Disciplinary Literacy Tools Structure a Process for Inquiry and Argument Writing
Support 5 Phases of Inquiry with Tools
Table of Contents
One way to organize inquiry in the classroom
As they participate in inquiry and develop evidence-based arguments, students do different kinds of intellectual work. We organize this work into “5 phases of inquiry” to support teachers and students in classrooms.
We support each phase of inquiry with “disciplinary literacy tools” that break down students’ work so that complex social studies, literacy, and language learning is accessible for a wide range of students.
Together, the 7 tools used across 5 phases create an inquiry process with instructional routines that structure and organize social studies inquiry. We use this process across all Read.Inquire.Write. investigations.
Using RIW Tools and Routines with One Investigation: Webinar
Phase 1: Orient to Content
Launch each investigation by learning more about students’ knowledge and experiences related to the topic and draw on these resources throughout to support students’ inquiry learning. In addition, Orienting to Content involves critical questioning, unpacking dominant narratives, and identifying silences or distortions in the way content is presented while also extending knowledge about the topic.
Phase 2: Analyze & Evaluate Sources
Students learn different perspectives and content by making sense of sources and thinking historically and critically about them. In this phase of work, students tend to read one source at a time, whereas in the next phase students look across the sources they’ve read.
Phase 3: Corroborate Sources
As students read multiple sources that speak to the same compelling question, they begin to compare and contrast them through continued use of the Bookmark tool. They use the Weigh the Evidence tool to corroborate sources by sorting them, making connections across sources, weighing the relative significance of evidence, and identifying claims that the evidence can support.
Phase 4: Develop Arguments
Students more fully develop plausible arguments by discussing the evidence and reasoning that support different claims, guided by the Weigh the Evidence tool. Next, students can use the Planning Graphic Organizer tool as they choose the argument that they think is strongest and organize how they will communicate that argument. Developing arguments is also supported by the Mentor Text tool, which guides students’ analysis of model arguments.
Phase 5: Communicate Arguments
Using their Planning Graphic Organizer as a guide, students compose their arguments. They can make choices about how to express their ideas in writing by using the Useful Language tool as they compose. After a period of sustained writing, students use the Reflection tool to check their progress, comparing what they’ve done to the goals for good argument writing and planning revisions or next steps for their writing.
