Module 6 Introduction
Overview and GoalsIn this module, we will focus on the how to differentiate document-based lessons to make them accessible to students. All students deserve to read great documents and take part in historical inquiries. According to educational researcher, Carol Ann Tomlinson Links to an external site., there are four components of a lesson/classroom that teachers can differentiate based on student readiness, interest, or learning profile: content, process, product, and environment. So what can history teachers do to help their students analyze primary source documents, fully engage in the Reading Like a Historian process, and produce meaningful products that demonstrate understanding and learning? When it comes to primary source documents, some historians, lawmakers, and teachers feel that students must read the original texts of historical documents. Often, the language of original historical documents come from a different place and time and are a difficult read even for our best readers. There is definitely value in breaking down select landmark documents, like the Declaration of Independence, into workable chunks to help students digest and understand the words they are reading, but this takes a lot of time and coaching in an already packed curriculum and school day. In 2009, Sam Wineburg and Daisy Martin wrote, "Tampering with History: Adapting Primary Sources for Struggling Readers" Links to an external site.for the November edition of NCSS's Social Education. In the article, Wineburg and Martin provide several suggestions on adapting primary sources by focusing on the "most relevant aspects," simplification of text, and the overall presentation a document. Through careful excerpting, teachers can help students focus on the most important statements and arguments of the document. The authors suggest that documents be limited to 200 - 300 words, to make it more manageable for students to critically read the text. They also suggest that students always have access to the original, so that they can compare and investigate further if they feel it is necessary (highlighting the excerpts in the original could be helpful to students). When simplifying text, Wineburg and Martin recommend that teachers fix unconventional spelling, update difficult and obscure words (or provide a word bank), and streamline sentences. Lastly, the authors advise teachers use a large font (16 points) and wide margins in the presentation of the document(s). Teachers may also consider double spacing the text to allow students more room to make annotations, clearly and prominently displaying the documents source, and adding a background information paragraph. Modifying or adapting the documents to be more readable is one way to help proficient and struggling readers comprehend primary sources. Teachers can also scaffold the process to coach students over the course of the school year. As we discussed in the last module 4, it may be necessary for the teachers to help the students build background knowledge about the topic before analyzing documents as part of a research simulation or history lab. Teachers can also elect to focus on particular historical thinking skills and add more elements of the "Reading Like a Historian" heuristic and writing skills as their students improve and become more proficient. For younger students, history teachers may consider using more visual documents as they construct historical investigations for their students. These visual elements can be grouped into virtual or mini museum exhibits to help students fill in gaps in their background knowledge. Visual primary source documents can be annotated to help students better understand what they are observing. Examples of annotating documents can be found on archived New York Regents Exams. Links to an external site. Adapting documents and lesson to meet the needs of students can be time-consuming, but there are now online tools to help teachers make the text of primary source document more accessible. Rewordify Links to an external site. can be used to adjust the reading level of a document and quiz students on essential vocabulary. Read and Write for Google Links to an external site. provides students with definitions and can read highlighted text to students. To scaffold close reading skills, teachers can use data based on micro-responses by using Ponder Links to an external site.. Newsela Links to an external site. is another tool that adjusts the reading level of current news stories. Feel free to share other useful online tools for everyone to try out in their classroom. After completing this module, you will be able to:
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