Phenomenal Instruction: Text Analysis
What is Text Analysis? An instructional routine that incorporates the “Big 5” of literacy instruction: Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, Comprehension. In addition to those skills, it embeds Writing, as well.
It reinforces and enhances previously taught Reading and Writing skills. If done over the course of two to three weeks, scholars critical thinking skills will grow. The method is broken into three-parts: Before Reading, During Reading, and After Reading.
Before Reading
- Give Background Knowledge: If scholars don’t have a background knowledge of the text you’re about to analyze, give it to them. For example, the text is a Historical Fiction and about the American Revolution. Then I’d show them a quick video on the war.
- Phonological Awareness: Pre-teach the difficult words. Example…
- Un-com-for-ta-ble
- Phonics Focus: Give kids a spelling focus while reading the text. Scholars underline all the words with initial digraphs.
- Vocabulary: Intentionally define the Tier 2 or Tier 3 words that students may not know.
- Make Prediction: Have scholars make a prediction about what the text will be about with two to three events that may happen.
Duration: 10-15 Minutes
During Reading
A. Initial Reading: Ask for volunteers to read a paragraph.
B. Phonics Focus(2nd Reading): After a scholar reads a paragraph, have them look for the pattern/sound shared with them in the “Before Reading.”
* This is also another was to embed fluency–as this is a repeated reading.
C. Think-Aloud(3rd Reading): Ask a question about the given paragraph.
* Scholars will organically start asking these questions of themselves when they read text.
Duration: 30-35 Minutes
After-Reading
Evaluate(Opinion): With the techniques employed(repeated readings, monitor for comprehension, think-alouds), scholars should be able to form a well thought opinion with reasoning.
Synthesize: Scholars will write a personal narrative, expository or persuasive text.
Example Question: The text was about a fun day at recess. Write about a fun day you had at recess and explain why.
Duration: 45 Minutes
Conclusion: Teaching your scholars to analyze text will help them monitor for comprehension, critically think and begin to form mental images in their mind as they read unfamiliar text.
Feedback
- What questions do you have about “Text Analysis?”
- Is “Text Analysis” an effective routine?
Be Phenomenal, Mr. Short
The Phenomenal Student 
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