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ANALYZING ACADEMIC TEXTS

Analyzing Academic Texts within Content Areas

Blake Allen

Sanford College of Education, National University

ITL 520: Academic Language & Literacy

Dr. Janice March

October 04, 2020

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ANALYZING ACADEMIC TEXTS
1. In keeping consideration of the 2009- to present NAEP Achievement-Level
Descriptions at grade 8 [most applicable to myself as a future educator]:

A student who achieves a NAEP Basic reading achievement level (at grade 8) should
know and be able to pinpoint relevant textual information; recognize textual
statements pertaining to the central idea(s), theme(s), and/or authors’ purpose(s);
construct rudimentary textual deductions; interpret textual connotations of words; and
state and provide some degree of support for judgments regarding content and
presentation of content (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2019).
a. [While not applicable to the 2009- to present NAEP Achievement-Level
Descriptions at grade 8] A student who achieves a Below Basic reading
achievement level would have difficulty knowing and being able to pinpoint
relevant textual information; recognize textual statements pertaining to the
central idea(s), theme(s), and/or authors’ purpose(s); construct rudimentary
textual deductions; interpret textual connotations of words; and state and
provide some degree of support for judgments regarding content and
presentation of content

A student who achieves a NAEP Proficient reading achievement level should know
and be able to not only pinpoint, but likewise provide relevant textual information;
recognize, but likewise summarize statements pertaining to the central idea(s),
theme(s), and/or authors’ purpose(s); construct, but likewise support rudimentary
textual deductions (inferences), including linking and analyzing textual features; and
state, but likewise fully substantiate support for judgments regarding content and
presentation of content (NCES, 2019).

A student who achieves a NAEP Advanced reading achievement level should know
and be able to construct and rationalize textual associations within and across texts;
assess and defend the cogency of accompanying evidence and the author’s
presentation; and through stating (Basic), explaining (Proficient), and justifying
(Advanced) appropriately manage the processing demands of analysis and evaluation
(NCES, 2019).

2. The Declaration of Independence: A Transcription (US National Archives and

Records Administration, 2020) [Electronic Transcript]:
a. Grade 8- California Department of Education [CDE] History-Social Science
Content Standard 8.1(2) (CDE, 2000, p. 33).
b. Pronouncement of self-government adopted by the US Second Continental
Congress on July 04, 1776.

Washington’s Farewell Address 1796 (Avalon Project, n.d.) [Electronic Transcript]:

a. Grade 8- CDE History-Social Science Content Standard 8.4(2) (CDE, 2000, p.
35).
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ANALYZING ACADEMIC TEXTS
b. Public Service valedictory letter written in 1796 by former US President
George Washington.
3. In keeping consideration, once more, of the 2009- to present NAEP Achievement-
Level Descriptions at grade 8 [most applicable to myself as a future educator]:
The Declaration of Independence: A
Transcription
BELOW BASIC A student performing at the NAEP
Below Basic achievement level would
have difficulty knowing and being able
to:
 Pinpoint relevant textual
information;
 Recognize textual statements
pertaining to the central idea(s),
theme(s), and/or authors’
purpose(s);
 Construct rudimentary textual
deductions;
 Interpret textual connotations of
words;
 [and] State and provide some
degree of support for judgments
regarding content and
presentation of content (NCES,
2019).
  BASIC A student performing at the NAEP
Basic achievement level would have
difficulty knowing and being able to:
 Provide relevant textual
information;
 Summarize statements
pertaining to the central idea(s),
theme(s), and/or authors’
purpose(s);
 Support rudimentary textual
deductions (inferences),
including linking and analyzing
textual features;
Washington’s Farewell Address 1796
A student performing at the NAEP
Below Basic achievement level would
have difficulty knowing and being able
to:
 Pinpoint relevant textual
information
 Recognize textual statements
pertaining to the central idea(s),
theme(s), and/or authors’
purpose(s)
 Construct rudimentary textual
deductions
 Interpret textual connotations of
words
 [and] State and provide some
degree of support for judgments
regarding content and
presentation of content (NCES,
2019).
A student performing at the NAEP
Basic achievement level would have
difficulty knowing and being able to:
 Provide relevant textual
information;
 Summarize statements
pertaining to the central idea(s),
theme(s), and/or authors’
purpose(s);
 Support rudimentary textual
deductions (inferences),
including linking and analyzing
textual features;
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ANALYZING ACADEMIC TEXTS
 [and] Fully substantiate support
for judgments regarding content
and presentation of content
(NCES, 2019).
 [and] Fully substantiate support
for judgments regarding content
and presentation of content
(NCES, 2019).

  PROFICIENT A student performing at the NAEP A student performing at the NAEP

Proficient achievement level would
have difficulty knowing and being able
to:
 Construct and rationalize
textual associations within and
across texts;
 Assess and defend the cogency
of accompanying evidence and
the author’s presentation;
 [and] Appropriately manage
(through stating, explaining,
and justifying) the processing
demands of analysis and
evaluation (NCES, 2019).
  ADVANCED A student performing at the NAEP
Advanced achievement level would
have difficulty knowing and being able
to:
 Recognize textual elements of
meaning and form, including
relation to the comprehensive
textual meaning;
 [and] Construct textual
interpretations and draw
conclusions, including stating
and providing some degree of
support (NCES, 2019).
Proficient achievement level would
have difficulty knowing and being able
to:
 Construct and rationalize
textual associations within and
across texts;
 Assess and defend the cogency
of accompanying evidence and
the author’s presentation;
 [and] Appropriately manage
(through stating, explaining,
and justifying) the processing
demands of analysis and
evaluation (NCES, 2019).
A student performing at the NAEP
Advanced achievement level would
have difficulty knowing and being able
to:
 Recognize textual elements of
meaning and form, including
relation to the comprehensive
textual meaning;
 [and] Construct textual
interpretations and draw
conclusions, including stating
and providing some degree of
support (NCES, 2019).

4. In reflecting on the considerations, I, as a future educator, should have a reasonable

expectation of certainty for whilst utilizing varying academia, I gravitate toward the
reiteration of a previously acquired understanding: “[L]earners do not learn in one
linear pathway” (CAST, 2018, p. 2). It would be unfair [albeit in actuality, unrealistic
at best] to assume the individualistic input of any one text is capable of producing a
collective, standardized output. I would argue, however, the inevitability of literacy
disparity is not a collective concern, and instead an individualistic opportunity for
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ANALYZING ACADEMIC TEXTS
which success can be respectively tailored. I will admit such an understanding has not
changed over the course of one week.

References
Avalon Project. (n.d.). Washington’s Farewell Address 1796.
https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washing.asp
California Department of Education [CDE]. (2000). History-Social Science- Content standards
for California public schools.
https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/histsocscistnd.pdf

CAST. (2018). UDL and the learning brain.

http://www.cast.org/binaries/content/assets/common/publications/articles/cast-
udlandthebrain-20180321.pdf
National Center for Education Statistics [NCES]. (2019). The NAEP reading achievement levels
by grade. https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/reading/achieve.aspx#2009_grade8
US National Archives and Records Administration. (2020). The Declaration of Independence: A
Transcription. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript