ERodriguez Reading Grid

Name of the
Work &
Author

Mother
Tongue
AMY TAN

What is this
work about?
Or what
concepts are
especially
emphasized?

When and for

what
audience was
it written?
How do you
know?
(Include
quotes to
back up your
claim).
The way
For anyone
Tans
who has had
mother
difficulty
speaks and
speaking
how she
English and
grew up
how they
learning
realized their
different
English may
types of
be different
English. The than the rest.
concepts
Recently, I
specialized
was made
were the
keenly aware
different
of the
types of
different
English
Englishes I
children
do use. I was
learn.
giving a talk
to a large
group of
people, the
same talk I
had already
given to half
a dozen other
groups. The
nature of the
talk was
about my

Why is this
work
significant?
Cite some
quotes that
would help
your stance if
you were
arguing for
something.
Points out how
people arent
the same and
how children
grow up
learning to
speak a
different way
depending on
with who they
are speaking.
Just last
week, I was
walking down
the street with
my mother,
and I again
found myself
conscious of
the English I
was using, the
English I do
use with her.
We were
talking about
the price of
new and used
furniture and I
heard myself

How can you

apply what you
learned to
future classes /
your career?
(Transfer)

Where do
you think this
will apply in
your writing?

By
comprehending
that many have
a difficulty
speaking and
to not judge
like society
does expecting
for everyone to
speak perfect
English.

When it
comes to
writing about
the topic of
how one
grows up and
learns
different
languages but
talks
differently
from the rest.

writing, my
life, and my
book, The
Joy Luck
Club. The
talk was
going along
well enough,
until I
remember
one major
difference
that made the
whole talk
sound wrong.
My mother
was in the
room. And it
was perhaps
the first time
she had heard
me give a
lengthy
speech, using
the kind of
English I
have never
used with
her.

saying this:
Not waste
money that
way. My
husband was
with us as
well, and he
didnt notice
any switch in
my English.
And then I
realized why.
Its because
over the
twenty years
weve been
together Ive
often used the
same kind of
English with
him, and
sometimes he
even uses it
with me. It has
become our
language of
intimacy, a
different sort
of English that
relates to
family talk, the
language I
grew up with.

Superman
and Me
SHERMAN
ALEXIE

Its about
how Alexie
learned to
read and the
importance
about it and
his plans to
help other
native
children.
Changing
the way
people are
been seen
and the
great part of
learning to
read.

For people
who were
judge due to
the race they
are and those
who had
difficulty
learning to
read. As well
as for the
Native
Americans
who dont
want to go
out of their
way to learn
and expand
their
knowledge.
A smart
Indian is a
dangerous
person,
widely feared
and ridiculed
by Indians
and nonIndians alike.
I fought with
my
classmates on
a daily basis.
They wanted
me to stay
quiet when
the nonIndian teacher
asked for
answers, for
volunteers,

Makes people
realized that
no one has to
go by the
rules, that it
doesnt matter
your race or
culture. That
nothing has to
come your
way to achieve
goals and
grasp more
knowledge.
As Indian
children, we
were expected
to fail in the
non-Indian
world. Those
who failed
were
ceremonially
accepted by
other Indians
and
appropriately
pitied by nonIndians.
The Indian
kids crowd the
classroom.
Many are
writing their
own poems,
short stories
and novels.
They have
read my
books they

By not
focusing and
criticizing
people by their
race and
culture, and by
realizing that
everyone is
capable of
doing great
things.

When it
comes to
writing about
my
experience on
learning to
read, and to
any essay that
has a similar
prompt to it.

for help. We
were Indian
children who
were
expected to
be stupid.

Whats Your
Name, Girl?
MAYA
ANGELOU

look at me
with bright
eyes and
arrogant
wonder. They
are trying to
save their
lives. Then
there are the
sullen and
already
defeated
Indian kids
who sit in the
back rows and
ignore me with
theatrical
precisionI
am trying to
save our
lives.
An
For people
It informs how
experience
who were
maids and
Angelou
experiencing servants were
passed thru
similar
treated and
when she
treatment and how their life
was working for those who wasnt
for a
should be
valuable to
mistress.
taught as to
their masters
how others
as well as their
were treated. name.
Every
The very next
person I knew day, she called
had a hellish
me by the
horror of
wrong name.
being called Miss Glory
out of his
and I were
name. it was washing up the
a dangerous
lunch dishes
practice to
when Mrs.
call a Negro
Cullinan came

Informing and
giving a point
of view as to
the importance
given towards
a name and the
treatment due
to different
color skin and
race.

It will apply
in an essay
that is
involve with
the way a
person treats
other and in
giving a point
of why a
persons
name matters
and the
importance
behind it.

anything that
could be
loosely
construed as
insulting.

Learning to
Read and
Write
FREDERICK
DOUGLASS

How
Fredericks
life started
and his
harsh path
that took
place when
he was
learning to
read and
write.

to the
doorway.
Mary? Miss
Glory asked,
Who? Mrs.
Cullinan,
sagging a
little, knew
and I Knew. ..
Miss Glorys
face was a
wonder to see.
You mean
Margaret, ma
am. Her
names
Margaret.
Thats too
long. Shes
Mary from
now on.
People who
It helps the
have had
reader
difficulty
comprehend
reading and
how difficult
writing as
Fredericks life
well as those had been as a
who were
youngster and
against
how it helped
slavery and
him became a
desired to
better man.
make a
The plan
change.
which I
I often found adopted, and
myself
the one by
regretting my which I was
own
most
existence, and successful,
wishing
was that of
myself dead; making friends
and but for
of all the little

By trying to
follow a proper
path where I
can help other
learn to read
and write;
doing what is
the right thing
to do. It will
allow me to be
a nicer human
being who
reflects on the
mistakes being
done on the
past and tries
to not make
them again.

