Classroom Tasks Using Multiple Texts: Affordances and Missed Opportunities

• In Event: Reading for Understanding: Initial Studies of Students and Teachers Using Multiple Sources in Content Areas

Abstract

Objectives: The goals of this work are to identify features of intellectually challenging tasks, understand the role multiple texts play in supporting tasks, and identify teacher moves that sustain the challenge of these tasks while building on students’ thinking as they engage in the work. In addition, to understand how tasks can build instructional coherence across lessons and units (Newman et al., 2001).

Theoretical Framework: National standards are requiring that students be able to analyze, interpret, integrate, critique and evaluate information across multiple sources of information (NAEP 2009a, 2009b; OECD, 2006) and engage in evidence-based argumentation using multiple text sources (CCSSI, 2010; Goldman et. al, 2009). For this to happen, students must have the opportunity to engage in what Newman, Bryck and Nagaoka (2001) describe as authentic intellectual work or tasks where students are constructing knowledge through disciplinary inquiry. These cognitively rich tasks require higher-order thinking (Doyle, 1991; Resnick, 1987), position students as creators of knowledge (Dewey, 1982), and draw upon use of literacy practices within specific disciplines (Lee & Spratley, 2010; Moje, 2007; Siebert & Draper, 2008).

Methods and Data Sources: Data were drawn from an ongoing larger project investigating evidence-based argumentation and multiple text use in history, science, and literature classrooms (Goldman et al., 2009). This poster focuses on observations conducted in sixteen literature lessons across eight classes from six middle and secondary teachers, ranging from 8th through 11th grade. These classrooms are located in one urban and two suburban Midwestern districts. Data sources include audio and video recordings, pre and post teacher interviews, observational field notes, and lesson artifacts.

Findings and Analysis: Through repeated readings of field notes, viewing of videotapes, and reviewing other data sources, researchers acquired a deep understanding of the instructional moves and interactions related to texts, tasks and classroom culture. Particular attention was paid to three key aspects: text type and function; nature, quality and purpose of task; and nature and purpose of participation structures and discourse routines. Using the constant comparison method, we identified themes regarding how texts were used within tasks and supported through instruction to promote literary ways of thinking and reasoning.

Initial findings show that alignment between the task and texts is critical for successful task engagement. The data surfaces two types of common misalignment of task and texts: the task demanding high-level thinking and the chosen texts not supporting the task or the task requiring low-level cognitive demand while the texts afford rich interpretation and analysis. Also a variety of classroom participation structures (partners, small groups, whole class) and discourse routines (i.e. teacher asking open-ended questions, accepting multiple responses; student-led discussion) appear to help foster student engagement and learning. Further analyses will examine the relationship between text use within a task and coherence across tasks to identify patterns and instances of missed opportunities (i.e., text affordances not realized through the task).

Implications: This work offers important insights into lesson architecture, design, and implementation to help move classroom instruction toward literary critique and evidence-based argumentation using multiple texts.

Authors

• Teresa Sosa, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Mary Pat Sullivan, University of Illinois at Chicago

• MariAnne George, University of Illinois at Chicago