Textual Analysis Made Easy

In this new book you’ll learn how to teach evidence-based writing using a variety of tools activities and sample literary texts. Showing elementary and middle school students how to think critically about what they’re reading can be a challenge but author C. Brian Taylor makes it easy by presenting twelve critical thinking tools along with step-by-step instructions for implementing each one effectively in the classroom. You’ll learn how to:Design units and lesson plans that gradually introduce your students to more complex levels of textual analysis;Encourage students to dig deeper by using the 12 Tools for Critical Thinking;Help students identify context and analyze quotes with the Evidence Finder graphic organizer;Use the Secret Recipe strategy to construct persuasive evidence-based responses that analyze a text’s content or technique;Create Cue Cards to teach students how to recognize and define common literary devices.The book also offers a series of extra examples using mentor texts so you can clearly see how the strategies in this book can be applied to excerpts from popular canonical and semi-historical literature. Additionally a number of the tools and templates in the book are available as free eResources from our website (routledge/9781138950658) so you can start using them immediately in your classroom.