Strategy Evaluation Essay

For my last strategy evaluation assignment, I practiced using two post reading tools called Synthesis Journal and GIST. Synthesis Journal is a strategy “designed to scaffold student thinking across multiple sources including their own thinking”. The tool allows students to interact with the information rather than simply copying it. When working with this strategy, students answer an inquiry question by summarizing what two texts say about the topic, what a student’s teacher thinks, as well as students write their own opinion. In the end, students synthetize all pieces of information. I really like the Synthesis Journal tool, and I think it has many advantages. Synthesis Journal requires students to use a few sources of information to gain knowledge and increase understanding of the topic. The fact that students are to ask a teacher about

One of the disadvantages that I can see while using the Synthesis Journal is that a teacher really needs to think what type of questions students will have to answer. The question that allows broad answers, e.g. “What do you wonder?” may sometimes be confusing, especially for ELLs, who are simply struggling to understand the text, and have difficulties with analyzing or seeing the essence of the text. Synthesis Journal is, without doubt, a great tool, which I am going to use in my bilingual program. In science, social studies, and language arts students can synthetize the most substantial information, generate hypothesis, record claims and evidence, and many more, e.g. they can inquire about “How does science influence sport?”, “Poverty – who is responsible?”, “How do animals communicate”, etc. Synthesis Journal can be also