Category: annotating

annotations

Getting Started With Annotation

Annotation is an important skill for ELA students to master. But where do we start? When I rent a movie I’m a sucker for the bonus features. I recently watched “Mission Impossible: Fallout and then spent the next hour watching how all the stunts were done. I was amazed to

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2 Ways to Analyze a Passage From Literature

All ELA teachers want to develop their students into good readers. That not only involves building the love of reading but also involves developing critical reading skills in the classroom. We want our students to be able to read critically and analyze a passage, which involves taking a passage apart

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sketchnotes

Using Sketchnotes With Novels and Plays

  What are sketchnotes? Sketchnotes are becoming an increasingly popular way for students to take notes for lectures. However, there is much value to be gained from using them along with – or instead of – traditional methods like Cornell notes and annotation. Studies have shown that engaging the visual

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Annotation Games

Many students find annotation a chore. They do it for the teacher and not for their own benefit. They claim annotating makes them hate reading. I understand where they’re coming from. Annotation is difficult. It slows down the reading process. However, we can’t build active readers without it. We want

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The What, How, and Why of Close Reading

I begin class by with a short story. An extremely short story, in fact —it’s called “The Birthday Party” and it’s only three paragraphs long. Reading it with a class is an opportunity to see what my students do when they are asked to do a close read. We’ve trained

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why students hate annotation

Annotation: Why Students Hate It (And How To Fix It)

  Annotation is a common reading strategy used to promote active reading. Annotation is a skill that helps students comprehend what they are reading and leaves a trail of “bread crumbs” for students to follow if they have to respond to the text in writing. Ideally, it will help students

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Don’t Hate! Annotate! How to REALLY Annotate a Poem

We all want students to know how to annotate and automatically do it when they are handed a piece of literature. The trouble is, for most students annotation is something they do for the teacher, and not for themselves. They don’t take any ownership of the process and don’t see

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