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READING AND WRITING

LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET
Quarter 3- MELC 4

Determining Textual Evidence to Validate

Assertions and Counterclaims
 READING AND WRITING LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET
Determining Textual Evidence to Validate Assertions and Counterclaims

I. Learning Competency (MELC)

Determine textual evidence to validate assertions and counterclaims made about a text read

II. Background Information for Learners

Textual Evidence is an evidence a writer needs to support the thesis of a written document. You need
to be specific about the source of this evidence found in your written text. The reader can verify the evidence
if you cite page numbers and other information together with it. You should also directly state the importance
of this evidence and what it proves to strengthen your thesis or your claim.

Some textual evidence examples are:

• Direct quotations from a book or other text source

• Accurate summaries of what happened or was said in the text
• Larger passages that relate directly to the thesis of your essay
• Paraphrases of what the author says in the text

Assertion is an emphatic declaration by a speaker or writer. It is not necessarily based on facts, but
the person making the assertion firmly believes in it even without any proof or support. The purpose of this
is to directly convey insights or emotions.

Types of Assertion

There are five types of assertion: basic, emphatic, escalating, I-language, and positive.

1. A basic assertion is one’s belief, feeling, opinion, or preference expressed through a straightforward
statement. For example, “I would like to finish writing this article first before we go out for coffee.”
or “I would like you to listen to my explanation before you make your conclusion.”

2. An emphatic assertion occurs when the speaker recognizes and sympathizes with the other person’s
position or feelings. This acknowledgement is then followed by a statement that conveys the
speaker’s own beliefs. For example, “I understand this is not easy, but we have to get through this
with our sanity intact.”

3. An escalating assertion occurs when the speaker or writer does not receive a response to the first
assertion, so they become more forceful with the second and the succeeding assertions. For example,
“If you keep insisting what you want, I will have to cut ties with you.”

4. I-language assertions are often used in conflicts and misunderstandings with another person to calm
the tension and lighten the situation. As the term’s name indicates, these statements rely on the first-
person pronoun I. An I-language assertion requires the speaker to describe how the other person
behaves and its effect on the speaker, a description of the speaker’s feelings, and a statement
indicating what the speaker wants. For example, “When you do not tell me what is bothering you, I
feel hurt because I feel as if you were pushing me away or you did not trust me. Therefore, I would
appreciate it if you opened up to me after you have taken some space to sort your thoughts out.”

5. Positive assertions occur when speakers assert positive feelings about themselves or others like
giving compliments. For example, “My painting has inspired a lot of people.” or “You used an
amazing strategy in getting the attention of your learners.”
 Claim is a statement that a writer presents to substantiate an argument. A claim may function as a
single argument by itself, or it may be one of multiple claims made to support a larger argument.

Counterclaim (also called “counterargument”) is the argument (or one of the arguments) which
opposes the thesis statement. This paragraph is where the writer discusses the opposing side's viewpoint and
explains why it is weak or invalid. A counterclaim and rebuttal paragraph shows that the writer has examined
both sides of the issue, which strengthens his/her position.

Example of a Counterclaim:

On the other hand, some people say that rock music contains lyrics that are both provocative and rebellious.
This point of view makes sense because in the article, it states that one form of rock music, punk rock,
concentrates purely on antisocial subjects as a basis for its songs.

However, rock music itself is not enough to make a teenager rebel against society because the article also
says that the average teenager does not take it seriously and concentrates more on the musical value of the
songs rather than the inner meaning of the lyrics. Therefore, even though lyrics in rock and roll music show hints of
anarchy and social rebellion, it is not a threat to society.

Phrases to introduce the counterclaim:

On the other hand, Some people say, Admittedly, Some people say, Certainly, Some people say

Phrases to address the original claim:

However, Nevertheless, On the other hand

Phrases to conclude the paragraph:

Thus, Therefore, As a result

IV. Activity Proper

Exercise 1. Read the following text and determine the textual evidence in the text by answering the questions
that follow. Write in a paragraph form.

