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February 1, 2021

• Tackling the Text Dependent Analysis Essay

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• Middle Level ELA

Education Standards

Pennsylvania core standards for english language arts.

Learning Domain: Writing

Standard: Demonstrate a grade-appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.

Standard: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research, applying grade-level reading standards for literature and literary nonfiction.

Rubric breakdown TDA breakdown Example

Tda example essay, tda graphic organizer paper for first tda, tda rubric breakdown blank, the body's clock, tda - text dependent analysis.

This presentation is used to introduce students to how to quote text when completing the text-dependent analysis response on a standardized test. 

TDA - Text Dependent Analysis Writing Unit

Materials:  copies of TDA rubric, TDA example essay, TDA graphic organizer, and  The Body's Clock

Objectives: Students will be able to cite multiple examples of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 

Procedures: These resources are meant to assist you while teaching students how to write a TDA. The procedures below do NOT have to be completed in this order. You can pick and choose based on your students needs. 

1. Discuss what a TDA is and what it looks like. Use the example TDA essay to help guide you. 

2. Go over the state writing rubric with students. Have students break the rubric down into words they understand (there is an example of that attached). 

3. Use the presentation to help your students understand how to correctly quote text within their writing. 

4. Using "The Body's Clock" model to students how to highlight, annotate, and find words that relate directly to the prompt.

5. Using the TDA graphic organizer, model to your students how to clearly define paragraphs, restate the prompt in the introduction and conclusion, and gather ideas.

6. Choose a writing piece of choice and have your students go through the same steps that were modeled.   

Students should be evaluated using the state writing rubric, or you can grade them using the rubric they created, (this would be more helpful when you give them feedback because you will use the rubrics they created using their own words. 

*Note: There are more details on the documents that I have included. Instead of listing these in the procedures, I felt it would allow teachers more flexibility in making plans that best meet the need of their students. I like to start fresh with my students, even though they have been writing TDA responses for many years.

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:7d94d36b-0146-45a6-9608-02e6aa376102

Version History

Phone: 412-325-8000

Text Dependent Analysis

What is text dependent analysis.

Text Dependent Analysis  and  Text Dependent Questions  ask questions that force students to synthesize answers based on specific evidence within a reading passage and demonstrate their ability to interpret the meaning behind that evidence.

Answers are based on evidence from within the passage, but often ask students to interpret that evidence and justify it as an answer.

Why the Emphasis on Text Dependent Analysis

With the advent of national Core Standards in Reading/ELA and Mathematics came an increased demand for rigor in the teaching and learning process. The new assessments have raised the bar for students and teachers.

There has been much discussion about why the need exists for a new demand in rigor, including TDA. Amidst the active dialogue, some realities have caught the attention of educators and raised concerns.

Test Dependent Questions, What They Are Not

Scavenger hunts.

Text Dependent Analysis digs deeper than questions that only point to an answer in the text. Scavenger hunt type questions fail to pull in the analysis portion of TDAs. Avoid questions that can be answered by simply restating a snippet of the passage.

Opinion-based and personal experience questions may be part of a Text Dependent Analysis question, but should not be considered a Text Dependent Question on its own. Text Dependent Analysis depends on students using information provided in the passage. If a student can answer the question without reading and relying on the passage, the question fails to live up to the TDA standard.

Why Text Dependent Analysis is Important

Making sure that students understand the meaning behind content is at the root of Text Dependent Analysis. College bound students need to have mastered the ability to synthesize content. One of the biggest reasons students leave college is that text is too complex. Students who have experience with text complexity and text dependent analysis are more apt to continue with their education.

Preparing Your Students for Text Dependent Analysis

Many students do not have experience with Text Dependent Analysis. Developing the metacognitive skills that allow students to answer Text Dependent Questions has become essential. Teachers can use the follow 6 step process in teaching students how to approach a TDA question.

6 Steps to TDA Success

Step 1 – read for gist.

Have students skim read or fast read the passage. Students are reading for main ideas not details.

Step 2 – Read the Prompt to Learn the Question

Students often fail to answer the question asked in a prompt. Have students read the prompt to really understand the question. Have students underline or highlight the main question(s). Their goal is to determine what is being asked.

Step 3 – Close Read the Passage

Now that students are aware of the question(s) being asked, have the students read the passage again. This time the students are Close Reading or reading for understanding. Based on the questions asked, students read the story to find evidence to respond to the prompt.

