G.E. READS
Sacramento State University
Prepared by
Dr. Terry Underwood, Faculty Assessment Coordinator
R = Responsive
E = Empathetic
A = Analytical
D = Deliberative
S = Strategic
“In the absence of shared learning goals and clear expectations, a college degree more
frequently certifies completion of disconnected fragments than of a coherent plan for
student accomplishment.”
Greater Expectations (AAC&U, 2002, pg. x)
MISSION
G.E. READS as an assessment initiative that seeks to provide a coherent set of student
learning outcomes and rubrics to ensure that all Sacramento State undergraduates develop
the reading habits, versatility, strategies, and dispositions that are a hallmark of liberally
educated citizens in our democracy. G.E. READS recognizes that readers have a wide
variety of purposes for engaging in reading events and that reading behaviors vary greatly
depending on purpose. But G.E. READS assumes that all liberally educated readers share
a core set of skills, values, and understandings.
Such readers are persistent and intentional, analytic and creative, active and reflective.
They read among the lines carefully, between the lines thoughtfully, beyond the lines
critically. Such readers welcome the obligation to make sense of culturally and
intellectually significant texts despite difficulty, complexity, and ambiguity. Such readers
interpret the word and the world and lead rich inner and public lives. Our mission is to fill
the region, the state, the nation, and the world with such readers.
GOALS OF THE G.E. READS INITIATIVE



Engage interested faculty in ongoing professional development in reading
instruction and assessment;
Build a library of assessments, lesson strategies, and curricular materials for
faculty use;
Assess student learning in relation to G.E. READS student learning outcomes as a
basis for instructional experimentation and improvement
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Basic Comprehension Processes
This section refers to linguistic and cognitive operations that holistically produce an
understanding of a single text. From an information processing perspective,
‘understanding’ is defined as ‘identifying the important ideas in the text, examining and
specifying the relationship among those ideas, and connecting this construct with prior
knowledge and understandings.’ A theoretical model with considerable support in the
literature, the approach calls for dividing assessment concerns into a microprocessing
domain and a macroprocessing domain (e.g., Walter Kintsch). A main assumption of this
model is this: Processing activities like these described take place regardless of content
area, text type, genre, etc. In the absence of competence and efficiency with the basic
processes, students can be expected to struggle with complex academic texts.
Students will…
1. Construct meaning at the level of the sentence or line when reading
literary or informational texts during academic learning activities;
2. Integrate meanings across sentences within paragraphs and longer
chunks in a plausible and productive manner;
3. Interpret meanings at the level of the text (organize, summarize,
thematize);
4. Elaborate on textually grounded interpretations by integrating prior
knowledge, visualizing, responding, analyzing, synthesizing, or
evaluating;
5. Apply a range of metacognitive strategies to regulate reading behavior
according to purpose
Aesthetic Domain
This section refers to reading behaviors that are motivated by the wish to participate in
expressive and aesthetic reading events as catalysts for enhancing understanding of the
world, the word, and the self (e.g., Louise Rosenblatt). Although for academic purposes
the selection of texts we expect students to read—either self-selected or assigned—
consists of substantive texts with historical, cultural, political, or literary importance, the
reading behaviors outlined in the learning outcomes are relevant to reading for aesthetic
purposes in non-academic life. Competent and productive participation in significant
aesthetic experiences involving literature is driven by awareness, expectation, and
experience. Providing students structured experiences across the curriculum is expected
to result in increases in student learning both in terms of process and product in this
domain as measured by behaviors like the following.
Students will…
1. Empathize with characters depicted in narratives (fiction and nonfiction, poetry, prose, drama) by connecting personal experiences and
world knowledge with the themes and events of the text;
2. Gain insight into historical events and cultural formations by reflecting
on the content of a variety of literary texts;
3. Respond to sensory details related to the people, places, and events
depicted in literary texts and explain how these details inform an
overall interpretation of the text;
4. Analyze literary texts to identify and explain elements of the writer’s
craft;
5. Explain the influences of context on interpretations of texts (historical,
cultural, personal, social);
6. Identify and elaborate on favorite books, favorite authors, favorite
genres;
7. Compare and contrast elements of a variety of literary texts;
8. Negotiate meanings and interpretations of texts in social groups;
9. Locate, select, and read texts of personal and intellectual relevance to
future plans.
