Making Integrated Reading and Writing Work for You :
Practical Activities for the Classroom
Dr. Leta Deithloff
The University of Texas
at Austin
THE FOUNDATION
Big
Picture
“Reading and writing should be viewed as a single act of literacy” Concerns
(Straw, 1990, p. 295).
Structuring the Classroom
 Th i n k n ex t s te p: w h a t do s t ude n t s n e e d to k n ow to s uc c e e d a t t h e n ex t l evel?
 Release some ideas of independent course foundations…they might not need all that
technical information
 They do need:
1.
2.
3.
Strategies for filling in gaps
Time with texts
Practice presenting supported opinions (various kinds)
 B ui l d s k ill, s e lf - ef fic ac y, a n d m ot i vat ion by c re a t i ng s uc c e ss o n s m all t a s k s
 Elbow’s (1997) high-stakes vs. low -stakes applied to reading/writing scenarios
 Move from familiar texts and writing assignments to the unfamiliar
 Allow students to process their progress (metacognition)
 Us e c ri t i c al a n a ly sis a n d “ re a din g w i t h t wo m i n ds” ( H j o r t shoj , 2 0 0 9 ) to eva lua te
a l l re a di n g a n d w ri t i n g s a m ples ( wh a t a ut h o r s s ay & h ow t h ey s ay i t )
 K n ow w h a t t h ey ’ re g o o d a t ( s t a t ing t h e i r o pi n ions/c omprehen ding re a di ngs t h ey
l i ke ) , m o de l w h e re t h ey n e e d h e l p ( s uppo r t i ng re a s oning/un familiar tex t s a n d
de e p a n a l ysis), a n d s c a f fo ld un t i l yo u bri dg e t h e g a p
Scaffolding
 Whole-class practice →group work →peer work →solo work
Practice
Evaluate
Discuss
 Move from comprehension (reading) and duplication (writing)
→ analysis/evaluation (reading) and original thought + support
(writing)
 Transfer knowledge to dif ferent genres and writing formats as
proficiency increases
 Incorporate interest whenever possible to gain student
involvement across varied reading and writing contexts
Basic Model
 Consider:
 Depth: Students’ current challenges (differs by semester)
 Goal: Where you need them to be for their next high-stakes
assignment
 And select:
 Text: should meet the needs of you just identified
 Response: class discussion or individual written response
 Focus: There are no poor reader s/writers, just those that aren’t
prepared; shaving analogy
 Determine the Task: reading and writing
 Necessary background knowledge
 Necessary strategies (determined by the task and discipline)
 Justification: Writing tasks lead to reading tasks and vice versa
depending on the disciplinar y demands (Shanahan & Shanahan,
2012)
The Readings
 Think beyond traditional reading/writing textbooks
 Authentic college-level tasks
 Only 50% of students are prepared for literacy requirements of a
typical first-year college course (ACT, 2006)
 Mimic and practice what they will need
 Multiple genres and formats
 Start with the familiar (low -stakes) and progress as you go
(high-stakes)
The Writings
 Comprehension and suppor ted opinion checks
 Journal entries (for metacognition & student perceptions of readiness)
 Focused Reading Reponses
 Shor t essay exam (analyzes, compares, and evaluates concepts across
readings)
 Creative Modeling Response (in the style of a cer tain genre or author)
 Critical or rhetorical analysis essays
 Per spective or thematic tracing essays
 Comparative viewpoint or genre essays
 Research repor ts
 Evidence-based arguments
 Multiple choice exam ( only if genre dictates)
An Example: The Image
Breughel’s Two Chained Monkeys, 1562
Paired Reading: A Poem
“Two Monkeys by Brueghel” by Wislawa Szymborska, 1957
(trans. from Polish by Magnus Kr yski)
I keep dreaming of my graduation exam:
in a window sit two chained monkeys,
beyond the window floats the sky,
and the sea splashes.
I am taking an exam on the history of mankind:
I stammer and flounder.
One monkey, eyes fixed upon me, listens ironically,
the other seems to be dozing -and when silence follows a question,
he prompts me
with a soft jingling of the chain.
