Description: The Point-of-View Study Guide (Wood, 1988) requires students to read text from varying points of view to expand their perspectives through collaboration and prior knowledge. Essentially, students are not reading text as themselves but are assuming roles either directly or indirectly related to or affected by the text. The process of reading, therefore, becomes more personalized as students integrate and synthesize information related to their role into their understanding of text. The Point of View Guides utilize an interview form which encourages students to respond in their own words to the ideas and information in the reading. All content areas may construct guides for a variety of purposes and may adapt them to meet specific needs.
Step-by-Step
- Identify appropriate perspectives for students to assume and provide them with a guiding concept or series of questions to answer as they read.
- The guiding concept or series of questions help students focus on the important elements of the text. An example of a guiding concept in social studies might be, The Process of Immigration. Student roles may be as an immigrant, a customs official, former immigrant, citizen, luggage of immigrant, or any other creative perspective selected by teacher or students. Or from the science area, students might assume the role of the scientist who discovered a vaccine, a person infected with the disease, a non-infected person, and an ingredient from the vaccine.
- As students read, encourage them to identify points in the text that support their answers. Responses should be written from the first person point-of-view, elaborate on material from the text, and read as a dialogue or essay.
- As students become proficient with this strategy, allow them to design the assignments.
Extensions/Variations
- All students may read a selection from the same point-of-view or students may be grouped to represent different points-of-view.
- Students may form panels and allow the rest of the class to interview them.
- Students may create oral presentations or written documents using technology, visuals, or other resources to share information.