Slow Down and Eat Better (by Amy Zhang)

(Paragraph 1) If you drive on any highway in the United States, you’ll

find fast-food restaurants at every exit and service area. If you walk
through any supermarket, you’ll see prepared foods that say “make it in
minutes” and “ready to serve.” According to an article by James Bone
on the Times Online Web site, only one- third of Americans cook meals
from scratch, meaning with fresh ingredients. Bone also writes that
Americans spend only thirty minutes cooking dinner, compared with
2½ hours in the 1960s. And in his book Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser claims that one-quarter of
Americans eat in a fast-food restaurant each day. Why are Americans eating so much fast food? The answer
is simple: speed is more important than quality. While Americans may be attracted to food that is fast and
easy, they are missing the benefits of slowing down. In fact, Americans’ obsession with fast food is hurting
not only their health but also the quality of their lives.
(Paragraph 2) The main reason that Americans are getting takeout food and heating prepared meals
is obvious: they do not have enough time. In more than two-thirds of families in the United States, two
people are working (Bone). People with demanding work schedules have little time for food shopping and
cooking.
(Paragraph 3) Another reason that mealtime has become so short is that many younger adults grew
up in a fast-food culture. In the past fifteen years, cell phones, the Internet, and e-mail have increased the
speed of everyday communication. At the same time, microwave ovens, drive-through restaurants, and
frozen dinners have changed the way Americans eat. Many people now like to eat quickly, even in their
 cars or in front of the television, instead of taking time to cook a meal and sit at the table. In this culture of
instant gratification, people don’t think food is important enough to spend much time on.
(Paragraph 4) Even though Americans think that they are saving time and improving their lives by
eating precooked and prepackaged food, their obsession with fast food is causing the quality of their lives
to go down. First, their health is suffering. As most people know, fast foods and frozen meals are generally
less healthy than foods made at home. They have lots of preservatives, fat, sugar, and salt to hide the fact
that they are not fresh. If people do not eat fresh foods that provide vitamins and minerals, they may become
tired and sick, and they may miss out on opportunities to enjoy their lives.
(Paragraph 5) Another serious health problem is obesity. There is an obesity epidemic in the United
States today, especially with young people, and it is related to the way people are eating. According to
Schlosser, “The rate of obesity among American children is twice as high as it was in the late 1970s” (240).
Obesity can lead to many health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. The United States
Department of Health and Human Services notes that “deaths due to poor diet and physical inactivity
increased 33 percent” in the 1990s, and it cites a study that concluded that “poor diet and physical inactivity
may soon overtake tobacco as the leading cause of death” in the United States. If fast food causes people to
become obese, and then obesity causes them to get sick or die, fast food cannot be considered an
“improvement” in Americans’ lives.
(Paragraph 6) In addition to causing health problems, fast food hurts people’s relationships with
their friends and families. In an online interview, John Robbins, author of Diet for a New America and The
Food Revolution, comments on the importance of mealtime:
“Throughout history, eating has been a way of bringing people together. It’s how parents stay in
touch with what’s going on in their kids’ lives. When people break bread together, it’s an act of
peacemaking, an act of good will. Dining together can be a deep biological and sacred experience. When
we eat, we are connected to all of life. It’s a phenomenon found in every culture in the world, except ours.
I see the McDonaldization of our food supply as the annihilation of our true relationship to life.” (qtd. in
Lee)
(Paragraph 7) While most Americans will not be able to cook full, fresh meals every day, they can
begin to improve the quality of their lives by buying fresh foods when they can and by cooking fresh food
at least sometimes. For example, people can shop at the farmers’ market for fresh local produce instead of
buying canned or frozen vegetables. They will have a chance to buy foods with more nutrients at the same
time that they get to know people in their community.
(Paragraph 8) Also, if people slow down to make food with their friends or family, they can enjoy
the benefits of good nutrition while they are building stronger relationships. An organization called Slow
Food, which describes itself as “an international organization whose aim is to protect the pleasures of the
table from the homogenization of modern fast food and life,” encourages readers of its Web site to make
pasta from scratch once in a while. Friends and family can cook meals together, so one person isn’t doing
all the work. And people can try to cook family recipes from their parents or grandparents.
(Paragraph 9) Even though Americans may think they are saving time and improving their lives by
eating fast food, they will actually have healthier and more enjoyable lives if they change the way they cook
and eat. Making dinner from scratch is much healthier than getting burgers and fries from a fast-food
restaurant. And people get more than just a full stomach—they get more time with family and friends and
a good feeling from creating something healthy.

