What Is Timothy Shanahan's You Want Me To Read What?

The author, Timothy Shanahan, wrote “You Want me to Read What?!” which was published in November of 2013 in the Educational Leadership publication, and he makes a valid argument that informational text is as important as literary readings in the English classroom. Shanahan builds on his standing with facts clearly built from his research, citing compelling facts and data. Shanahan’s “You Want me to Read What?!” effectively persuades that teaching informational text and literary readings are equally important by presenting an optimistic view combined with strong evidence, research and statistics. In his article, Shanahan begins with a quote from Glenn Beck’s, The Whole Story on Common Core. “Common Core also shifts away from classic literature and allows for the reading of informational texts …. And what are informational texts? Those are handbooks from the EPA on how to make sure that your siding and your insulation is good in your house. Who in their right mind wants to read the government handbooks?” (Beck, 2013) This quote presents the foundation and backs his concept that informational text has become less important in education. Shanahan resumes with his claim that Common Core is imperfect, using several examples which …show more content…
By analyzing the issue from all sides, Shanahan shows readers the issue does exist through remarkable uses of ethos, pathos and logos. Furthermore, Shanahan’s article was rhetorically successful, in my opinion, communicating his research without an abundant use of pathos, yet the influential use of logos and ethos in regards to informational text and literature readings being equally communicated in the English classroom in order to benefit students, as well as, teachers of all fields of study, proved to be