Step 4 – Re-read the Questions

Have students re-read the questions. By re-reading the questions students can focus their answers on the actual question asked. Again, sometimes students just reiterate what was read as opposed to answering the questions based on evidence. Emphasize that they want to respond to what is being asked.

Step 5 – Organize Thoughts

Prior to writing their response, students should organize their evidence and analysis. Using a two column graphic organizer, have students create one column titled ‘Evidence from the Text’ and a second column titled ‘Meaning or Reason for Choosing This Evidence’. In the first column, students can pull information directly from the text. In the Meaning or Reason column, students provide analysis on why they found this evidence important.

Step 6 – Compose Response

Students can now write their response to the question. An excellent first step is for students to turn the question into a statement using the word BECAUSE. This will focus students on the analysis portion of the question. To perform Text Dependent Analysis it is important that students make a statement then use evidence from the passage to explain their statement.

See Think Wonder 2.0: Text Dependent Analysis

8 Min Read  • Visual Thinking

If you are an English Language Arts teacher, you’ve probably heard the groans from students as soon as you mention the acronym “T.D.A.”. In fact, I’m willing to bet you’ve groaned yourself! These written responses to text can be a beast. But recently, I found a great way to use a tried-and-true Arts Integration strategy to help make them a little less dreadful, and a lot more meaningful. No more “death-by-T.D.A.” as we have joked in my school.

DOWNLOAD THIS eBOOK AS A PDF

What is text dependent analysis.

In my state, Text Dependent Analysis (T.D.A.) is one of the most challenging and rigorous parts of our standardized assessments. These prompts are usually an essay that requires students to understand, interact with, and analyze a passage. Not only do TDAs take a lot of time for students to master, but they are a large part of a student’s score.

Note : We know that our students and teachers are much more than these scores. I want my students to show the skills and knowledge that they are capable of when they do have to take standardized tests. Without adequate preparation, it would be unfair. It would be like sending a student onto the soccer field during an important game when she doesn’t know the rules of the game.

When writing a response to a T.D.A., students must respond to the prompt with specific evidence from the text. They must explain how that citation shows that they understand the literary elements in the prompt. They must prove that they can look at the text as a big picture. Finally, they must show how the literary element connects to that big picture. Whew- it seems like a lot for an adult, not to mention the developing brain of an adolescent!

Examples of TDAs from Pennsylvania

Example 1: The character of David has a function in “Into the Volcano.” Write an essay analyzing the important role David plays as a character throughout the passage. Use evidence from the passage to support your response. REVIEW THE RELEASED ITEM

Example 2: At the end of the passage, the king says to Ram Dhan, “You shall be the royal tutor and teach my sons all you know.” Write an essay analyzing the reasons why the king wants Ram Dhan to be the royal tutor. Use evidence from the passage to support your response. REVIEW THE RELEASED ITEM

Example 3: The author makes the point that “detective work is involved in cave science.” Write an essay analyzing how this point is supported throughout the passage. Use evidence from the passage to support your response. REVIEW THE RELEASED ITEM

To help scaffold student responses in the past, many teachers have relied on a variation of an acronym called R.A.C.E.R. which stands from Restate, Answer, Cite, Explain, and Review.

The R.A.C.E.R. Formula & Chain of Reasoning

The R.A.C.E.R. formula promotes formulaic writing. That is not our ultimate goal as teachers of writing. Yet, many students need this scaffold as they are learning to pull evidence from the text to support their thinking.

We’ve found, however, that students can follow the R.A.C.E.R. format perfectly and still not reach the level of thinking needed. With R.A.C.E.R, it is not common that students reach the higher-order thinking level needed for success. They are still missing the highest level of thinking: Analysis.

To help students (and teachers) understand how to approach T.D.A.s, our state has shared a new graphic that explains it. A Chain of Reasoning shares the thoughts students need to include when responding to a prompt:

Introducing…See, Think, Wonder 2.0

As I was diving deeper into professional development on how I can help my students succeed with T.D.A.s, I had an epiphany. I can introduce and practice this through the Arts Integration Strategy See, Think, Wonder with a little tweaking.  I now refer to it as See, Think, Wonder 2.0, because it takes the Wonder step to a deeper level of thinking. It helps students reach the ultimate goal of the analysis.

One of the best access points to teach the Chain of Reasoning is by sharing a piece of visual art. Use the artwork as a visual text (in place of written text). Using visual art takes away the words in the text, which can be a barrier for some students. Adding the visual also engages a different part of the brain. It allows students who may not have been engaged with a literary example to engage in the lesson. Through this interaction with art, students can strengthen their observational skills and thought processes.