Informational Domain
This section refers to more work-person-like reading behaviors motivated by the wish to
take in unfamiliar concepts and constructs for purposes of summary, analysis, evaluation,
synthesis—ultimately, for purposes of learning new concepts or increasing stores of
information. Its theoretical base resides in the long literature on teaching reading in the
content areas (e.g. Richard Vacca) and assumes an instructional context that is content
driven. As learners construct, manage, and apply concepts within particular disciplines by
way of reading, they face opportunities to learn to construct better, more accurate, more
durable meanings—more efficiently.
Students will…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Activate and organize prior knowledge before entering a text;
Plan a strategy for reading particular texts consistent with purpose;
Monitor the intake of information for levels of comprehension;
Apply fix-up strategies to repair miscomprehension;
Use text structure to enable sense-making at micro and macro levels;
Implement strategies for vocabulary and conceptual development;
Choose and use a variety of comprehension strategies;
Evaluate the accuracy and completeness of information presented in
text;
9. Formulate questions before, during, and after reading to extend their
understandings;
10. Integrate information across several texts verbally and in writing;
RUBRICS
The following rubrics include guiding questions for each of the outcomes in the two
domains to direct examiners to particular kinds of evidence presented in student
performances. Such evidence can be found in written records or learning logs, essays or
other student writings, interviews of students, comments students make during or after
discussions, student utterances from think-alouds, reflective writings prompted or
unprompted, comments and responses in online discussions, and direct observations.
Basic Comprehension Processes
Guiding Question 1: How fully does the reader construct literal meaning at the level of
the sentence or line when reading literary or informational texts during academic learning
activities?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
Constructs full
Often loses the
Applies a more
Exhibits a stamina
literal meaning from literal thread of a
extensive tacit
and sophistication
simple, straightsentence or line
knowledge of
that permits highly
forward syntax and
made difficult
syntax as a tool to
accurate
common vocabulary because of syntax or decipher complex
construction of
but sometimes loses semantics but can
sentences or lines;
literal meaning at
the thread with even apply a tacit
usually recognizes
the level of the
moderately complex knowledge of
the degree to which sentence as
grammatical or
syntax, including
an approximate
appropriate to
vocabulary
use of context, to
meaning is plausible purpose
structures; little
attempt a repair;
attention allocated
may not be aware if
to repair
a repair fails and
may distort previous
or subsequent literal
meanings
Guiding Question 2: How well does the reader integrate literal meanings across lines or
sentences within paragraphs and/or other textual chunks to achieve a plausible local
understanding?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
May integrate
Attempts to
Attempts at
All of the developed
meanings well when integrate meanings
integration include a features along with
texts are simple and in complex texts at
wider array of
a persistent effort to
straight-forward and the local level by
strategies, including learn and refine
when the topic is
way of identifying
paraphrasing and
strategies as a result
familiar; sometimes potential distortions off-ramp behaviors; of experiences with
drops or distorts
and trying out a
usually persists and complexity, i.e., a
core meanings in the simple strategy;
returns to the chunk strong sense of
face of complexity, may not persist nor
when confidence in being a “work in
often without
return to the chunk
an overall
progress” as a
awareness
interpretation of the reader
passage is weak
Guiding Question 3: How well does the reader interpret meanings at the level of the
text (organize, summarize, thematize)?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
Produces one or
Searches for cues to
Plans a strategy to
All of the features
more gist
overall text structure
search for and
of developed with
statements when
when reading
collect cues to top- application of
texts are simple and complex material and level structure
strategies to
straight-forward
applies a simple
consistent with
reorganize or
and when the topic strategy to identify
purpose before
reformulate
is familiar; may
top-level structure;
entering the text;
material to suit
