Text Dependent Questions (adapted from achievethecore.org)

THIS SESSION IS ALL ABOUT YOU… Helping students build a critical foundation of knowledge for understanding complex text.

TODAY I expect to learn how to One question I have is

 Understand what Text Dependent Questions are and are not  Types of Text Dependent Questions  Creating Text dependent Questions  Text Dependent essay released item student samples with annotation  Is the TDA you brought aligned with what a TDA should look like to support student thinking, reading, writing WHAT I EXPECT TO ACCOMPLISH

WHY ADJUST THE WAY WE QUESTION?  Asking students to make connections to themselves, other texts, and the world is a common style of questioning that guides students away from the text. This type of questioning does not often lead to a deep understanding of the text. Students do not learn the thinking skills needed for proficiency.  We often ask students simple questions that require very literal thinking to ensure they have read the text. Students expend too much time and energy answering these questions rather than slowing down to consider the meaningful text-specific questions that will bring them to a deeper understanding.

THREE TYPES OF TEXT- DEPENDENT QUESTIONS  When writing or reviewing a set of questions, consider the following three categories: Questions that 1.Assess themes and central ideas 2.Assess knowledge of vocabulary 3.Assess syntax and structure

1.Identify the core understandings and key ideas of the text. 2.Start small to build confidence. 3.Target vocabulary and text structure. 4.Tackle tough sections head-on. STEPS TO CREATING TEXT- DEPENDENT QUESTIONS 7. Create coherent sequences of text-dependent questions. 8. Identify the standards that are being addressed. 9. Create the culminating assessment.

NON-EXAMPLES AND EXAMPLES Not Text-DependentText-Dependent In “Casey at the Bat,” Casey strikes out. Describe a time when you failed at something. What makes Casey’s experiences at bat humorous? In “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” Dr. King discusses nonviolent protest. Discuss, in writing, a time when you wanted to fight against something that you felt was unfair. What can you infer from King’s letter about the letter that he received?

NON-EXAMPLES AND EXAMPLES Non Text-DependentText-Dependent In “The Gettysburg Address” Lincoln says the nation is dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Why is equality an important value to promote? “The Gettysburg Address” mentions the year According to Lincoln’s speech, why is this year significant to the events described in the speech?

 From “Hot and Cold Summer” – 5 th grade fictional text To avoid someone means to keep away from them so that you don’t have to see them and they don’t have to see you. How did the boys avoid meeting Bolivia at first?” (pg 23) Re-read the last two paragraphs on page 39. Rory had a “strong suspicion”. What is a suspicion? What details in the story made Rory suspicious? VOCABULARY AND TEXT DEPENDENT QUESTIONS

SYNTAX AND TEXT DEPENDENT QUESTIONS  Syntax can predict student performance as much as vocabulary does.  Questions and tasks addressing syntax are powerful. Who are the members of the wolf pack? How many wolves are in the pack? To answer this, pay close attention to the use of commas and semi-colons in the last paragraph on pg The semi-colons separate or list each member in the pack.

STRUCTURE AND TEXT- DEPENDENT QUESTIONS Text-Dependent questions can be crafted to point students’ attention to features of text that enhance understanding (such as how section headers and captions lead to greater clarity or provide hints regarding what is most important in informational text, or how illustrations add to a narrative).

ELBOW PARTNERS

TO THIS POINT…  Understand what Text Dependent Questions are and are not  Types of Text Dependent Questions  Creating Text dependent Questions

NEXT Text Dependent Questions with annotation

GRADE LEVEL GROUPS  Discuss the TDA rubric for students to receive a “4”.  Look at the student released item discuss your first impressions and note them on the side of the document  Look at the annotation that goes along with the student writing and discuss your first impressions  Put the annotation and the student work together and document where the scorer found evidence to support their score  In your group discuss the implications for our students and our instruction.

WHOLE GROUP SHARE  Implications for students:  Implications for Instruction