author's purpose strand teks talk image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Author's purpose and craft: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student uses critical inquiry to analyze the authors' choices and how they influence and communicate meaning within a variety of texts. The student analyzes and applies author's craft purposefully in order to develop his or her own products and performances.

Use a checklist or anecdotal notes during small-group discussion, one-on-one conferences, or learning-center time to keep track of whether students discuss how the author uses words that help the reader visualize. While reading a text, listen for student’s ability to converse about how the author uses words that help the reader visualize. Consider using prompts to assist students.

Example of an adult prompt:

A teacher might say, “It seems like the author is trying to describe a beautiful garden. What picture do you see in your mind when you hear the author’s words?”

An observational rubric can be used.

Sample rubric:
1) The student does not discuss how the author uses words that help the reader visualize, even with adult assistance.
2) The student inconsistently discusses how the author uses words that help the reader visualize, with adult assistance.
3) The student consistently discusses how the author uses words that help the reader visualize, with adult assistance.