Using SIRS to support Argumentative Writing

Teachers have expressed a desire to help our students with PBPA and FSA skills.  Here is an idea formulated by Mr. Winer and myself using SIRS Knowledge Source, the most convenient source we have to find lexiled news articles.

Using SIRS Articles to support argumentative writing

Step 1: Click on SIRS tile located in the reference desk page of your portal (or simply click the link in this blog)

Step 2: Find a topic of interest (must be a Pro/Con issue)

Step 3: Choose either a “pro” or “con” article.

Step 4: You may email the article to yourself or save it as a PDF file for future use.

Step 5: Read Article

Step 6: Using RACE, answer the following questions:

1)      What is the claim (the main idea the author is trying to argue)?

2)      Is there a counterclaim (the opposing viewpoint) in the article?  If so, what is it? 

3)      How does the author strengthen their claim and weaken the counterclaim?

BEST LITERACY PRACTICES

Best Literacy Practices

By Matt Benoliel

50/50 Principle

Practice makes perfect.  Students need to spend more time reading and writing on their own.  If the teacher is doing all of the reading, the teacher is the only one whose reading aptitude is improving.  Give students more opportunities to read silently, and to read aloud to each other in small groups or in pairs.  On any given day, in any given class, the ratio of reading/writing to all other activities should be as close to 50/50 as possible.

What to Read

Texts must be engaging and appropriate to the student’s reading level.  Most of the independent or paired reading should be done on or slightly above the student’s lexile level.  Additionally, the teacher should model reading strategies for higher level texts and academic texts.

Tasks/Assignments

Should focus on student engagement. Allow for student choice, remembering that increased reading and writing time is the goal.  Teacher should be aware of the student’s interests and provide texts that will increase engagement whenever possible.

                                      

Instruction

Instruction in a Language Arts or Intensive Reading Class should include as much teacher modeling as possible.  Reading strategies, test-taking strategies, writing strategies can all be modeled using read aloud/think aloud strategies or, in the case of modeling writing, a smart board or document camera.  The primary goal is for the teacher to demonstrate the thought process that goes on during reading and writing activities. 

The students will benefit from hearing your thoughts as you read.  When you model writing by writing in front of the students, the students will see competent writing as an achievable goal. 

Tests/ Feedback

Feedback is more important than tests. Feedback is more important than tests. Feedback is more important than tests.

Appropriate feedback will include the learning goal, and what the student still needs to achieve the learning goal.  Make sure that each student has received appropriate feedback on work before the big test.