English teachers/students - homework question

[soup]

One of my son's independent reading assignments consists of reading and summarizing 15 news articles pertaining to several different subjects. He is - um, to put it very kindly - completely lacking in organizational skills. The class folder is due Friday for this grading period, and he hasn't completed any of this section, so he's under the gun, and in an 'I'm doomed!' panic.

Rather than let him fry I told him to calm down, I'll help, and we'll just get it finished. Easier said than done.

The instructions include the following:

5. In a few sentences, discuss at least one text-to-text, text-to-world, or text-to-self connection you made as you read the selection.

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Could someone please tell me what a discussion of text-to-text, text-to-world or text-to-self is?

[crispini]

1. WTF?

English teacher & English major here. No idea.

Best guess: text-to-text: when you connect an idea in the text with another idea in the text.
text-to-world: when you connect an idea in the text with something in the world
and so on.

[wryter2000]

2. Kick

Mostly this is a kick, but could text-to-text be how this article relates to something else you read? Could text-to-world be how this relates to something else in the world? Could text-to-self be how this relates to your life?

Can you ask the teacher for clarification?

[Cheswick2.0]

6. New teacher here

Yes that is it exactly. This is the new lingo they are discussing in classes about teaching writing.

[eyesroll]

8. What do you teach, Cheswick?

I was probably, for a short period of time, the youngest ex-teacher in the entire state of Wisconsin.
I'm always interested in hearing new-teacher stories (most end up far better than mine).

[Cheswick2.0]

10. Right now I am getting ready to start subbing

I am just graduating and finishing my student teaching. My room mate died last spring in the middle of my student teaching and through me off my schedule and into a pretty rough depression.

Last year I taught both first and sixth grade and loved them both.

[eyesroll]

3. Ex-English teacher here.

That sounds convoluted. I *think*, however, that the teacher wants your son to draw a parallel between what he reads and something that went on in a book/article/story, in the real world, or within himself.

I could be wrong. (Ask your son if my explanation sounds familiar -- it's entirely possible this is a standard instruction from his teacher; it's just written in a way that nobody else can understand.)

Good luck.

[2Design]

4. text = article

if you are comparing two articles = text to text

if you are writing about the article in reference to something in the world = text to world

if you are writing about the article in reference to self = text to self

[punpirate]

5. Okay, best as I can figure...

text-to-text: How does this article relate to something else you've read?

text-to-world: How does this article relate to something you know about the world around you?

text-to-self: How does this article relate to what you think or feel, or what is your own personal experience?

Cheers.

[Cheswick2.0]

7. exactly, you guys are so smart

[Cheswick2.0]

9. advice for a few rules to write these reviews

Introduction

Body (three or four paragraphs is probably safe)

Conclusion

Your son should know this but he may try to snow you as to what the requirements are for a good review.

[soup]

12. Nothing quite that grand.

1. Title, author, publication, date at the top of the page. (2 points)
2. Skip a few lines.
3. Write a one-paragraph summary (7-10 sentences) of the selection. (6 points)
4. Skip a few lines.
then the number 5. connection disscussion which is worth 2 points.

[soup]

11. Thank you all!

I'm thinking along the lines you are, so that's what we'll run with.

He didn't have a clue what it means. It was one of the papers handed out on the first day of school that he added to the pile and shoved into his backpack. Now that it's time to put all his folders together (rather than filing stuff into folders as he goes) he found it buried there. :grr: :frustration:

I'd ask his teacher, but then that would just point out that he hadn't started this until the last minute - sort of helping save his butt by burning it...

Thanks again.