Disciplinary Literacy in Literature: Generating Evidence-Based Interpretation Through Functional Language Analysis

Session Submission Type: Symposium

Abstract

This symposium showcases an approach to close reading of literature that helps students generate concrete textual evidence in support of a particular interpretation through detailed linguistic analysis. It describes and exemplifies three tools provided by a meaning-based theory of language called systemic functional linguistics—cohesion analysis, register analysis, and genre analysis, demonstrating how these tools can help students accumulate and use textual evidence to explore questions of character, theme, context, and values in literary reading.

Content Area

• AREA 6. Adolescent, College, and Adult Literacy Processes

Chair

• Shelley Therien, University of Florida

Discussant

• Zhihui Fang, University of Florida

Individual Presentations

• Using Cohesion Analysis in Biography Reading - Jennifer Walsh, University of Florida

• Using Register Analysis in Poetry Reading - Geoffrey Kellogg, University of Florida

• Using Genre Analysis in Story Reading - Jared McKee, University of Florida