Possible Paired Reading: An Analysis
 The Monkey’s Uncle:
A Surprising Read and Analysis of Brueghel’s “Two Monkeys”
Szymbor ska’s poem, “Brueghel’s Two Monkeys,” star ts in an odd way. The
reader is thrust straight into the scene of an exam, which at fir st seems all
too familiar. However, Szymbor ska surprises the reader when the voice
says what she dreams about as she takes the final exam, “two monkeys,
chained to the floor.” This is a ver y odd image and one that is not easily
identifiable to the reader initially. The poem contains two meanings, fir st
in the context of the 1956 worker s' riots and student demonstrations that
led to the crisis and compromi se of October where Poland was taken over
by Stalin. These events provide a context for the reading of the poem as a
reference to Stalinist oppressi on. Another meaning for the poem is that it
is an ecphar tstic poem, a poem about a painting. It stands to reason then
that the poem is about the relationship between language and reality. The
monkeys could convey signs of anxiety and strain in Szymbor ska’s ar t; in
that, they are a metaphor for whether or not a poets meaning is expressed
accurately. There seems to be multiple meanings ar ticulated and
supplemented to by the form and structure of the poem and this is the
ground for the fur ther study of, “Brueghel’s Two Monkeys .”
 ( 2 01 2 , 0 3 ) . A S u r p r i s i n g Re a d a n d A n a l y s i s o f B r u e g h e l ’s Tw o M o n key s .
S t u d y Mo d e .c o m . Ret r i ev e d 0 3 , 2 01 2 , f r o m h t t p :/ / w ww. s t ud y m od e . c o m/ e s s ay s / a S u r p r is i ng - Re a d - A n d - A n a l ys i s - Of - 9 4 4 6 0 5 . h t ml
Paired Writings
 Response (before reading poem): Notice your reaction. What
does the painting make you think of? How does it make you
feel?
 Response (after poem): What do you think and feel about the
painting after you read the poem?
--OR- Response (after poem): Agree or disagree with the poet’s
interpretation?
 Summary + Evaluation (2 Paragraph response)
 In-depth analysis of purpose, ef fectiveness and societal
impact
Guiding Questions for Any Reading
 What is the author’s purpose?
 Who is the intended audience?
 What strategies or techniques does he/she employ?
 Was the goal met? Why or why not?
 Evaluate: Opinion + evidence with supporting analysis
 How does the evidence justify the statement?
 Did the author answer “so what”?
 Analyze how well authors follow this technique
 How can you apply the technique to your writing?
Should you?
Metacognitive Questions for Writers
 What is your goal?
 Who will you reach?
 How can you effectively convince, persuade, influence
your reader to consider your viewpoint?
 How will the conventions of the task and the genre
influence your text construction?
 When you read texts similar to this task, to what parts of
the readings do you respond? What makes you want to
keep reading?
 How will you apply what you learn in this task to your
reading process?
THE COURSE
What does it
look like?
The Plan
 Focus on reading stages and the strategies/purpose for each
 Pre (anticipation guides, discussion, reflection)
 During (outlining, graphic organizers, annotation, questioning)
 Post (theme tracker, visual literacy, directed or student-led questions,
metaphor activities)
 Focus on the writing stages with strategies/purpose for each
 Pre (outline, zero draft, rough draft, graphic organizers, image
analysis)
 During (quote integration, revising with purpose, as needed skill building, research strategies)
 Post (self and peer evaluations, genre/task reflection, application to
other writing tasks)
Assessments
Current Coursework (Based on a 100 point-scale):
Assignment 1: Personal Narrative (15 total points)
* Prewrite Activity: 5 points
* Graphic Organizer: 5 points
* Final Draft: 5 points
Assignment 2: Comparative Theme Evaluation ( 25 total points)
* Topic Proposal: 5 points
* Tumblr Presentation: 10 points
* Zero Draft ( 0 p o i n t s , b u t m i s s i n g d r a f t = l et te r g r a d e d e d u c t i on o n
* Final Paper: 10 points
Assignment 3: Short Essay Reading Responses ( 10 points)
Assignment 4: Researched Critical Analysis ( 25 total points)
* Topic Proposal: 5 points
* Outline: 5 points
* Rough Draft: 5 points
* Final Paper: 10 points
Homework and in-class Activities (25 points)
final)
The Plan at Work: An Example
“On the Sidewalk, Bleeding” by Evan Hunter
Pre-Reading Activity:
 What do you know about gangs?
