Lesson 4

Critical Reading
Strategies in
Literature
 distinguish various
critical reading
Learning 1 strategies, and analyze
Competency different literary texts
through different
contexts using different
critical reading strategies
(EN12Lit-IIh-36)
 Objectives

● differentiate the various critical reading strategies and

their uses; and
● analyze a literary text using different critical reading
strategies.
Essential Question

What does it mean to critique someone’s work?

 Warm Up

Create an interpretation of the passage below stated by F.

Sionil Jose. Write a response to the National Artist about
whether you agree with him or whether you want to simply
respond to his critical thoughts:

“We are shallow because our media are so horribly shallow.

Every morning, I peruse the papers and there is so little to read
in them. It is the same with radio — all that noise, that artifice.”
 Unlocking of Difficulty

critique (noun) - a detailed analysis and
1 evaluation of something
Our literature professor wrote an
interesting critique of J.K. Rowling’s Harry
Potter series.
infer (verb) - to form an opinion from
3 evidence; to reach a conclusion based
on facts
Using the data we have gathered, we
may infer that the water has been
contaminated by mining activities.

arguments (noun) - a set of reasons

2 given to prove a statement or a stand
I will side with you because you have
convinced me with your arguments.
 Unlocking of Difficulty

annotate - (verb) to make or furnish defiant (adjective) - refusing to follow

4 critical explanatory notes or comments 5 something or someone
Be sure to annotate your source material Fiona was defiant when it comes to
for easier citation later. following uniform regulations.
 Learn about It!

Modes of Analysis (Daniel J. Kurland, 2000)

● What a text says is the restatement.

● What a text does is the description.
● What a text means is the interpretation.
 Learn about It!

Three main goals of critical reading (Kurland, 2000)

● Recognize the author’s purpose

● Understand the tone and persuasive elements of the text
● Recognize bias
 Learn about It!

Critical Reading Strategies

Previewing

Before you begin reading the text, preview it by gathering

important information about it.
 Learn about It!

● Who wrote the text? What are the author’s other works?
● Where and when was the text published? What were the major
events around the time the text was written or published?
● What can you infer about the text based on the title?
● What seems to be the general progression or organization of
ideas based on the chapter titles or section headings and
subheadings?
● What is your purpose for reading the text?
 Learn about It!

Annotating

Annotating involves highlighting or making notes of important

ideas in the text.
 Learn about It!

● With a pencil or a pen in hand, underline important ideas such

as the thesis, topic sentences, and key concepts. Also,
highlight unfamiliar words so you can look them up later.
● Make notes such as questions and comments or responses on
the margins as you read.
● Develop a symbol system. You may draw symbols to mark
important words or sentences so that the text will not appear
cluttered.
 Learn about It!

Contextualizing

When you contextualize, you consider the historical, cultural,

or biographical context of the text.
 Learn about It!

Outlining and Summarizing

● In outlining the text, you identify the basic structure of the

text and make connections between those ideas.
● Summarizing the text allows you to present your
understanding of the text by reviewing and synthesizing
important ideas, and then restating them in your own
words.
 Learn about It!

Analyzing

Analyzing a text deals with examining the information

presented to support the author’s argument(s).
 Learn about It!

● Is there enough evidence to support the author’s

argument? Does the evidence relate to and support the
thesis or the main point the author is trying to convey?
● Are the pieces of evidence relevant, credible, and up-to-
date?
● Are the sources of information credible?
● Why did the author take that particular position? What is
the author’s background that may have led to or influenced
his or her position?
 Learn about It!

Rereading

Rereading requires a repeated examination of the text to

enable you to improve your comprehension of the text and
to identify ideas that you may not have noticed in initial
reading.
 Learn about It!

Responding

Responding to the text means drawing meaning from what

you have read and presenting it in writing or talking about it to
others.
Learn about It!

Championing the Right to Age Well

NewsUSA.com
 Learn about It!

Guide Questions

1. What is the main topic of the article?

2. What is the article’s purpose and tone?
3. What significant contexts would be useful in
understanding and appreciating the article?
4. How is the article’s viability and credibility shown?
5. How does the article make you feel? What insights can one
gain from the article?
 Analysis

Read and analyze the article below, then answer the

questions that follow comprehensively. Responses must
be at least one paragraph long.

Student Backpacks are Literally a Pain

NewsUSA.com
 Analysis

Short Response Questions

1. What is the main idea of the article? What supporting

ideas does it have?
2. What is the article’s tone and purpose? How can this be
inferred?
3. In what context(s) can the article be better understood?
4. Is the article credible? What shows its credibility?
5. How would you respond or react to the article?
 Analysis

Criteria Score
Content
(The question is answered comprehensively. Textual evidence is
provided to support the given answer.) 6 pts
Organization
(Logical progression of details/events; clear transitions between
ideas.) 6 pts
Language
(spelling, mechanics, grammar, and word choice) 3 pts
Score: /15
 Values Integration

We have learned how the use of critical reading

strategies allows us to fully analyze, interpret,
evaluate, and respond to text. How can these
strategies help and protect us amid rampant
distractions and fake news?
 Synthesis

1. Form groups of 3. Each group must select one features or

informative article from a newspaper, magazine, or website.
The article must be at least 3 paragraphs long, and can be
verified by the teacher and/or your classmates.
 Synthesis

2. Your task is to collaborate on reviewing your selected article.

Each group member must focus on a different approach or
reading strategy to critique the article (for instance, one focuses
on language use, another analyzes arguments, and the third
checks for credibility). Then, collaborate by combining your
critiques to create a longer, more comprehensive single critique
of the article.

3. Be ready to present your work in class.

 Assignment

Read and analyze the article, and answer the questions that
follow.

How Self-Publishing Made this Author a Best-Seller

NewsUSA.com
Guide Questions

1. What is the main idea of the article? What supporting ideas

does it have?
2. What is the article’s tone and purpose? How can this be
inferred?
3. In what context(s) can the article be better understood?
4. Is the article credible? What shows its credibility?
5. How would you respond or react to the article?
Criteria Score
Content
(The question is answered comprehensively. Textual
evidence is provided to support the given answer.) 6 pts
Organization
(Logical progression of details/events; clear transitions
between ideas.) 6 pts
Language
(spelling, mechanics, grammar, and word choice) 3 pts
Score: /15