Analytical Reading, Narratives and Essay 1 Introduction

1. Analytical Reading, Narratives and Essay 1 Introduction

2. Freewrite: • Think about one person who has influenced your development as a reader, a writer, or a student. • Tell me about a time when you interacted with that person.

3. What is a Narrative? • “Characteristics of Narrative Writing” on p. 108 • Dictionary definition of Narrative: “Narrative: a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious.” • For the purposes of our class, we will be saying that a narrative is a story that makes a point. • Where are some places you might hear/read/see a narrative?

4. In-class reading of “Bidding Farewell to Arms” p. 118 • What questions can you form based on the title of this narrative essay? What do you want to find out? • Who is the author? What does the introduction tell you about him? • Let’s read the essay together

5. While you read… • Take notes, either in your textbook or on another sheet of paper. • Highlight or make a note of important passages and main points. (Make a note of paragraph numbers in your notes so you can find these quotes easily.) • Make connections between various parts. • Ask questions of the text, connect to your own experience. • Be ready to share your annotations with a partner.

6. After you read… • Don’t just close the book! Take a moment to reflect on what you’ve just read. • What in the essay intrigued you? What surprised you? What can you connect with your own experience? • Were the questions you came up with during the previewing stage answered? • Answer the following questions about this reading: • How is it a narrative? What narrative elements does it include? • What type of narrative is it? • What point do you feel like this author is trying to make? Do you agree/disagree with this point? Do you have anything to add from your own life experiences?

7. There are Many Different Types of Narratives: • While each story is unique in its details, narratives that share some characteristics are often grouped together into “types” or genres. • What are some types (different kinds) of narratives that you can think of? What do they have in common? • Why do you think so many different people have written these types of narratives?

8. What is a “Literacy Narrative”? Literacy: 1. the quality or state of being literate, esp. the ability to read and write.  2. possession of education:  3. a person's knowledge of a particular subject or field: to acquire computer literacy.  Literacy narrative: For this class, a literacy narrative is a narrative that focuses on an event or series of events that has shaped the author as a writer, reader, and literate person, and the way that the author perceives various forms of literacy.

9. Introducing the Prompt for Essay 1 • Pass out prompt, read the prompt together.

10. Suggestions for Exploration of the Literacy Narrative Topic: • Non-Academic/Community related literacy (newsletter, Sunday school lesson, presentation) • Personal interest (writing journals, writing fiction for pleasure, blogging, etc) • Cross-generational (thinking about parents' influence on reading/writing attitudes, or your children’s influence on your literacy) *“Literacy: A Lineage” is an example of this. • Bi-lingual (navigating two or more languages… problems and challenges?) • Academic (favorite teachers, essays, successes and failures in school) • Work related (how literacy has affected your career) • Internet/Computer literacy (reading and writing using technology)