 Why do people join gangs?
 What do members have to do to join?
 What does it mean to be in a gang? How do you think the members
might feel?
 How do you know if someone is in a gang?
 How do others tend to feel about gangs and their members?
 How easy is it to leave a gang? What must someone do if they want
to leave?
 For those who choose to leave, what do you think makes a
difference in whether or not they are successful in their attempts?
“On the Sidewalk…” Activity continued
During Reading Activity:
 Notice any of the words that are printed dif ferently (all
capitals and italics). What do they mean?
 Notice the references to time and identify what is happening
each time it is mentioned. What do the references mean?
 Who are the main characters? Write down three words to
identify each person you “meet”.
 Star each main event or detail that you discover as you read.
Consider what might be the consequence(s) of that event.
Consider also why you think those events are happening.
Write a key word or phrase beside the star that summarizes
what has happened and why it’s important.
Prediction Activity for “On the Sidewalk…”
Direc tions : Answer the following questions af ter reading Par t 1 and predict
what you think will happen next .
1.
Based on what you have read so far, what do you think will happen
next? Sketch out the events that will occur.
2.
Specifically, what will the drunk , Laura, the couple, and Andy do? How
will their actions af fect the stor y?
3.
Now, suppor t your predictions by explaining the details and actions in
the text that suppor t your conclusi ons. What about the character s, their
actions, or their words make your prediction seem accurate? What
minor details does the author include that may help make your
predictions?
4.
Read the rest of the stor y. Were you correct?
 Note : The task is more about how logical and suppor ted your predictions
are, not whether you are “right”, so make sure you provide enough detail
to illustrate and justify your point(s). This means your answer to question
#3 should be well -developed.
Post-Reading Reflection Activity
1.
We r e yo u r p r e d i c t i o n s c o r r e c t ? W hy o r w hy n ot ? A n a l y z e t h e r e s u l t .
2.
A n d y g e t s t h r e e c h a n c e s fo r h e l p : t h e d r u n k m a n , t h e l ov e - s t r u c k c o u p l e , a n d t h e o l d
l a d y. H ow d o e s e a c h o n e a c t ? D o t h ey k n ow w h a t i s h a p p e n i n g to h i m ? W hy d o n ’ t
t h ey h e l p h i m ? I f yo u c o n s i d e r t h e s e c h a n c e s to r e fl e c t t h e a u t h o r ’ s v i e w s o n
s o c i e t y ’ s r e s p o n s e to g a n g s , w h a t d o e s t h e i r i n a b i l i t y to a c t m e a n ?
3.
W h o i s A n d y a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e s to r y ? W h a t d o e s h e v a l u e i n l i f e ?
4.
W h o i s A n d y a t t h e e n d o f t h e s to r y ? W h a t d o e s h e v a l u e a t t h a t p o i n t ?
5.
When does Andy realize he is dying? What causes this realization?
6.
What is the result of his realization?
7.
A n d y wo r k s h a r d e r to g e t t h e j a c ke t o f f a t t h e e n d o f t h e s to r y t h e n h e d o e s to s av e
h i s o w n l i fe . W h a t d o e s t h i s m e a n ? A r e h i s e f fo r t s wo r t h w h i l e ? W hy o r w hy n o t ?
8.
H o w d o yo u fe e l a b o u t t h e c o p ’ s fi n a l r e a c t i o n ? A r e h i s a c t i o n s a r e a s o n a b l e p a r t o f
h i s t r a i n i n g , a r e s u l t o f b i a s , o r s o m e o f b ot h ? D e fe n d yo u r a n s we r.
9.
H o w m i g h t t h i s s to r y b e d i f fe r e n t i f t h e r e we r e n o “ L a u r a ” ?
10.
D o e s A n d y h av e to d i e to g e t t h e a u t h o r ’ s p o i n t a c r o s s to h i s a u d i e n c e ? W hy o r w hy
not?
11.
H o w d i d t h e D u r i n g Re a d i n g a c t i v i t i e s a f fe c t yo u r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e s to r y ?
12.
H o w d i d t h i s s to r y a f fe c t yo u r v i e w s o f g a n g s a n d g a n g - r e l a t e d i s s u e s ?
