Sunday, August 4, 2024

Claim/Support Outline Strategy for the content-area reading instruction techniques in my Practice

 Author: Santosh Kumar Biswa, Sr. Teacher, Damphu CS, Tsirang, Bhutan

 

Currently, I am teaching English language and literature to grade twelve students in my school. I have been teaching grade twelve since 2016. I have been using a variety of strategies to give the best learning experiences to my students, and we have been producing top performers every year nationwide. One of the 40 reading methods recommended by Urquhart & Frazee (2012) on the content-area reading instruction techniques is the "Claim/Support Outline" strategy that stood out to me and that I would use it most frequently in my classroom.

One strategy that stood out to me as the one that I would utilize in my classroom 

A claim/support outline is a helpful organizational technique for instructing students on how to read critically and identify many points of view, ideas, hypotheses, facts, opinions, and contested claims made by authors. It gives students a framework for analyzing reference materials and expository texts for pertinent facts and ideas (Urquhart & Frazee, 2012). With a succinct presentation of the writer's viewpoint on a subject and supporting evidence and logic, it is intended to assist readers in clearly explaining their position (claim), which is the evidence and logic the writer gives to support their claim. Support enables readers to verify, validate, and believe a claim (Lumen Learning, n.d.). Among other types of evidence, students can use data, figures, cases, opinions from experts, and personal anecdotes. Making an argument that is clear and compelling is made simpler for students by helping them arrange their thoughts and ideas logically and coherently. Students can make sure that their argument is convincing to the reader by explaining their point in detail and offering evidence to back it up. Students can utilize it not only when reading but also when writing persuasive or argumentative essays since it enhances their capacity to think critically, analyze information, and articulate ideas in writing.

How do I utilize a Claim/Support Outline strategy to teach content reading in my classroom?

I will pair it with the teaching of prescribed essays from the "Reading and Literature Text" for twelve grades in my classroom. We have six essays and seven supplementary essays in the text that students are to read and comprehend on their own. I will select the essay "Looking at the Media" by Cam MacPherson to model the strategy in the classroom and the essay "Arming the Spirit" by George Faludy from my prescribed text "Reading and Literature Text" for twelve grades (CAPSD, 2005) to let my students practice in the classroom using the strategy "Claim/Support Outline"

Before

I will introduce the strategy by explaining to my students what the Claim/Support Outline is and how it can be used in content reading. I will inform them that the goal of this strategy is to help them identify and analyze the main ideas and supporting evidence in a text (Urquhart & Frazee, 2012). Secondly, I will model the strategy using the essay "Looking at the Media" by Cam MacPherson by demonstrating how to create a claim/support outline for the text so that they will know that the main idea of the text is the claim, and the supporting evidence is represented by the points listed under the claim.

During

Soon after, I'll let them practice constructing claim and support outlines for George Faludy's essay, "Arming the Spirit." I will encourage them to locate the text's core concept and supporting details so that they can use this information as a tool for text analysis and comprehension. I will advise them to take the following actions to accomplish this:

·       Pre-reading: Before they begin reading, I will instruct the students to preview the material and draft an initial claim or support outline using the headings, subheadings, and any other textual signals. Then, while they read, I'll assist them in keeping their attention on the key concepts and arguments.

·       During Reading: As they read, I will instruct them to make notes on the key concepts and supporting details using the claim/support framework. I will also encourage them to record their views and questions as they read and to edit their claim/support outline as they gain more understanding of the material.

·       Post-reading: Following the reading, I will instruct them to complete their claim or support outline by adding the specifics and evidence they have gleaned from the text. They will then be asked to present their findings and engage in a discussion about how well they understand the text with the rest of the class.

·       Group Assignment: After that, I will give them the task of reading and analyzing several texts in groups. They will then present their results to the class and talk about the key themes and supporting evidence in each text.

·       Independent Homework: After they've had enough practice, I'll give them the assignment to select a text that interests them and to develop a claim or support outline for it.

After

By reviewing their independent homework, I'll gauge how well they understand a text. When evaluating, I'll focus on how effectively they employed the claim and support framework as well as how well they recognized and evaluated the key concepts and supporting data. Finally, I'll give them the feedback they need to use the method more effectively.

By engaging in content reading, students can refine their analytical and comprehension skills as well as their capacity for critical thought (Urquhart & Frazee, 2012). Additionally, as this technique is a terrific way to combine reading and writing abilities and to encourage student involvement and drive, it will help them get ready for exams and standardized tests that ask them to comprehend and analyze material from a text.


References

CAPSD. (2005). Reading and Literature - Class XII English Text. Ministry of Education. Bhutan

Lumen Learning. (n.d.). Supporting Claims. Basic Reading and Writing. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-basicreadingwriting/chapter/outcome-supporting-claims/

Urquhart, V., & Frazee, D. (2012). Teaching reading in the content areas: If not me, then who? Retrieved from eBook Central (accessed through LIRN).

 

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