Analyzing is the biggest teaching method I have use to teach my students strategic actions for expanded thinking. I feel like the elementary teachers does such a great job of teaching the students about predicting that it does come “natural” for students to predict once they hit the middle school years. Therefore, I like to dig in deeper with my students and we do a lot of analyzing the stories. We analyze plot structure, literacy devices, points of view, how the author is conveying his/her messages, etc. According to Fountas and Pinnell, “By closely examining texts, readers not only better understand the meaning but also gain insights into the writer’s craft, which contributes to their own writing ability” (Fountas & Pinnell, p. 59). Middle
