A Proposed Criteria for

Response Activities & Reading Lessons

Dr. Frank Serafini - UNLV

Relationship to Literature: What is the connection between the activity and the piece of literature? Is it robust or superficial?

Extension: Does the lesson support students' construction of meaning or their invested discussions of the text? Or does the activity become an end in itself?

Locus of Control: Who is making the decisions about what is occurring? Do students have any choice in the lesson? Teacher directed or student centered? Is there a framework for students to make choice within?

Purpose: Is there a purpose for the lesson that matches a goal in the reading or language arts curriculum? How does this lesson support the kind of readers you want to create? What goals does it serve?

Relevance / Audience: Does this lesson remind you of anything that occurs in the "real" world, or is it just a school-based activity?

Curricular Connection: Does this lesson build upon previous lessons and lead to any lessons in the future? What is the connection to the rest of the curriculum?

Multiple Ways of Knowing: Does the lesson include the arts, drama, mathematics or other knowledge disciplines? Does the lesson encourage students to understand things or use other modalities? (multiple intelligences)

Critical Thinking: Are the questions or activities literal recall or do they require some thinking beyond memorization? Does it help students adopt multiple perspectives or teach them to take the test?

Points of Entry: Are readers / learners of different abilities and interests able to engage with the lesson? Are there ways for each student to be successful within this lesson? Have you considered the readers in your class?

Respect for Literature: Does the lesson respect the piece of literature as a work or art first, before breaking it down into parts to be analyzed? Is the aesthetic stance allowed to emerge first? Have we read the book just for enjoyment first before using it in a lesson? Are students allowed to react aesthetically, living through the experience and making meaning for themselves before being required to discuss?

Deep Understanding: Have we discussed the themes and structures of the piece of literature? Have we gotten past the literal story to examine its implications for our lives and experiences? Is there a broader context for our meaning making?