Text Dependent Questions

Betsy Madison

Jackie Rogers

Write a question based on this text

From Martin Luther King’s Note to “Letter from Birmingham Jail”

“Begun on the margins of the newspaper in which the statement

appeared while I was in jail, the letter was continued on scraps of

writing paper supplied by a friendly Negro trusty, and concluded on a pad

my attorneys were eventually permitted to leave me.”

CCSS Shifts in ELA/Literacy

1. Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction (Complexity of Text)

2. Reading, writing and speaking grounded in evidence from text, both literary and informational (Text Dependent Questions)

3. Regular practice with complex text and its academic language (Close Reading)

80-90% or the Reading Standards require Text-Dependent analysis

Literature & Informational Writing0R.CCR.10R.CCR.20R.CCR.30R.CCR.40R.CCR.5

0W.CCR.10W.CCR.20W.CCR.70W.CCR.80W.CCR.9

What are Text-Dependent Questions?

0Text-Dependent Questions:0 Draw the reader back to the text to discover what it says.0 Have concrete and explicit answers rooted in the text.0 Frame inquiries in ways that do not rely on a mix of

personal opinion, background information, and imaginative speculation.

Characteristics of TDQs

0Strong Text-Dependent questions invite students to:0 Analyze the effects of specific word choice0 Reach a deeper understanding of vocabulary0 Analyze syntax and text structure0 Interpret theme

Examples

How did Frederick Douglass’ ability to

read contribute to his emotional struggle for freedom? Cite examples from the

text to support your answers.

In what ways does America represent

the hope for freedom that lived in the

heart of Frederick Douglas?

Text Dependent Non Text Dependent

Fisher & Frey Article0Why would the author title the chapter “Go Away”?0Compare this book with Ken Marschall’s Inside the

Titanic. Give 2 similarities and 2 differences.0Why would Mrs. Brown run lifeboat number 6 with a

revolver?0How does the chronological structure help you

understand the events?0Whose story is most represented and whose story is

under-represented?0Find two places in the text where something could

have been done to prevent this tragedy.

A Night to Remember by Walter Lord, chapter 10

Write a question based on this text

From Martin Luther King’s Note to “Letter from Birmingham Jail”

“Begun on the margins of the newspaper in which the statement

appeared while I was in jail, the letter was continued on scraps of

writing paper supplied by a friendly Negro trusty, and concluded on a pad

my attorneys were eventually permitted to leave me.”

Betsy MadisonGRREC Literacy Consultantbetsy.madison@grrec.ky.gov Follow on Twitter @betcmadisonbetsymadison.com

Jackie White Rogers

jackie.rogers@education.ky.gov

@KyWriteRight