READ READ READ, So You Can Write!
by Dr Aimee Weinstein
With the advent of College Board’s new redesigned SAT next month, schools, students and test prep centers are on high alert, wondering what to expect. Even the New York Times and U.S. News and World Report have added fuel to the proverbial fire with their recent articles about concern over increased reading requirements on the redesigned test. It seems that there will be more reading not only in the designated reading section, but also more word problems in the math section, leading to more words on the test overall.
But the biggest change is perhaps in the way the College Board will administer the new, optional essay component of the test.
Whereas in the past, students could opine about subjects ranging from academic honesty to the effect of social media, the new test will require students to read an essay already written by a famous author, politician or media star and then perform a critical analysis. The prompt will almost always be something similar to:
“Write an essay in which you explain how <name of famous person> builds an argument to persuade his audience of the <insert famous argument here>. In your essay, analyze how he/she uses one or more of the features listed in the box <found above the essay> (or features of your own choice) to strengthen the logic and persuasiveness of his/her argument. Be sure that your analysis focuses on the most relevant features of the passage. Your essay should not explain whether you agree with his/her claims, but rather explain how he/she builds an argument to persuade his/her audience.”
The College Board is hoping to learn if the student is able to think and read as much as they are looking to see if the student can write. The rubric for grading even has an “understanding of the argument” section so they can assess the student’s ability to comprehend a piece of literature. In theory all high school English classes have been teaching critical analysis from ninth grade and prior, but the reality is that for many students, this is a different – and more daunting – task than they’ve encountered before.
So where does the student begin?
The first thing a student has to do is identify the main arguments put forth by the author. Then, he or she has to assign meaning – show the purpose or draw a conclusion – from the evidence the author presents. From there, students must explain in great detail how the author uses that evidence to prove the main argument and elicit a reaction from the audience. Learning to read closely is a must when looking to ferret out this type of specific information and formulating an analytical argument.
We at Inspiring Test Preparation prepare students for this new essay by demonstrating how to hone their arguments and then teach them step-by-step how to analyze the author’s rhetoric. It is not an easy task for these kids, but with a little guidance, we are confident that they can become good literary analysts.
Join Dr Weinstein for either her ACT or SAT Essay Writing Workshop (click here for schedule), or inquire about one-on-one tutoring with her so that your student is ready for the big reading and writing challenges ahead.
[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]