How to turn the question into a partial answer
(this is a technique used in Explicit Instruction p. 39 - Archer & Hughes)
You will often be asked to write an answer to a question using a full sentence. The following strategy is very useful because you can use it in all subjects from year 7 to year 12 and beyond - university, job applications, letters or emails and so on.
Let's look at the steps
- Read the question and turn part of the question into an answer.
- After writing down the partial answer you should think of the answer or find the answer in the text.
- Complete the answer and reread it.
- Ask yourself if your answer makes sense and if you have answered all of the question.
Let's Look at an example from the Obama Speech
7.How does Obama relate this topic to himself and to others?
1 Read the question and turn part of the question into an answer.
7 Obama relates this topic to himself and others in a number of ways in his speech.
2 After writing down the partial answer you should think of the answer or find the answer in the text.
He talks about his own experiences growing up and how hard his mother made him work on his education, he talks about the effort his wife made to do her personal best and then he goes on to illustrate his point by sharing stories about other American kids who have overcome challenging situations and achieved exceptional outcomes.
3 Complete the answer and reread it.
7 Obama relates this topic to himself and others in a number of ways in his speech. He talks about his own experiences growing up and how hard his mother made him work on his education, he talks about the effort his wife made to do her personal best and then he goes on to illustrate his point by sharing stories about other American kids who have overcome challenging situations and achieved exceptional outcomes.
4 Ask yourself if your answer makes sense and if you have answered all of the question.
Yes, I think this answer fully answers the question that I have been asked to respond to and it makes sense.
What to check for
An answer won't be correct or make sense if it does not provide an answer to all parts of the question of if the answer is inconsistent - for example, you may say that
Obama relates this topic to himself in a number of ways. He talks about his own mother.
This doesn't make sense because you have missed half of the question - how he relates to others
and
you have only given one example even though the answer indicates he has done this in a number of ways.
Let's look at the steps again
Note the 4 steps involved in this process in your note book and answer all questions using this technique.
- Read the question and turn part of the question into an answer.
- After writing down the partial answer you should think of the answer or find the answer in the text.
- Complete the answer and reread it.
- Ask yourself if your answer makes sense and if you have answered all of the question.