appear helpless in
may have difficulty
implements the
needs and purposes
the face of
producing/recognizing plan and selfcomplexity,
a complete diagram,
checks during
sometimes aware of outline, graphic, or
reading; represents
confusion but
summary to represent important ideas in a
unable to point to
important ideas
variety of ways and
any source
self-assesses
quality
Guiding Question 4: How effectively does the reader elaborate on textually grounded
interpretations by integrating prior knowledge, visualizing, responding, analyzing,
synthesizing, or evaluating?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
Elaborates in close- Attempts to
Approaches reading Continuously
to-text ways that
elaborate on
tasks with an
refines approaches
promote integration complex texts by
elaborative plan that to reading events
and summarizing
applying one or
includes a conscious based upon
when texts are
more simple
choice of
experiences (i.e.,
straight-forward and strategies; aware of strategy(ies); applies learns about
topics are familiar;
level of confidence
a wide variety of
elaboration from
may impose pk
in gap-filling
strategies to textual experience); strives
when confused or
material when
and extra-textual
for maximum
trying to fill gaps;
constructing gist;
elaboration ; can
efficiency relative to
may have little
may appear to labor separate textual
purpose
awareness of
to bring prior
meanings from
distancing strategies knowledge and
elaborations by way
experiences to
of a strategy (e.g., a
reading
dialectical journal)
Guiding Question 5: How well does the reader implement a range of metacognitive and
metalinguistic strategies to regulate the basic comprehension processes according to
purpose?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
May read with little Attempts to develop Employs a
All of the features
self-identified
plans for reading
systematic, effective of developed with a
purpose (adopts
that involve one or
collection of
focus on building a
purposes like “to
pass the text” or “to
do well in class”);
may monitor
information intake
but deploy few if
any fix-up
strategies; often has
no plan for reading;
often has trouble
untangling problems
of language with
problems of thought
more simple
strategies;
sometimes reads
with a selfidentified purpose
(e.g., “to pass the
test” and “to
understand more
about the topic”);
monitors intake of
information and
deploys fix-up
strategies
planning strategies
and makes
productive decisions
about how to
approach a reading
to fulfill selfidentified purposes;
follows through
with plans and
makes adjustments
as needed; is aware
of confidence level
in top-level
meanings and
elaborations
personalized system
for self-regulation
that includes adding
to stores of task
knowledge,
linguistic
knowledge, world
knowledge, and
knowledge of self
Aesthetic Domain
Guiding Question 1: How effectively does the reader empathize with characters
depicted in narratives (fiction and non-fiction, poetry, prose, drama) by connecting
personal experiences and knowledge of the world with the themes and events of the text?
[For example, while reading a journalistic narrative about President Obama’s early
childhood in a biracial family, a reader elaborates on her own childhood in a multiracial
family and explains how her personal experiences helped her evaluate Obama’s personal
foundation to lead the country toward greater tolerance. Or a reader elaborates on his own
experiences in a white family and explains how these experiences heightened his
admiration for President Obama’s great achievement of being elected to the highest office
in the land despite a complex and challenging early life.]
Initial
Personal
connections, if
made, are
associational,
tangentially related
to themes and
events of the text
Emerging
At least one
personal connection
is made that is
directly related to a
theme or an event of
the text; may not be
elaborated
Developed
Several personal
connections are
made and elaborated
and are strongly
related to themes
and events of the
text
Highly Developed
Developed
connections are
present with
discussion of how
these connections
shaped the reader’s
attitude toward one
or more characters
Guiding Question 2: How effectively does the reader gain insight into real world
historical events and cultural formations by reflecting on the content of a variety of
literary texts?
[For example, while reading a novel telling the story of two women in 19th century China,
the reader identifies the emergence of the Taliban in Afghanistan in the 1990s and
elaborates on how the effect of male privilege on the life chances of the characters in the
novel helped her understand more clearly the full extent of the Taliban’s oppression of
women in the 20th century.]
