeper thinking
Interpretations
Conclusions
The So What?
Insights
Ahas
Opinions
Introduction to Essay on “Hideaki
Akaiwa: Japan’s Scuba Hero”
Hook
“As the death toll keeps rising, most of what we
hear from Japan is bad news. But within all the
sadness are these few stories of triumph and
TAG
downright determination.” One such story
recounted in the article, “Hideaki Akaiwa:
Summary
Japan’s Scuba Hero,” by LA Times journalist,
Statement/ Mark Magnier, describes how one man risked his
Conflict life to save family members from the devastating
tsunami in Ishinomaki, Japan. Donning scuba
gear, Akaiwa plunged into a violent torrent and
Theme
dodged floating cars and battered houses in order
Statement/ to locate his missing wife and bring her to safety.
When disaster strikes, it often motivates ordinary
Thesis
people to perform extraordinary acts of courage.
As you develop your essay, pay special
attention to:
 The
language Magnier uses to describe
the tsunami and the relationship between
Akaiwa and the tsunami (including similes,
metaphors, symbols, personification, or
other figurative language)
 Magnier’s response to the fact that Akaiwa
risked his life while others waited for help
to arrive.
When Akaiwa heard the news that a devastating
tsunami hit the town of Ishinomaki, he was at work.
Knowing that his wife was in danger, he raced back home,
only to find his neighborhood underwater. First, he got
hold of some scuba gear. Then, “plunging into the water,
dodging cars, houses and other debris, any of which could
have killed him instantly, he battled the murderous
waters.” Finally, he found his panic-stricken wife just in
time, sharing his respirator with her to swim out of the
flooded house to safety. Magnier calls Akaiwa a “virtual
live action hero.” He is suggesting that this ordinary man’s
actions were extraordinary and make him larger than life.
Magnier’s reference to Akaiwa’s “Rambo-style” army pants
also reinforces the idea that Akaiwa is a heroic warrior.
As you develop your essay, pay special attention
to:
 Magnier’s description of Akaiwa’s actions after
the tsunami hit
 Magnier’s
response to the fact that Akaiwa
risked his life while others waited for help to
arrive
Personification - A figure of speech in which
ideas or things are represented as a person or
creature and attributed with personality and
human characteristics.
Examples:
• The wind howled with rage.
• The avalanche devoured everything in its
path.
• The first rays of morning tip-toed through
the meadow.
Simile – A comparison of two things using like
or as
Examples:
• My love is like a red, red rose.
• The cauldron of the volcano was as hot as a
blast furnace.
• The earthquake made a noise like a
rumbling truck on the highway.
Metaphor – An indirect or implied comparison
between two distinct objects that does not use
the words like or as.
Examples:
• The tornado was a funnel of destruction.
• The road snakes around and up the
mountain.
• When the husband died, she was hit by a
tsunami of emotions.
The language Magnier uses to depict the tsunami
also creates a picture of Akaiwa as a heroic warrior. For
example, Magnier states, “The ruthless wave was
picking up cars like they were toys and destroying
buildings like they were made of paper.” This use of
personification suggests that the tsunami is a cruel and
heartless enemy and the similes show us how mighty the
enemy was. In addition, when Magnier describes two
thousand pound cars hanging from trees in “seemingly
impossible embraces” he not only illustrates the power of
the tsunami but he personifies the cars, turning them
into victims of the disaster as well. Magnier even
describes a three-inch fish as the “tiniest victim,”
making us feel sorry for all those who felt the tsunami’s
fury.
As you develop your essay, pay special attention
to:
 Magnier’s description of Akaiwa’s actions after
the tsunami hit
 The language Magnier uses to describe the
tsunami and the relationship between Akaiwa
and the tsunami (including similes, metaphors,
symbols, personification, or other figurative
language)
When a journalist’s purpose is strictly to
inform, he or she will present the facts
objectively, without trying to influence the
reader. However, Magnier does more than
this. Discuss Magnier’s purpose in writing
“Hideaki Akaiwa: Japan’s Scuba Hero.”
What message does he want his readers to
takeaway from reading his article and why
is it especially significant?
Purposes of Journalism











To inform
To instruct
To persuade
To celebrate
To honor
To condemm
To expose
To pay tribute
To call to action
To comment
To share newsworthy events
In writing our conclusion, we want to
choose a closing statement that will tie
back to what we said in our introduction,
so we’ll repeat the idea of ordinary
people taking heroic action but use
slightly different words.
I bet you think this is
ENOUGH
SCAFFOLDING!
