1. in content area writing
Commentary
in content area writing

2. Objectives After this session, participants should be able to:
understand and explain what commentary is in relation to writing an essay.
construct original examples of commentary.
implement the use of commentary within a paragraph.

3. what is commentary?
Commentary allows students to prove they have a deeper understanding of, and connection to, a text or work.
Think

4. Types of commentary Opinion
perspective, judgement, or appraisal of text
Interpretation
explanation of an element that is not overtly obvious
Insight
discussion of inner aspects of the text
Personal Reaction
personal emotions about the text
Evaluation
examination on the quality/value of the text
Context
circumstances surrounding an idea or statement that clarify meaning

5. Commentary Sentence starters & SPARK WORDS
Beginner:
This shows that….
The author implies…
The graph indicates…
The photograph illustrates…
The tone establishes…
The map confirms…
proves
confirms
implies
illustrates
indicates
argues for/against
demonstrates
establishes
rejects

6. Adding commentary to writing
We normally would not use formulas in English, but they are quite useful in creating a foundation for writing skills!
Each paragraph should contain the following:
Claim
point, opinion, thesis, statement, etc.
Textual Evidence
quote, fact, statistic, example, etc.
Commentary x 2!
Two parts commentary per one part evidence.