Initial
Historical events
and/or cultural
elements, if
identified, are
tangentially relevant
at best to the text
Emerging
Identifies a relevant
historical event or
cultural element and
comments briefly on
how the text
informed
understanding of the
event or element
Developed
Identifies one or
more relevant
historical events or
cultural elements
and elaborates on
how the text
informed
understanding of the
event or element
Highly Developed
Developed insights
are present with
discussion of how
these insights
shaped the reader’s
interpretation of the
text in context
Guiding Question 3: How effectively does the reader respond to sensory details related
to the people, places, and events depicted in literary texts and explain how these details
inform an overall interpretation of the text?
[For example, while reading a collection of short stories about people living together in a
small American town in the early 20th century, a reader notices that each story includes a
description of a window of some sort (a store window with a display, a stained glass
window in a church, the windshield of a car, etc.) and responds to these sensory details
by sketching them in a reading journal in ways that show how images behind the
windows are distorted; the reader elaborates in these details by commenting on a main
theme of the novel, i.e., deep isolation among people despite their having lived together
in the same town for many, many years]
Initial
May identify one or
more sensory details
in texts but not
provide a response
to them
Emerging
Identifies sensory
details in texts more
or less
idiosyncratically
and provides a
response to them
Developed
Identifies patterns of
sensory details in
texts and provides a
response to them
with some
comments about the
relationship between
the details and the
text’s larger
meaning
Highly Developed
Identifies patterns of
sensory details in
texts, provides a
response to them,
and elaborates on
how the details
influenced his/her
interpretation of the
text
Guiding Question 4: How well does the reader analyze literary texts to identify and
explain elements of the writer’s craft (i.e., what the writer has done to make the text work
as it works)?
[For example, while reading a novel about a young American male from the lower class
who pretends to be from a wealthier class and falls in love with a wealthy young
American woman, a reader notices that every time the male character interacts with the
female character, it is night time, and the moon appears, always to be blocked out by a
cloud. The reader interprets this imagery pattern as foreshadowing and predicts that when
the pair first meet in the light of day, something bad is going to happen. The reader
comments that the writer could have selected a different set of contrasting images (e.g.,
their meetings always take place in a secret place, the first public meeting could lead to
something bad), but the writer would have sacrificed the relationship between dark and
evil, light and good, that is common in American fiction—as well as the irony of an evil
event happening in the light of day.]
Initial
May identify simple
or obvious elements
of the writer’s craft
(e.g., word choice,
dialogue, exposition
of setting) but not
explain why the
writer might have
chosen to craft the
text as s/he did
Emerging
Identifies less
obvious elements
(e.g., pacing,
interior monologue)
and comment
briefly on how this
choice resulted in an
effect on the reader
Developed
Identifies hidden or
core elements (point
of view, clusters of
symbols,
foreshadowing) and
explains how these
elements impact the
unfolding of the text
Highly Developed
Developed analysis
with commentary on
how the text might
have worked if the
writer had made
different choices
(e.g., written in first
person rather than
limited third person)
Guiding Question 5: How effectively does the reader explain the influences of context
on interpretations of texts (historical, cultural, personal, social)?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
May assume that
Assumes that
Applies a wide
Pursues knowledge
textual meanings are textual meanings are variety of strategies of a variety of
determinate, i.e.,
indeterminate;
to get at alternate
theoretical
texts convey one
attempts to read
interpretations,
approaches to
uniform meaning
against the grain,
including off-ramp
understanding how
for all time, places,
i.e., tries to interpret strategies; locates
and why texts work
and people; has few, text from another
particular texts
in their contexts
if any, strategies for perspective; applies within a collection
(e.g., reader
reading against the
one or more simple of similar texts;
response theory,
grain, i.e.,
strategies
deconstruction,
discovering
hermeneutics)
alternate possible
interpretations
Guiding Question 6: How thoughtfully does the reader identify and elaborate on favorite
books, favorite authors, favorite genres?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
May have a short
Applies strategies to Seeks background
Takes a technical,
list of favorite books become a found
information about
critical interest in
and authors; may
reader, e.g., goalauthors, books, and books, authors, and
have limited
setting, active book genres; reads widely genres by analyzing
experiences with a
variety of genres;
may be a lost reader
searches, reading
journals, book clubs
in a variety of selfselected authors and
genres; connects
material from
reading
spontaneously in
conversations and
discussions
textual features,
writer’s craft, genre
theory
Guiding Question 7: How skillfully does the reader compare and contrast elements of a
variety of literary texts?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
May compare and
Begins to self-select Applies a larger
Applies knowledge
contrast elements
texts in an
body of information about elements of a
when assigned a
experimental way,
about texts to a
variety of literary
task involving the
e.g., selects a firstwider array of
texts gained through
same text type,
person narrative and experiments (e.g.,
experimentation to
often by applying a a third-person
reading dramatic
readings and texts in
formula to fulfill the narrative to see
monologues, plays, other domains (e.g.,
task requirements
about differences;
and short stories to
journalism,
(e.g, comparing the seeks information
see similarities and
television, film, etc.)