With an original See, Think, Wonder strategy, students first share observations that they notice. Next, they share their thoughts on the art. Finally, they branch out into creative thinking by sharing wonderments related to the art.

You’ll notice that we are still following this visual thinking strategy in the same way. But now, we are connecting each step to a stage of the Chain of Reasoning. Once students practice this strategy with visual art, it is much easier for them to work through a T.D.A. following the same thought process. We simply have to point out the connections. Take a look at how this is implemented in the classroom:

Classroom Example

Step 1: see (this is our evidence step).

A. Share a visual. To help teach this strategy, start with something surreal or something that has an obvious contradiction. While not fine art, the lollipop brand Chupa Chups has created some advertisements that work well for this. (Fun fact: Salvador Dali created their logo!)

B. During this step, students make observations about what they SEE. This is a challenge because many students want to jump right to stating what they think. Require them to make as many observations as possible first. Ask students to point out colors art elements, or recognizable images. Give lots of wait time, and allow all answers unless they jump further than an observation.

C. Explain that during this step, they are making citations or examples from the text. They are pointing out what they see. In a passage, this would be like finding examples of phrases or sentences that support the prompt.

Step 2: THINK (This is our INFERENCE step)

A. During the THINK step, students draw upon their background knowledge to explain what they THINK is going on. I require a “because statement” during this step. This helps students remember to connect their evidence from the SEE step with their own thoughts. For example, “I think (or I Infer) that the ants are going around the lollipop because it is sugar-free. I know sugary foods attract ants, so it is unusual for them to be going around something that is usually sugary.”

Step 3: WONDER (This is our ANALYSIS step)

For the purpose of our use of this strategy, this is where we step away from the original See Think Wonder strategy. With the original, we push students’ creative thinking. We ask them to wonder and predict why the artist made choices that he or she made.

A. With the ANALYSIS step, we are still asking students to wonder. This time, we are directing their wonderment in a specific direction. As they wonder, their task is to take their inferences to the next level. They explain how their inferences tie back to and connect the art (or literary) element.

B. ANALYSIS is taking the evidence and combining it with the inference. Then, to explain the connection, or interrelationship, between both. We focus on what the artist wants us to understand. We identify the big picture and how the choices the artist made help us to understand the big picture. This is a bit less freeing, but once students have this framework they naturally take their brains in that direction.

Connecting See, Think, Wonder 2.0 with Writing T.D.A.’s

Once students have tried this visual thinking strategy with works of art, they are better able to visualize the task when they are presented with a T.D.A. They are able to notice the chain of reasoning in their writing. To help support my students in this way, I created a graphic organizer to help them see the three steps. One has labels and one does not for students who are ready to use it as a thinking tool instead of using it as a formula.

After reading the prompt, students need to identify the two literary elements that the T.D.A. is asking of them. After identifying and proving what they know about those elements, students cite examples of those literary elements from the text. Next, they infer. They explain how they know the text that they cited was an example of that literary element. Finally, they reach the analysis step. In this step, students write about the big picture. They explain the interrelationship between the two literary elements. They describe how the author’s choices help us to understand the big picture.

After mastering See, Think, Wonder 3.0 strategy, it is a great warm-up at the beginning of class on days where students have to respond to a T.D.A.

While T.D.A.s still require a great deal of higher-level thinking, now students have a more efficient thought process to use. They’ll find that a T.D.A. is not about the amount of writing or following a formula they need to remember. Instead, it is about the type of thinking required and using those thinking strategies to notice the big picture of the artist’s (or author’s) work. Plus, we are able to strengthen students’ capacity for viewing visual art. And of course, T.D.A. writing will now be a little more enjoyable without the symphony of groans.

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Many states have adopted a TDA (Text Dependent Analysis) style assessment for the writing component of their state test.  This type of writing style requires students to read a text or passage and use actual text to support their answers, citing specific evidence directly from the text.  Text-dependent analysis writing instructs students to provide specific evidence from the passages they read, while demonstrating the ability to interpret the meaning behind the evidence they provide.  How do you teach this kind of complex process to students?

TDA Questions List:

It’s important for you, as the teacher, to first generate a personal list of text-dependent questions/prompts prior to taking this process into the classroom.  You know your class and your standards.  What types of questions are most effective for your expectations and outcomes?  Write down as many text-dependent analysis, or TDA question/prompts as you can think of on a scratch piece of paper.  Then compare and/or combine your list of questions/prompts to this comprehensive list available for FREE in my VIP FREEBIE ALBUM . 