Ideas to Advance the Activity
Skip the Prediction Activity and…
 Ask for individual responses to the post -reading discussion
questions
 Conduct a critical or rhetorical analysis on the piece —did the
reading achieve its purpose? (individually or as a group)
 Find other readings about gang -life and compare content
 Add a research component (students find articles that
confirm or contradict Hunter’s points and/or purpose)
 Require a researched response essay
(agree/disagree…WHY?; find research to support your
argument)
Next-Step Activity
“Bone Girl” by Joseph Bruchac
Introduction
“There is this one old abandoned quarry on the reservation
where she is often seen. Always late, late at night when there is a
full moon. The kind of moon that is as white as a bone.
Are ghosts outsiders? That is the way most white people seem to
view them.”
Process Insight
1: “I can tell you more about that, but that is another
tale to tell another time. I’d better finish this story
first.”
2: “And I am digressing, my writing instructor is
probably writing in the margin of this story right now.
Except that he doesn’t understand that is how we tell
stories. In circles. “
1 st Draft Reading of “Bone Girl”
Directions:
 Have students read and take note of any topic shift
 Annotate the change and label the topic
1 st Draft Questions:
 What is the story's overall message?
 Where are the points of digression?
 How does the narrator handle them?
 Are you satisfied? Why or why not?
 How do you feel about the narrator?
 How do your feelings affect your understanding of the text?
2 nd Draft Reading of “Bone Girl”
Directions:
 Go back into the reading together. Explore the “digressions ”.
 Reveal author’s prolific writing back ground. Implication = narrator is as
is—purposefully. Why?
 Signal impor tant moments and examine their impact.
2 nd Draf t Questions:
 Why did Bruchac write the story this way?
 What are the effects of the “circular” writing?
 What would be lost without it?
 How does your new knowledge of the narrator affect your reading?
 What issues does the story raise?
 Why does the author end the story with the “familiarity” of the ghosts rather that
their purposeful nature?
 How does this story make you feel about ghosts? Respond to specific moments in
the text.
Possible Writing Assignments
 Create a narrative response to the “ghost” topic or the idea of
ghosts as stereotypes
 Discuss the creation, sustenance, and/or impacts of legends
 Evaluate the writer’s process
 Explore a theme/issue raised in the text (death practice
dif ferences among tribes, “white” ghosts as homeless,
influences of a stationary culture, Native Americans and
alcoholism, etc.)
 Compare “Bone Girl” and The Absolutely True Diar y of a Par t time Indian by Sherman Alexie
 Research the current status of, consequences of, or possible
solutions to one of the themes/issues and argue the findings
Exploring Themes In Literature
Pre-writing: Theme Tracker
(Graphic Organizer)
Theme
1.
2.
3.
4.
Description
Location
in Book
Associated
Words/Ideas
Corresponding
Events/People
How does theme advance message?
Visual Theme Analysis: Student Example
 "There’s always time to change your life…And I don’t want you to
fail. I don’t want you to fade away. You deser ve better" (Alexie, 40)
 As junior begins to give up on changing his life his teacher gives
him that extra encouragement to take a chance at escaping his
reality. Because if he does not tr y he will “fade away” like ever yone
else.
Short Answer Assignment
1 . What are the implications of David Dobb's argument in "Beautiful Brains"?
2. What are the implications of Josh Fischman's argument in "Criminal
Minds"?
About.com states that the nature vs. nur ture debate "center s on the relative
contributions of genetic inheritance and environmental factor s to human
development". (If the terms are unfamiliar, search the terms "genetic
inheritance" and "environmental factor s" on the website for back ground
information.)
3. How would the author s of "Beautiful Brains" and "Criminal Minds" answer
the question: is nature or nur ture more influential on adult behavior? Use the
texts as suppor t.
4. How would you use each of these ar ticles as suppor t for YOUR opinion on
whether nature or nur ture is more influential on adult behavior? (Use each of
the ar ticles at least once as proof for your argument.)
5. If brain research came out today saying that nutrition has a "significant"
impact on brain formation, how would that finding af fect each of these
ar ticles' arguments? Address specific por tions of text.