effects of two
about texts as the
differences)
different settings on basis for future
the plot); requires
experiments
prompting
Guiding Question 8: How well does the reader negotiate meanings and interpretations of
texts in social groups?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
Usually asserts that Approaches
Brings a variety of
Consciously locates
texts have one
discussions with
strategies to
self as a member of
meaning that is
interpretations and
discussions aimed at various reading
either right or
questions aimed at
making more
audiences for
wrong; often points discovering more
meaning,
particular texts and
to words in the text meaning; may apply uncovering alternate discusses these
rather than pk or
one or more simple interpretations (e.g., various readings in
experience to
strategies
notes from journals, groups (e.g., a
support an
thought
feminist audience, a
interpretation
experiments,
16th century
questions, plans to
audience, an
‘act it out’)
audience of English
teachers)
Guiding Question 9: How effectively does the reader locate, select, and read texts of
personal and intellectual relevance to future plans?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
Has a onedimensional view of
“future plans” and
may select and read
texts relevant to a
narrow view of the
future (e.g., ‘I’m
going to be an
engineer’)
Has a
multidimensionalview of “future
plans” and reads
accordingly (e.g.,
‘I’m going to be an
engineer,’ ‘I’m
going to live in a
diverse community,’
‘I’m going to strive
for social justice’)
Continuously seeks
texts and builds a
backlog of materials
while continuously
refining “future
plans’ (e.g., solicits
and records
information about
good reads relative
to possible plans)
Continuously looks
for materials
relevant to future
plans of peers and
colleagues; seeks to
promote the
aesthetic
productivity of other
community
members
Informational Domain
Guiding Question 1: How effectively does the reader use strategies to activate and
organize prior knowledge (pk) before entering a text?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
May activate pk but Activates pk with
Activates pk with
All characteristics
is unaware of what
some awareness of
full awareness of
of developed plus
happened; may not
how and why; selfseveral strategies for modifies strategies
self-assess and
assesses and
activating and
to fit particular
recognize the
recognizes when pk managing pk; selfreading events;
absence of sufficient is insufficient for
assesses and takes
reflects on
pk; taking the step
the demands of the
flexible steps to
innovations and
to organize pk is not text and applies a
build pk; outlines pk applies them to
done
strategy to build pk topics and makes
future reading
when prompted;
predictions and
events
may outline pk and
formulates questions
predict text content
re: text content
from pk
routinely, habitually
Guiding Question 2: How well can the reader plan a strategy for reading particular texts
consistent with purpose?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
May approach all
Usually clarifies
Clarifies the
All of the features
texts with the same
purpose of reading
purpose of the
of developed; high
plan with little, if
assignment;
reading assignment level of awareness
any, differentiated
considers what the
and develops an
leads to reflection
task knowledge;
outcome of the
individualized
on the effectiveness
may routinely
reading might be
purpose consistent
of the plan for
ignore textual
related to the
with unique
future use or
affordances and
assignment and
motivations and
modification;
constraints (e.g.,
skims to determine
goals; applies a
engages in
images, charts,
the nature of the
well-developed and discussions about
annotations or lack
task and content;
practiced set of
