Critical Thinking Enhancement

1. Reader Response Theory j.d. daniels

2. Critical Thinking I need to be a better critical thinker, how can I do that?

3. It demands imagination and ability to make connections with what you already know and what you learn… Thinking is an artform

4. Reader Response Theory as a writer’s/thinker’s Tool You respond to three simple questions that help you learn to read as a writer.

5. Read model essays and answer these questions 1. How does the text make me feel and why? 2. What are the strategies that the author uses that make the essay successful or not successful. Why do you say this? 3. What might this text say about contemporary American culture?

6. Quotes Using direct quotes (or words or phrases) from the model essays you read helps back up or refute what you have to say….

7. Why share your responses? Comparing your peer’s responses with yours will broaden your knowledge. This is called “cross-training”….

8. Will you be a “seerer”?? “Seeing” an essay or story or text means you are learning to become a more critical thinker. Using Reader Response Theory will help sharpen these skills…

9. How to read an Essay? Draw reasonable and verifiable inferences from your observations… This can be effectively done by answering the three questions of Reader Response Theory…

10. Possible Strategies to identify and discuss (Question # 2) Tone Point of View Use of metaphors or similes Use of personal experience Choice of language used Length of sentences First sentence Last sentence Use of punctuation Use of active verbs (There are many other writer’s strategies that can and should be discussed…Choose one or two—no more

11. What is the Purpose of Reader Response (RR) Theory? 1. To help you become a stronger critical thinker 2. To help make you a better student 3. To help you problem solve in the world beyond college.

12. So what do you Do? When given a reading assignment that asks you to write a reader response, you answer three questions: 1. How does the text make me feel and why? 2. What are some of the strategies that worked or didn’t and why? 3. What might this essay say about contempory American society? And why?

13. One page minimum response Upload your responses to the proper place, take time to read your peer’s work and set back and learn. Writing is a process. One that is often called a journey. Enjoy. This is not a math class. It is a very human walk through the use of printed words to communicate a purpose to a chosen audience. All writing has a different type of purpose. Knowing this, helps you focus your piece.

14. MLA Format All work must be set up in MLA format. Another powerpoint shows how to do this. All work must also be submitted using Microsoft Word Doc. If you have Works you will have to convert your work. (doc. Or doc.x) must appear at the end of your document saved

15. Henry David Thoreau said it best when he threw out this challenge… Will you be a reader, a student merely, or a seer? A seer is someone who works at honing their critical thinking skills… Practice Reader Response Theory and share your work. By doing so, you are committing to being a seer…..j.d. daniels