Short Answer Preparation
 Wa t c h r e a d i n g o f t h e D e c l a r a t io n o f I n d e p e n d e n c e a n d d i s c us s r e a s o n s f o r i t s c r e a t i o n ,
i t s m e s s a g e , a n d p u r p o s e . ( h t t p :/ / w ww. yo ut ub e .c o m/ wa t c h ? v = E Tro Xv RFo K Y )
 O p t i o n : r e a d r o u g h d r a f t s o f t h e D e c l a r a t io n o f I n d e p e n d e n c e . N o t i c e d i f fe r e n c e s ,
a n a l y z e c h o i c e s , a n d d ete r m in e t h e e f f e c t s o f t h e c h a n g e s .
 Re a d “ T h e Fo u r t h o f J u l y ” b y A u d r e L o r d e ( 1 9 8 2 ) i n c l a s s ( s to r y o f r a c i a l p r e j ud i c e i n t h e
n a t i o n ’s c a p i t a l ) a n d m o d e l h o w i t s h o u l d b e p r o c e s s e d ( d i s c us s c o n te n t A N D s t r u c t ur e ).
Po s s i b l e q u e s t i o n s i n c l ud e :
 What does July 4 th symbolize? How then is this title ironic?
 Could Lorde write an essay with similar accusations about Washington D.C. today? Why or why
not? What about places other than Washington D.C.?
 H av e s t u d e n t s r e a d “ S e r v i n g i n F l o r i d a ” b y B a r b a r a E h r e n r e i c h ( 2 0 01 ) a s h o m ewo r k
( i nv e s t i g a te s t h e e f f e c t s o n t h e 1 9 9 6 w e l f a r e r e f o r m a c t o n t h e w o r k i ng p o o r ) . I n c l a s s ,
d i s c us s c o n te n t a n d s t r u c t ur e . E x a m p l e s :
 Ehrenreich justifies one of her “fellow ser vers” need for cigarettes by claiming, “Work is what you
do for others; smoking is what you do for yourself” (143). What does this mean?
 What about the workers’ situation makes smoking, or other personal need -based activities,
“necessar y”? Put the “problem” expressed in this essay in your own words.
 C o n d uc t S h o r t A n s w e r C o m p a r a t i v e Re s p o n s e
Sample Short Answer Comparative Questions
1. How do Lorde’s and Ehrenreich’s stories fit into the ideals
expressed in the Declaration of Independence?
2. How do setting and publication date impact the essays?
3. What is similar/different between Lorde and Ehrenreich (think
personal characteristics, writing style, content, purpose,
etc.)?
4. Which essay do you think would surprise the founders of the
Declaration the most? Why?
5. How do expectations affect a person’s response to perceived
acts of discrimination?
6. How do these three readings address, advance or question the
idea of personal freedom and/or discrimination?
7. Think about these issues in today’s standards. Have we
achieved the founders’ vision for this country? Why or why
not?
Grading & Assessment
 Task determines assessment method
 Writing is a natural means, even without integrated
requirement
 No need for multiple choice unless discipline/genre
dictates it
 Grading as authentic grammar “intervention”
 Class discussion as a means of assessment
Sample Rubric: 1 st Essay

Audience/ Purpose
A
B
C
D
The e ssay is wr itte n for appr opr iate audie nce and for appr opr iate pur pose
The e ssay te lls a stor y
The e ssay ke e ps the r e ade r e ngage d thr oughout the e ssay
F
_______ x 15%

Thesis/Central Idea A
B
The e ssay has a single focus
The e ssay is built ar ound and suppor ts that focus
F
_______ x 20%

Ideas
A
B
C
D
Ide as ar e thoughtful and insightful
Ide as ar e focuse d
Ide as ar e thor oughly e x plaine d, we ll -de ve lope d, and suppor te d by de tails
F
_______x 30%

Organization
A
B
C
D
Wr iting is cle ar and cohe r e nt
All wr iting contr ibute s to the me aning and quality of the pape r
Pr ogr e ssion of thought is smooth and contr olle d thr oughout the pape r
Tr ansitions and logical shifts conne ct ide as
Intr oduction and conclusion ar e str ong and e ffe ctive
F
_______ x 20%

Mechanics
A
B
C
Gr ammar (including punctuation, capitalization , and usage )
Tone and Style
Var ie d syntax
Spe lling
Cor r e ct pape r for mat
F
C
D
D
_______ x 15%
Ove r all E valuation: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Realistic Benchmarks?