Guide Questions:
1. State the author’s claim about fast food in the opening paragraph.
2. In what paragraph did the author defend her stand about Americans “not having time”? How did she defend
it?
3. What counterclaim is mentioned by the author? What evidence did she provide to justify her stand about
fast food being unhealthy? Did she give any statistical data?
4. In the long quotation, write the sentences that help the author justify her claim about fast food and its
connection to people’s relationships?
5. Write the assertions the author made about fast food in relation to people’s quality of life based on the
conclusion?
Exercise 2. Read the following text and determine the textual evidence by answering the questions in a
paragraph form. Write your answer on your answer sheet.

(Paragraph 1)
Some scholars and researchers claim that there are negative impacts of technology on a
child’s developing mind. According to one research study, scholars claimed that “moderate evidence also
suggests that early exposure to purely entertainment content, and media violence in particular, is negatively
associated with cognitive skills and academic achievement” (Kirkorian, Waltella, & Anderson, 2008, p. 8).
(Paragraph 2)
Although there is validity to the presented argument, this theory excludes educationally
driven programming, some of which is specifically designed to educate children beyond what they might
experience by age-appropriate schooling alone. There is incredible value in formal education and the public
school system; however, classroom modalities are not the only way children learn about the world around
them.
(Paragraph 3)
Educational stimuli can come in the form of direct contact with a teacher, reading a book,
or by watching a program. For example, a student learning about the number three can find value in hearing
a teacher explain mathematical values of the number, by reading a book which illustrates a visual example
of the number, and by watching a program with a catchy song about the number three. In his eBook
Children's Learning From Educational Television: Sesame Street and Beyond, Fisch (2004) described how
some television programs are types of informal education, “much like educational activities that children
find in magazines, museums, or after-school programs” (p. 9).
(Paragraph 4)
While a good deal of education takes place in the classroom, television can be used to
supplement the academic experience of a student. When presented in an informal and entertaining way, this
supplemental material can help students become more engaged in topics, and more willing to delve into
deeper consideration of concepts. Early learners may also be introduced to subject matter that is not typically
introduced until later phases of formal schooling, if at all (Fisch, 2004).
(Paragraph 5)
Children and adolescents may also find value in television news programming which
provides information on current events, such as Nickelodeon network’s program titled Nick News. This
show detailed topical information, such as politics and environmental issues, in an entertaining televised
format which was geared to children and adolescents (Fisch, 2004). With all this considered, television and
other forms of technology should not be dismissed as petty entertainment; the potential to present
educational information in this medium is possibly immeasurable.

Guide Questions:

1. Identify the counterclaim/counterargument mentioned by the author in the paragraph.

2. How did the author respond to the counterargument?
3. What example and evidence from research did the writer provide that showed the opposing argument was
incomplete and not considering alternatives?
4. What other evidences were provided to show that the writer’s argument was stronger than the
counterargument?
 Rubrics for the Paragraph

Areas of Expert Accomplished Capable Beginner

Assessment (9-10 pts.) (7-8 pts.) (5-6 pts.) (3-4 pts.)
Ideas Presents ideas in Presents ideas in a Ideas are too Ideas are vague or
an original manner consistent manner general unclear
Organization Strong and Organized Some No organization;
organized beg/mid/end organization; lack beg/mid/end
beg/mid/end attempt at a
beg/mid/end
Understanding Writing shows Writing shows Writing shows Writing shows
strong clear adequate little
understanding understanding understanding understanding
Word Choice Sophisticated use Nouns and verbs Needs more nouns Little or no use of
of nouns and verbs make essay and verbs nouns and verbs
make the essay informative
very informative
Sentence Sentence structure Sentence structure Sentence structure No sense of
Structure enhances meaning; is evident; is limited; sentence structure
flows throughout sentences mostly sentences need to or flow
the piece flow flow
Mechanics Few (if any) errors Few errors Several errors Numerous errors

REMEMBER:

Textual evidence is evidence, gathered from the original source or other texts, that supports an
argument or thesis. Such evidence can be found in the form of a quotation, paraphrased material, and
descriptions of the text.
Assertion is a confident and factual statement of fact or belief. Claim is the “thesis statement” in an
argument, backed up by evidence that supports it. Counterclaim or counterargument is what someone
who disagrees with your position might have to say about your argument.

V. Reflection

1. What insights have you learned from this activity?

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2. What is the most difficult part of the lesson for you? Do you think you will be able to make improvements
regarding this as you continue in your Reading and Writing journey?
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