Top Ten Tool Kit- Strategies (9-10)

9. Graphic Organizers (Critical Reading)
According to eduplace.com, graphic organizers can further help students "classify ideas and communicate more effectively." Furthermore, graphic organizers are used to "structure writing projects, to help in problem solving, decision making, studying, planning research and brainstorming" (http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/). Graphic organizers come in many creative forms and can be assigned at any time during a lesson, preferably before students start a major reading or writing assignment. The purpose of these strategies is to help students break down and organize information in a neat sequence that may better help one better understand a difficult piece being read or written.

How organizers work depends on the type of organizer picked out by the instructor. On the website mentioned above, teachers have a number of options to choose from when it comes to picking out an appropriate organizer. For instance, using a Venn Diagram is used when a student has to compare and contrast two (or more) different topics, subjects, themes, etc., but finds similarities in the middle ground, as well. When using Venn Diagrams in a science classroom, I will have students compare the differences and similarities of an animal cell and plant cell. Though the two may look different, having this organizer will help students understand that the two cells have characteristics that are alike. Furthermore, completing a Venn Diagram can help my readers break down the information and actually understand what they are looking for in the text, which can lead to overall learning of the topic.

10. TASK (Critical Reading)
TASK in an acronym for Thesis Analysis and Synthesis Key and is used to help students read and break down the elements of an argumentative essay. According to Norman J. Unrau, TASK is a "reading guide" and moves "students in the construction of a meaningful, coherent text representation" (http://www.jstor.org/stable/40007555). Furthermore, TASK encourages students to evaluate both claims of the argument, develop an understanding and view of each argument, and function not only as readers, "but as collaborators with writers of arguments" (Unrau). Simply put, how to use TASK is easy: students read an argument and break down both sides of the piece. Instead of automatically choosing a side to support, students must read thoroughly through each side, pick out the thesis and purpose of the argument, and then compare the findings to the other side. Students must understand why an argument was written before making any haste judgment calls.

TASK is a great strategy to use when students are working individually or in groups after a lesson has been issued. Whether the class is reading an actual argument, or evaluating a debate that has taken place inside the classroom, TASK can be used for multiple scenarios. In a science classroom setting, I can use the TASK method after two small groups of students debate each other about the pros and cons of stem cell research (8th grade). Once the two groups have collected enough evidence to spark a discussion, the rest of the class can evaluate both groups after the argument begins and write down the thesis and ideas from both sides. Furthermore, the entire class can actually read an argument about stem cell and work individually (or in groups) to break down and understand both sides of the discussion.