Begin by working as a whole group to come up with an acronym that encompasses the classroom TDA writing process.  Developing an acronym together will not only help students take ownership, but also give them a guide to remember HOW TO answer the questions.  Would you rather have an acronym prepared for your class?  No problem.  Work with ACE-  This is an acronym I use in my Text Evidence resource.  A-Answer the Question  C-Cite the Evidence  E-Explain your answer.  If time is a factor, you not have to reinvent the wheel!  You can find other examples of acronyms from teachers like RACE, WHIP, and QUAN on Pinterest.  These examples can be used with your class to use for HOW TO answer the questions or for brainstorming key ideas needed in your own acronym.  Here are some ideas to guide your students.:

• Read the questions thoroughly to understand the important words.  Underline the keywords.
• Answer the questions using prior knowledge and inferences/predictions.  Show understanding of the question by restating it in your answer.
• Find evidence in the text to support your thoughts and opinions.  Note evidence to show proof of your answer.  Find facts, quotes, and data.
• Explain in great detail by paraphrasing and directly quoting areas of the text. Extend your question.  How does your evidence support your answer?  What is your connection between your answer and the evidence? Be simple and to the point.  You don’t want to create an acronym with more than 4 letters, especially with elementary level students, but you want to have a comprehensive classroom guide for the process.

Student TDA Questions List:

Do the same activity from above with your students.  Ask them to write down as many TDA questions/prompts as they can think of in 5-10 minutes.  Allow them to work in pairs or groups, then work as a class to create a student-generated class list of questions/prompts.  Combine their list with your list.  Try to break the questions into sections (fictions, non-fiction, author’s purpose, etc) to make it easier in the future to find the appropriate questions/prompts based on the type of reading.  This activity will help students remember the questions they can ask themselves while reading a passage, which in turn will provide them with a deeper meaning of the text.

Brainstorm Sentence Starters:

Braintorm together sentence starters for providing text evidence in their writing.  For example:_____ quoted, “…”On page ____, it states…In paragraph ____, the text says…

The author wrote, “…”

The graphic/illustrations/map/chart indicate…

According to the text…

_____provides proof that…

From what I read in the text, I understand…

Based on _____ in the text, I think…

I think the author mean _____ because he/she says _____.

_____is an example of _____.

Post Acronym:

Be sure to post the class-generated acronym, prompts/questions, and useful resources in a plae where each student can see them clearly.  Create simple lists of questions/prompts and post them on your classroom walls.  Review them daily and before a TDA essay.  Repetition is an effective method for long-term memory!

Take notes:

Depending on what is best for your class, either have your students take notes on the resources or provide them with a small acronym anchor chart, a list of questions, and sentence starters for their reading notebook.  This TDA resource will be valuable for independent work and homework.

The first TDA should be done together as a class.  Read a text and write the essay together a whole group.  Students will be able to see a strong example of building an effective TDA essay writing piece.

Give students a text and allow them to use the TDA wall or student resources to guide them through the process.  You may want to begin with partner work and ease into independent work.

Fairy tales are quick reads, but they have  tons of elements  that make them  great for TDAs . Student experience with the structure and topics included in fairy tales will  give them  the  confidence  they need to  branch out  and  take risks  in their responses. Some ideas for daily TDAs with popular fairy tales might include the following:

One theme of “Cinderella” is to hold onto your dreams. Write an essay explaining how key details in the story support this theme. Use evidence from the story to support your answer.

How does the original wish of the King and Queen in “Sleeping Beauty” drive the plot of the story? Use specific evidence from the text to support your answer.

Try this TDA question stem for any fairy tale or multicultural version of a fairy tale students have not previously read: Can you tell if __________ describes a particular culture? How do you know? Would the story be different if set in a different culture/setting? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

Assessment:

Provide students with a TDA assessment.  Have them work independently without guidance.

Track your students’ progress.  This will be helpful when forming small groups and reteaching. I hope you learned some strategies to bring into your classroom!

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APRIL WRITING PROMPTS

May writing prompts.

TDA Graphic Organizer

• Word Document File

Description

This resource will help students write a 5 paragraph text dependent analysis for any short literary text! You can differentiate by providing them with a theme and claim or you can have them create their own. This is a great way to scaffold writing organization and transitions to inexperienced writers to help build their confidence.

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