Annotation

Blog 5: What processes or strategies did you use when annotating your chosen article? What kinds of things did you underline or highlight? Why? What kinds of notes did you write in the margins?  Why?  Imagine that you have a class of inexperienced writer.  How would you explain annotation to them? How would you get them to actually do it?  How would get them to actually bring the hard copy of their annotated article to class? (Especially if they say, "Oh I read it on the computer," or "My printer is broken.")

A couple semesters ago, I spent a bit of time on an action research project for a TESOL course which looked at how CMS students annotated texts before and after explicit strategy instruction.  I was able to examine what students did with the instruction “read and annotate for homework” before annotation was defined or taught in class, and then compare pre-with post-instruction annotated (or unannotated) texts.  It will be interesting to discuss how and whether annotation instruction might differ in a college course not specifically designed for multilingual students...  

This is another strategy that can be taught by providing students with examples of annotated texts (with international students it helps to have them identify the techniques they see - highlighting, circling, underlining, marginal notes, marginal questions, numbering etc.).  Teachers can then model the process of annotation to the class (reading aloud, thinking aloud and annotating on an OHP), before providing students with in-class practice opportunities, (followed by reflection, evaluation, class discussions) and then opportunities to practice independently for homework.  

Students in the CMS class I worked with did bring in copies of their annotated articles (they were asked to select New York Times articles, read and annotate for homework, and then turn in their annotated texts). The problem was that some students, knowing that their texts were about to be collected, randomly highlighted and jotted notes as the teacher was walking around to collect work.  This is one of the reasons why I think it’s more effective to start by allowing students to read and annotate in class.  If they are given the opportunity to experience the benefits of the strategy in class, they might be more likely to practice it at home on their own.  

Regarding my own annotations, I did experience some of the frustrations of annotating for the sake of turning in my own annotations.  I have my own system of annotating in “iannotate,” and I do feel a little frustrated about having to print (!) I believe that we do, as teachers, need to honor the fact that texts are now read electronically, and provide students with opportunities to learn to annotate accordingly.  Another solution is to bring hard copies in to class, and allow students to read and annotate those hard copies (in class). 

CMS student annotations