D ete r m in e d b y a s s i g nm e n t
 B y A s s i g nm e n t 1 ( n a r r a t i ve e s s ay )
 Reading: easier; establish purpose and use of evidence/reasoning
 Writing: learning about claims, effective support, showing not telling, flow in a familiar topic
 B y A s s i g nm e n t 2 ( c o m p a r a t i ve t h e m e a n a l y s i s )
 Reading: tougher; track themes through literature; fiction so genre is more formal/friendly
 Writing: comparisons = challenging so scaffold (theme tracker, Tumblr, zero draft); goals =
deeper analysis; using evidence (text) effectively; solid, purposeful structure; show WHY
 B y A s s i g nm e n t 3 ( s h o r t e s s ay r e s p o n s e )
 Reading: genre-specific = science; understanding how to read less familiar information;
analyze more challenging content with an interesting topic
 Writing: forming clear, persuasive arguments; using evidence (still textual) to ground opinion;
practice for short answer reading responses; grammar should be less of an issue
 B y A s s i g nm e n t 4 ( r e s e a r c h e d a r g um e n t )
 Reading: using and understanding essays, articles, and other college -ready readings; know
strategies for filling in gaps
 Writing: research strategies; using research; writing and supporting an argument; structure
should be solid and functioning; grammar should not interfere (or student should know
how/where to get help)
How did we do?
State-mandated IRW Outcomes
U p o n t h e s u c c e s s f ul c o m p l et i o n o f t h i s c o u r s e , s t u d e n t s w i l l:
1.
L o c a te ex p l i ci t tex t ua l i n f o r m a t io n , d r aw c o m p l ex i n f e r e n c e s , a n d d e s c r i b e ,
a n a l y z e , a n d ev a l ua te t h e i n f o r m a t i on w i t hi n a n d a c r o s s m u l t ip l e tex t s o f v a r y i n g
lengths.
2.
C o m p r e h e n d a n d u s e v o c a b ul a r y e f f e c t i ve l y i n o r a l c o m mun i c a t io n , r e a d i n g , a n d
writing.
3.
I d e n t i f y a n d a n a l y z e t h e a u d i e n c e , p u r p o s e , a n d m e s s a g e a c r o s s a v a r i et y o f
tex t s .
4.
D e s c r ibe a n d a p p l y i n s i g h t s g a i n e d f r o m r e a d i n g a n d w r i t i n g a v a r i et y o f tex t s .
5.
C o m p o s e a v a r i et y o f tex t s t h a t d e m o n s t r a te r e a d i n g c o m p r e h e n s i o n , c l e a r f o c us ,
l o g i c al d ev e l o p m e n t o f i d e a s , a n d u s e o f a p p r o p r i a te l a n g u a g e t h a t a d v a n c e t h e
w r i te r ' s p u r p o s e .
6.
D ete r m in e a n d u s e e f f e c t i ve a p p r o a c h e s a n d r h eto r i c al s t r a te g ie s f o r g i v e n
r e a d i n g a n d w r i t i n g s i t ua t i o n s .
7.
G e n e r a te i d e a s a n d g a t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n r e l ev a n t to t h e to p i c a n d p u r p o s e ,
i n c o r p o r a t in g t h e i d e a s a n d w o r d s o f o t h e r w r i te r s i n s t u d e n t w r i t in g u s i n g
e s t a b l i s h e d s t r a te g i e s .
8.
E v a l ua te r e l eva n c e a n d q u a l i t y o f i d e a s a n d i n f o r ma t i o n i n r e c o g n i z i n g ,
f o r m ul a t i n g , a n d d ev e l o p i n g a c l a i m .
9.
D ev e l o p a n d u s e e f f e c t i ve r e a d i n g a n d r ev i s i o n s t r a te g i e s to s t r e n g t h e n t h e
w r i te r ' s a b i l it y to c o m p o s e c o l le g e - l ev el w r i t i n g a s s i g n m e n t s .
1 0 . Re c o g ni z e a n d a p p l y t h e c o nve n t i o n s o f S t a n d a r d E n g l i s h i n r e a d i n g a n d w r i t in g .
QUESTIONS?
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