1. Text-Dependent Questions
Core Action PD
Text-Dependent Questions

2. Text-Dependent Questions
What are they?

3. Text-Dependent Questions
Originate from the text itself and have explicit answers rooted in the text
Require students to read carefully and produce evidence in their responses
Embrace key principles of close reading
Do not rely on background knowledge
Focus on a word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, or larger section of the text
Target academic vocabulary

4. Progression of Text-Dependent Questions
Take a look at page 73 of the article by Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey
Looking from the bottom up on the diagram, we see that the progression of questions moves from parts of the text up to the whole text and focuses on words in the text to ideas across texts.
The more common questions we see are general understandings at the part level, but as we move up to the tip of the pyramid, we see that questions become more complex and encompass more of the text or multiple texts.
Fisher and Frey state that it is not imperative that the flow of questions move from bottom to top but that all types of questions are important in reaching deeper thinking and comprehension of the text. However, it is helpful to create a coherent sequence of TDQs.

5. Progression of Text-Dependent Questions
It is also important to note that not every single type of questions must be represented either.
You must think about the reader, task, and standards when creating questions to accompany a complex text as well as the number of questions you ask.
Also, looking from the bottom up, you can see how the CCSS align with the progression of text dependent questions
See handout “Figure 5.2” for examples of close reading questions aligned to the CCSS.
See handout with numbers 1-6 down the side for another way to look at TDQ progression.

6. To Be or Not to Be a Text-Dependent Question
Let’s see if you can pick out text-dependent questions.
Questions 1-6 have 2 answer choices
Questions 7-10 have 4 (will have to choose specific question type if it is a TDQ)
On your device go to

7. Creating Text Dependent Questions
See handout “Guide to Creating Text-Dependent Questions”
Close read the text (may annotate with first read) and pull out 5 key points that will help you create text-dependent questions.
Share with your table/group.
Choose one team member who will share what your table/group discussed.

8. Let’s Practice Look at the page with the 4 cartoons.
Choose on cartoon and create one TDQ and one Non-TDQ.
Share your cartoon and questions with your group.
Choose one team member who will share one of the cartoons and questions that your table/group discussed.

9. Homework
Continue to evaluate your questions and provide opportunities for your students to answer text-dependent questions regularly
Visit other classrooms to observe the use of text-dependent questions - See schedule