how to read
thereof); may plan
decides on a basic
prereading planning complex
with a vague
purpose or adopt the
strict purpose of a
reading assignment
with little scrutiny
strategy for
organizing the
intake of
information (e.g.,
mapping, notetaking)
behaviors (e.g.,
FLIP); uses findings
from skimming to
decide on one or
more strategies
appropriate for the
task and individual
circumstances;
implements a plan
flexibly
informational text
within the discipline
and/or genre
Guiding Question 3: How well does the reader monitor the intake of information for
levels of comprehension?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
May recognize
Recognizes
Recognizes
All of the features
incidents of non- or problems at
problems at
of developed;
misunderstanding at sentence, paragraph, sentence, paragraph, reflects on
sentence and/or
and text levels;
and text levels;
monitoring
paragraph level but
attempts to judge
judges importance
experiences and
fail to judge the
importance and
and allocates
continuously builds
importance of the
allocate resources
resources
a bank of modifiable
problem; may waste accordingly (e.g.,
accordingly;
and contextual
time solving
time, off-ramp
monitors elaborative strategies to
unimportant
strategies);
processes and
improve efficiency
problems or move
sometimes gives up distinguishes
and effectiveness
on in the face of
and moves on even
between problems
important problems; when faced with an in textual vs.
may not monitor
important problem
contextual non- or
text level
of comprehension
misunderstanding
comprehension
(i.e., monitors both
text-based and
schema-based
mental model
construction)
Guiding Question 4: How effectively does the reader apply fix-up strategies to repair
miscomprehension?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
Limited array of fix- Applies a basic set
Applies a wide array All of the features
up strategies often
of fix-up strategies
of fix-up strategies, of developed;
aimed at making
aimed at clarifying
some of which were analyzes fix-up
sense of one or
unknown
planned even before behaviors, evaluates
more unknown
vocabulary but also beginning to read
effectiveness related
words; usually
problems of syntax
(e.g., searching for
to context and
unaware when
miscomprehension
is the result of
insufficient
conceptual
development related
to demands of the
text
and text structure;
rereads to verify
source of
miscomprehension
(textual vs. readerbased); applies off
ramp strategies;
self-tests
periodically for
macro level
understandings
given-new links);
investigates and
incorporates textual
information from
sidebars, charts,
diagrams, pictures,
etc., as appropriate;
prereads, rereads,
revisits, revises with
cognitive dexterity
purpose, builds
knowledge of
strategies grounded
in experience
Guiding Question 5: How well does the reader use text structure to enable sense-making
at micro and macro levels?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
Uses obvious syntax Searches for
All of the features
All of the features
and text structures
linguistic and
of emerging; applies of developed;
to hold meaning
textual cues to
a formal knowledge reflects on
together when texts structure at both
of rhetorical
experiences with
are simple; little
micro and macro
structures and genre applying structure
application of
levels; summarizes
to reading in a
strategies and builds
organized
and organizes gist
flexible and
personal knowledge
knowledge of
statements as the
productive manner; to enable greater
structure strategies
reading unfolds;
incorporates extraefficiency and
in the face of
maps, outlines,
textual information
effectiveness
complexity
diagrams, or charts
into the
important ideas
macrostructure (e.g.,
charts, photos,
products of offramp strategies,
etc.)
