TDA and Coaching

What words really stand out? What

are the instructional implications?

TDA and PSSA

Text Dependent Analysis questions
will be part of grades 4-8 PSSA
SAT questions are now TDA
Will be weightedx4
5/9 bullet points on the rubric are
related to quality of writing so writing
is a BIG DEAL

PA Standards and Shifts for

ELA/Literacy

Balancing the reading of informational and literary texts so

that students can access nonfiction and authentic texts, as
well as literature.

Focusing on close and careful reading of text so that

students are learning from the text.

Supporting writing from sources (i.e., using evidence

from text to inform or make an argument) so that
students use evidence and respond to the ideas,
events, facts, and arguments presented in the texts
they read.

Stressing an academically focused vocabulary so that

students can access more complex texts.

Before the Shifts:

Understand the main ideas within a text

The passage is mainly about----(get the gist)
Understand supporting details within a text
The author writes, which statement best supports this
claim?
Understand the meaning of a word within a sentence
What is the meaning of this word as it is used in this
sentence?
Understand the meaning of phrases within a sentence
Which word best describes the phrase?
Understand explicit information from the text
Identify two challenges that the main character
encountered
Inferring information from the text
State the theme or the authors message

Deeper Levels of Thinking

Depth-of-Knowledge Level 1: Recall and Reproduction
Basic recall of concepts,
definitions, facts, and
processes

Simple skills and abilities

or recall of one right
answer

Answering a Level 1 item

can involve following a
simple, well-known
procedure or formula

Depth-of-Knowledge Level 2: Basic Application of Skills and Concepts

Includes the engagement
of some mental
processing beyond
recalling or reproducing a
response

Items require students to

make some decisions as
to how to approach the
question or problem
acting on the information

These actions imply more

than one mental or
cognitive process/step,
but there is still one right
answer

DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Requires deep
understanding as
exhibited through
planning or sequencing
of steps

Requires some decision

making with
justification with
evidence

Assessment items have

more than one
possible answer and
are abstract, complex,
or non-routine

DOK Level 4: Extended Thinking

Requires high cognitive
demand and is very
complex

An investigation or
application that requires
time to research, think or

Non-routine manipulations
or connections across
disciplines/content

Close Reading
The process of reading, observing, and
interpreting a text deeply.
Involves multiple readings of the same text
through different lenses
Usually only a short passage is under
consideration
Repeated readings builds students
understandings of the key takeaways in
the text.
Used with both fiction and non fiction

A picture is worth a

thousand words

What do you remember?

Lessons learned
There are 98 hidden items in the picture
Joan Steiner paintings help build habits
of the mind
Introduces the idea that multiple draft
readings are foundational to moving
beyond surface level
comprehension
Analyzing and interpreting often begins
after a second or third look

Lessons learned
There are 98 hidden items in the picture
Joan Steiner paintings help build habits
of the mind
Introduces the idea that multiple draft
readings are foundational to moving
beyond surface level
comprehension
Analyzing and interpreting often begins
after a second or third look

2nd draft: Chunking for close reading

This time focus on only one

side of the painting. Note 3
key details
5 seconds

4th Reading
Imagine why was this painting
created?
What was the author trying to
convey?

Lessons we learned:
Analyzing and interpreting begin at
different times for different people.
Re-reading with a purpose and
chunking complex materials can assist
by providing entry point for all readers.
Lets try this with a passage (p.2)

Features of Close Reading

Short complex passages

Repeated reading
Annotation
Collaborative conversations about
the text
Text-dependent questions

Lets Try It

Steps
Read through one time for the gist--or to create an essential
understanding
What is your understanding?

nd

Read

The author repeats a number of

words and lines. What effect does
that repetition have on the reader?

3 Read
rd

Does the author think of words as a

good or bad thing? How do you
know? Use specific lines from the
poem as evidence to support your
thinking.

Please sort the questions on the

cards
Using your rigor matrix, please
decide the DOK level of each of the
Text dependent questions in your
deck.

Possible TDA question

Write an essay analyzing the authors
message about the power of words.
Be sure to support your claims with
specific details.

What is a TDA Task or

question?
Pennsylvania Core Standards identifies textdependent analysis as the ability to draw
evidence from literary or informational texts
to support analysis, reflection, and
research.
Prompts to measure the Pennsylvania Core
Standards will move beyond general reading
comprehension to specific questions that
require the use of text-dependent evidence

TDA requires kids to:

Analyze paragraphs on a sentence-by-sentence
basis and sentences on a word-by-word basis to
determine the role played by individual paragraphs,
sentences, phrases, or words
Investigate how meaning can be altered by
changing key words and why an author may have
chosen one word over another
Probe each argument in persuasive text, each
idea in informational text, each key detail in literary
text, and observe how these build to a whole

TDA requires kids to:

Examine how shifts in the direction of an
argument or explanation are achieved and
the impact of those shifts
Question why authors choose to begin and
end when they do
Note and assess patterns of writing and
what they achieve
Consider what the text leaves uncertain or
unstated

Lets try it out

Read the 4th grade text sample titled
Drawing Horses
Talk with your partner to define the
gist or essential understanding
Look at the steps for creating a TDA
Write a possible question or task
based on the reading

Here is what the state came up

with:
At the end of the passage, Drawing
Horses, Marisa states, But I already
know that when this drawing is
finished, Ill be signing it Marisa.
Write an essay analyzing why she
makes this statement. Use evidence
from the passage to support your
response.

Turn and Talk

Based on that question, what would
expect to see in a proficient student
response. Please discuss using the
scoring guide as a resource. If you
need to, you can look at the 4th grade
assessment anchors for TDA.

A Proficient Sample Would

Include:
Marisa kept trying to draw a horse
Signing her name to the drawing
shows that she is pleased with her
work
Marisa doesnt give up despite
negative comments from friends and
family

Responding to Text Dependent Analysis Questions

written essay expectations
Introduction: compelling introduction or hook
(e.g., quote, action, personal, remark, question)
Development: clear focus and controlling idea
throughout the essay includes a short summary
plus analysis or reflection
Conclusion: relevant statement/section, extends
beyond a restatement of introduction
Organization: coherence-introduction, body, and
conclusion support the focus; sequences and
groups related ideas
Transitions: connects ideas and reasons
Language: appropriate use of vocabulary,
authoritative voice, variety of sentence structure
Conventions of standard English

Based on the passage and

question
Look at the student papers. Look at
the scoring rubric.
Decide which paper, if any, is
proficient.

 Score: Proficient 3
Analysis
Tried to make a perfect horse
Did not give up
Understood her picture was not as good at
Euphemias, but still liked it
First good drawing of horse, even if it was
standing still

Writing

Intro and conclusion to support analysis

Reference to text
Transitions to link ideas
Errors in conventions do not interfere with
meaning

Put on your coach hat

w could the information presented here be used in

DA coaching cycle?
ase describe at least one way.