Annotated Text
This strategy is often referred to as "coding the text" (Davey, 1983), but when applied practically in a classroom, teachers can teach students several strategies to mark the text. Tovani's adaptation of this strategy includes sticky notes and highlighting. If you're not allowed to write in your school books-fear not! You are not alone. If you choose to highlight, just make copies of the anchor text you will be using in class that day, or use the sticky note strategy. Tovani encourages teachers to make 4 main considerations* when using an annotative strategy:
1. Use codes to show different types of thinking occuring while students read the text. For example, BK means background knowledge and helps the reader make a connection between the text and their everyday life.
2. Model how to use the coding process for your students by conducting a think aloud with a piece of text. Use a transparency or smartboard so students can visualize what they will need to do.
3. Give students accessible text for them to mark. If they aren't connecting to the text, they will not be able to consistently describe their coding. Also, don't assign too many codes at once, ease them into the process! Encourage all attempts they make.
4. Use highlighters when students come across something in the text they do not understand or find confusing. Use yellow highlighters for what they don't understand, and green highlighters for what they find confusing. Choose a short piece of text for this part of annotating, so students don't feel overwhelmed.
*From I Read It, But I Don't Get It by Cris Tovani
1. Use codes to show different types of thinking occuring while students read the text. For example, BK means background knowledge and helps the reader make a connection between the text and their everyday life.
2. Model how to use the coding process for your students by conducting a think aloud with a piece of text. Use a transparency or smartboard so students can visualize what they will need to do.
3. Give students accessible text for them to mark. If they aren't connecting to the text, they will not be able to consistently describe their coding. Also, don't assign too many codes at once, ease them into the process! Encourage all attempts they make.
4. Use highlighters when students come across something in the text they do not understand or find confusing. Use yellow highlighters for what they don't understand, and green highlighters for what they find confusing. Choose a short piece of text for this part of annotating, so students don't feel overwhelmed.
*From I Read It, But I Don't Get It by Cris Tovani