Guiding Question 6: How effectively does the reader implement strategies for
vocabulary development?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
May identify
Identifies
Identifies
All of the features of
unfamiliar words unfamiliar words unfamiliar words developed; reflects on
with little
and judges their
and judges their
experiences with unfamiliar
differentiation of importance in
importance in
vocabulary and creates new,
importance to
relation to the
relation to the
personalized strategies for
understanding;
macrostructure
macrostructure
storage/retrieval/application;
may apply one or and topic; applies and topic; applies habitually searches for
two basic
a set of strategies, a set of strategies, connections among new
strategies to keep including off
including off
words and concepts and old
the reading
moving forward
(skip, dictionary,
ask for help);
usually does not
distinguish
between presence
or absence of
conceptual
understanding
ramp strategies
but in-text
strategies as well
(e.g., context,
word-part
analysis);
sometimes
distinguishes
between presence
and absence of
conceptual
understanding but
may not respond
appropriately
ramp strategies
but in-text
strategies as well
(e.g., context,
word-part
analysis); always
distinguishes
between presence
and absence of
conceptual
understanding
and responds
appropriately;
links new
concepts and
words to familiar
ones to enhance
long-term
memory
ones
Guiding Question 7: How well does the reader choose and use a variety of
comprehension strategies?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
Applies a limited
Plans for and
All of the features
All of the features
range of strategies
applies a wider
of emerging;
of developed;
with little planning
range of strategies
consciously
reflects on
aimed at
aimed at
searches for links
experiences with
constructing a literal constructing a
between current text comprehension
message at the
mental model of the and texts already
strategies and
sentence and/or
text complete with
processed (i.e.,
creates new,
paragraph level
slots filled with
intertextuality);
personalized
(e.g., looking for
inferences (e.g.,
applies elaborative
strategies; seeks
key words or
predict/confirm,
strategies (e.g.,
opportunities to
sentences,
question/answer,
visualizing, creating discuss approaches
paraphrasing and
clarify, outline,
alternative texts,
to comprehension of
summarizing); may diagram)
reading from
complex texts with
leave inferential
different
others
slots unfilled
perspectives)
Guiding Question 8: How well does the reader evaluate the accuracy and completeness
of information presented in text?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
May accept
Sometimes
Compares textual
All of the features
information in
compares textual
information with
of developed; builds
assigned readings
uncritically unless
prompted to
evaluate; may
exhibit frustration
even when
prompted
information with
prior knowledge and
raises a question
about accuracy; may
not persists in
verifying accuracy;
often assumes the
text is complete
prior knowledge in a
nuanced way (e.g.,
takes into account
sufficiency of prior
knowledge); keeps
mental or written
records if
mismatches and
applies off-ramp
strategies to verify;
assumes textual
incompleteness and
seeks to identify
absences in the text
a personalized list of
the ways in which
texts distort
information in terms
of accuracy or
completeness; seeks
opportunities to
discuss personalized
list with others
Guiding Question 9: How effectively does the reader formulate questions before,
during, and after reading to extend their understandings?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
May not formulate
When prompted
Actively generates
All of the elements
personal questions;
formulates questions questions before,
of developed; has
may adopt questions in addition to
during, and after
become a
presented in the text assigned questions
reading; often
connoisseur of
or as part of the
before reading; may generates questions questions, is highly
assignment as the
not often generate
with no obvious
interested not just in
dominant, important questions during
answer; often
particular questions
questions of the
reading as a
creates discussion
but in the
reading event
comprehension or
questions and is
questioning process,
fix-up strategy; may highly interested in
the nature of good
value assigned
the insights others
questions, the role
questions above
can provide in
of questions not just
personal questions
relation to the
in comprehension
after reading and
reading
but in knowledgefail to pursue
construction and
personal questions
learning
(if questions are
formulated)
Guiding Question 10: How well does the reader integrate information across several
texts verbally and in writing?
Initial
Emerging
Developed
Highly Developed
Integrates
Compares and
Compares and
All of the features
information
contrasts
contrasts
of developed; builds
mechanically and
information
information
a personalized set of
relies on list
structures; may not
point out similarities
and differences in
information
presented in several
texts and comments
on similarities and
differences; may not
carefully document
sources of
information; may
not judge the
relative accuracy or
completeness of the
information per
sources
presented in several
texts and comments
on similarities and
differences with
particular attention
to the sources of
information; judges
the accuracy and
completeness of
information; creates
a unique structure
for information
integrates
information in the
service of
developing a
personal perspective
on the topic
examples of the
most interesting
discrepancies
among texts on the
same topic