Academic Expression
Meaning or Use
as a result (of)
used to show cause and effect
attribute
to believe or say that someone or something
has a particular quality
equipment
the tools, machines, or clothes that you need
to do a particular job or activity
for example
used to signal an example or evidence
however
used to introduce some form of contrast; often
indicates that no matter what happens, a
situation remains the same
illustrate
to make the meaning of something clearer or
to be an example that something is true or
that a fact exists
in addition
used to provide a further example or
additional idea
indicate
to show that a particular situation exists or
that is something is likely to be true
instead
used to say what is done, when you have just
said what is not done (often used as a
transition between sentences)
Word Bank:
as a result
attributes
equipment
for example
however
illustrates
in addition
indicates
instead
In “Hideaki Akaiwa: Japan’s Scuba Hero” by Mark Magnier, a man
named Hideaki Akaiwa demonstrates unusual bravery. He did not watch
others die after a tsunami hit his hometown. ____________, he bravely
donned scuba _____________ and plunged into the water that submerged his
neighborhood. ______________, he was able to save his wife and mother.
_____________, he was able to save others in his town. Magnier
_____________ Akaiwa’s ability to save others to Akaiwa’s bravery.
_____________, Akaiwa never boasted of being brave, at least not in the
article. Magnier explains that Akaiwa could have lost his life trying to save
others. In his view, it was Akaiwa’s determination to overcome adversity
that led to his bravery. ____________ because he was so determined to find
his wife, he did not give up the effort, even when encountering freezing
water and dangerous debris. The article about Japan’s tsunami
___________ that in the face of disaster and suffering, acts of bravery occur.
Akaiwa’s extraordinary heroic actions _______________ his courage. They
inspire others to face danger courageously.
AN INFORMAL PASSAGE TO IMPROVE
The story describes something that took place on March 17,
2011. On that day, a big tsunami hit Ishinomaki, Japan. A guy
name Hideaki Akaiwa lived in that town at that time. His wife was
at home and she could not get outta their house cuz the tsunami
covered the whole town with a lotta water. Akaiwa realized he had
to rescue his wife. He looked for his scuba things and jumped in
the water. He swam in the freezing water that kind of was over
his entire neighborhood. Wen he got in the water, he coulda died
for a lot of reasons. Like the cars and other dangerous stuff in the
water could have killed him. He found his wife and she was ok,
accept she needed air. So, he shared his respirator with her. Then
he went back into the water to look for his mother. He was gonna
try to save her too. After he saved her, he kept returning to the
freezing water to rescue others and tried to save there lives. In the
end, he was a hero. He was real brave.
After completing a
Do/What Chart on their
pre-test prompt, students
receive Guidelines for
Revising Your Pre-Test
Essay
Average effect
size 0.34
Please read the post-test for
the EL student #705539
What improvements do you notice?
COMPARISON OF CAHSEE PASS RATES FOR
2002-2004 FOR THE UCI WRITING PROJECT’S
PATHWAY PROJECT
2002
2003
2004
Overall State Pass Rate
54%
78%
75%
Overall State Hispanic Pass Rate
46%
66%
62%
Overall State ELL Pass Rate
28%
42%
39%
Overall Santa Ana Unified School
District Pass Rate
40%
N=2009
53%
N=5039
62%
N=3343
Santa Ana Unified School District
Control
Pass Rate
Santa Students’
Ana Unified
School
54%
N=174
74%
75%
N=119
91%
66%
184
93%
N= 147
N= 181
N= 179
District Pathway Students’ Pass
Rate
Year 1 and 2 ALA effect size:
significant impact in Year 1/2
Effet Si ze (AL A)
0.8
0.67
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.35
0.3
Effet Si ze (AL A)
0.2
0.1
0
Year 1
Yearc2
2007-08
2008-09
Year 1 and 2 CST effect size
.0
7*
.0
9*
.0
9*
.10
*
2011-2012 CPEC ALA Test Results Finding: Significant
Improvement
fromfrom
Pre to Post
Improvement
Sample
Pretest to Posttest
Variable
N
Mean
Std. Err.
Std. Dev.
Posttest
Pretest
577
577
6.17
4.53
0.09
0.08
2.10
1.81
0.09
2.16
Paired t-test
Difference
577
1.64***
Note. This difference of means test produced a t-statistic of 18.27***
*
p < 0.05. ** p < 0.01. *** p < 0.001.
· All 34 teachers were included
· 70% of the original sample was scored
· 12 point scale
· Min for improvement = -6
· Max for improvement =+7
What Pathway Means to Me
By Irene Ramirez
What Pathway means to me
Is hard to say succinctly
Construct the gist as I speak
I’ll give some hints as to what I think
My reading isn’t what it was
I ask more questions and make predictions
I try to visualize what I read
I make connections, I do concede
Imagery, symbolism
I know what they are
Before this year
They were really hard
When I write, I know what to do
I plan ahead, and so should you
I form a thesis, I think of a hook
I form opinions on what’s in the book
Concrete details are important too
They help support
What you think
And they prove!
Image Grammar is also cool
I write a sentence with participles
I paint a picture
With my pen in my hand
The final result is oh so grand
In literature circles
We sit ‘round in a ring
Discussing our books
It’s fun and interesting
So Pathway had taught me to read and to write
I knew how before
But now I am tight
I’ll leave you tonight
With one thought before I go
Pathway helps students
Off to college I go!
What have you learned this afternoon that you
can use in your classroom?