Welcome to Developmental Reading
Sharon MayAdjunct Professor
Thinking with a pen:
Why are you here in this class?
That means think and write down your thoughts
So Why Are You Here?
Whether you know it or not you have joined a club – the club of academia. Now you need to
learn the language, the lingo, of your new club. Think of this class as part of your initiation…
Welcome to the Club
Doctor Lawyer Auto Mechanic
They all have their own lingo
What do these careers have in
common?
Reading Lingo
Main Idea Topic sentence Thesis Topic Thesis statement Implied Main Idea Stated Main Idea Context clues Inferences
Organizational Patterns Transition Words Fact & Opinion Relationships Between
sentences Relationships Within
sentences Author’s Purpose Bias Tone
Main Idea
Main Idea
A one sentence summary
An umbrella statement covering all content within the passage
Topic + Controlling Idea = Main
Idea
Topic: Who or what?
Controlling Idea: What about that who or what?
Main Idea
Main Idea
one concept, many names
Paragraph: Main Idea
Essay: Thesis
Passage: Central Point
Main Idea
Main Idea Thesis Central Point
Same concepts, different terminology
Can cause confusion when in a test situation
Main Idea
Video games are bad for kids
Why?
They are violent, use profanity, and have adult subject matter
Example Essay
Example Essay
Thesis Statement: Children should not be allowed to play video games due to their mature content.(notice how the thesis sounds like an argument)
1. Violent Content2. Offensive Language3. Adult Themes (theft, rape, death,
etc.)
Support for Thesis
Children should not be allowed to play
video games due to their mature content. One reason is the content within the games is often of a violent nature with members killing off other characters. Another reason is that many games use offensive language. The themes within the games are also too mature for children. For example, some games deal with murder, theft, rape, and other questionable subject matter.
Paragraph One
Violent content
Games are often based on one character killing off other characters in order to beat various levels and progress through the game. This is an inappropriate activity for children…Blah blah blah….
Paragraph Two
Offensive Language
The language in video games often contain profanity and other inappropriate words for children. Blah, blah, blah…
Paragraph Three
Adult Themes
Some video games have the characters doing dirty deeds to earn points such as stealing cars and raping women. This subject matter is far too mature for children to be exposed to… yadda, yadda, yadda…
Paragraph Four
What is the main idea of paragraph three?
A. Children should not be allowed to play video games due to their mature content.
B. Video games contain too much violence for children.
C. The language in video games often contain profanity and other inappropriate words for children.
D. The subject matter in video games is inappropriate for children.
TEST TIME
1. Intro Paragraph2. Violent Content3. Offensive Language4. Adult Themes (theft, rape, death, etc.)
Reminder
What is the main idea of paragraph three?
A. Children should not be allowed to play video games due to their mature content.
B. Video games contain too much violence for children.
C. The language in video games often contains profanity and other inappropriate words for children.
D. The subject matter in video games is inappropriate for children.
TEST TIME
What is the main idea of paragraph two?
A. Children should not be allowed to play video games due to their mature content.
B. Video games contain too much violence for children.
C. The language in video games often contains profanity and other inappropriate words for children.
D. The subject matter in video games is inappropriate for children.
TEST TIME
1. Intro Paragraph2. Violent Content3. Offensive Language4. Adult Themes (theft, rape, death, etc.)
Reminder
What is the main idea of paragraph two?
A. Children should not be allowed to play video games due to their mature content.
B. Video games contain too much violence for children.
C. The language in video games often contains profanity and other inappropriate words for children.
D. The subject matter in video games is inappropriate for children.
TEST TIME
What is the thesis of this essay?
A. Children should not be allowed to play video games due to their mature content.
B. Video games contain too much violence for children.
C. The language in video games often contains profanity and other inappropriate words for children.
D. The subject matter in video games is inappropriate for children.
TEST TIME
What is the thesis of this essay?
A. Children should not be allowed to play video games due to their mature content.
B. Video games contain too much violence for children.
C. The language in video games often contains profanity and other inappropriate words for children.
D. The subject matter in video games is inappropriate for children.
TEST TIME
Types of Main Idea
Two Types of Main Idea
Stated Main Idea
Paragraph = Topic sentence
Essay = Thesis Statement
Implied Main Idea
Not actually written in the paragraph, essay, or passageYou have to infer it on your own
Imply - Infer
Imply
Don’t say it outright
Example: Honey, will you take out the trash?
Infer
Read between the lines / put the pieces
together
She wants me to take the trash out right now.
Author’s Purpose
Why the author wrote what they did
Three General Purposes:
1. Inform (textbooks, research articles, etc.)2. Persuade 3. Entertain
Author’s Purpose
Directly Linked to Main Idea
Author’s Purpose
Pattern of Organization
How the author organizes his thoughts
Patterns of Organization
MI = Main Idea
P = Purpose
P = Pattern
All three are intertwined
Remember MI PP