When writing
essay about
the harsh
times the
slaves as
children had
and the
disadvantages
of been a
slave and
knowing how
to read and
the
advantages of
slaves not
knowing how
to read how it
affected some
and the rest
hardly it did.

the hope of
being free
While in the
state of mind,
I was eager to
hear anyone
speak of
slavery. I was
a ready
listener.
Every little
while, I could
hear
something
about the
abolitionists.

white boys
whom I met in
the street. As
many of these
as I could, I
converted into
teachers. With
their kindly
aid, obtained
at different
times and in
different
places, I
finally
succeeded in
learning to
read.
As I writhed
under it, I
would at times
feel that
learning to
read had been
a curse rather
than a
blessing. It had
given me a
view of my
wretched
condition,
without the
remedy. It
opened my
eyes to the
horrible pit,
but to no
ladder upon
which to get
out. In
moments of

agony, I
envied my
fellow-slaves
for their
stupidity.

Salvation
LANGSTON
HUGHES

How a
group of
people who
have the
same beliefs
try to make
Hughes part
of the group
no matter
what. An
how in order
for him to
make his
aunt happy
he pretends
he saw Jesus
and is safe.

Its written
for the people
who have
been thru
those type of
situations and
are able to
comprehend
what he went
thru in order
to make his
community in
a sense
happy. My
aunt told me
that when you
were saved
you saw a
light, and
something
happened to
you inside!
And Jesus
came into
your life!.. I
believed
her So I sat
there calmly
in the hot,
crowded
church,
waiting for
Jesus to come

It
demonstrates
how a group of
people are,
when it comes
to religion and
how they
desired for the
children to be
part of it
without even
actually
having a say in
anything. I
began to be
ashamed of
myself,
holding
everything up
so long. I
began to
wonder what
God thought
about Westley,
who certainly
hadnt seen
Jesus either...
So I decided
that maybe to
save further
trouble, Id
better lie, too,
and say that

I can apply
what I learn to
other classes
when writing
what I learn if
in any way
portrays to the
information or
topic I am been
given.

When it
comes to
writing an
essay about
religion and
how some
people have
distinct views
in it. An how
in certain
religious
groups the
people in a
way force
others to join
and be part of
the religious
group.

to me.
Suddenly the
whole room
broke into a
sea of
shouting, as
they saw me
rise. Waves of
rejoicing
swept the
place. Women
leaped in the
air. My aunt
threw her
arms around
me.

Road
Warrior
DAVE
BARRY

Jesus had
come, and get
up and be
saved.
I cried, in bed
alone, and
couldnt
stop She
woke up and
told my uncle I
was crying
because the
Holy Ghost
had come into
my life, and
because I had
seen Jesus. But
I was really
crying because
I couldnt bear
to tell her that
I had lied, that
I had deceived
everybody in
the church.
How people It is written
Demonstrates
tend to lose for those who how even the
their
have gone
slightest
patience
through the
person can get
with others
same
in a bad mood
who take
emotions
cause by rage
their time in Barry has
and the reason
everything.
pass through. behind it. It
It is
And for the
shows the
specialized
people who
reason behind
in road rage, do that to
every type of
parking rage realize that
rage. How
and any type others find it
widespread is
of rage that
extremely
Road Rage?
occurs when annoying and To answer that
one losses
desire for it to question,

By trying to
not become
one of the
people who
drive slow and
cause traffic.
As well as to
be patient and
avoid getting
road rage or
any other type
of rage, to just
try the best I
can to
understand the
people.

When it
comes to
writing an
essay that has
been either
for or against.
Or agreeing
with what the
author says.

patience.

stop. That is
the main
cause of Road
Rage: The
realization
that many of
your fellow
motorists
have the same
brain
structure as a
cashew. The
most common
example, of
course, is the
motorists who
feel a need to
drive in the
left-hand, or
passing,
lane, even
though they
are going
slower than
everybody
else. Nobody
knows why
these
motorists do
this. I am
very familiar
with this
problem,
because I live
and drive in
Miami, Fla.,
which
proudly bills
itself as The
Inappropriate-

researchers for
the National
Institute of
Traffic Safety
recently did a
study in which
they drove on
the interstate
highway
system in a
specially
equipped
observation
van. By the
third day, they
were
deliberately
running other
motorists off
the road.
These people
are
MORONS!
was their
official
report.

Lane Driving
Capital Of
The World.

On Dumpster
Diving
LARS
EIGHNER

About what
he went
through
when he
became
homeless
and how
people
waste so
much which
by throwing
out good
things they
help the
homeless
have food
for days and
many
artifacts that
become
useful to
them.

It was written
for people
who dont
realize how
much they
take for
granted and
the many
things they
throw out that
are in good
conditions.
The area I
frequent is
inhabited by
many affluent
college
students. I am
not here by
chance; the
Dumpsters in
this area are
very rich.
Students
throw out
many good
things,
including
food.

Helps people
realized the
lifestyle of
homeless
people and
how people
waste good
food every day
which can be a
terrible thing
for those who
throw out food
constantly, but
good for the
homeless
because they
get to eat.
The students
throw food
away around
the breaks
because they
do not know
whether it has
spoiled or will
spoil before
they return. A
typical discard
is a half jar of
peanut butter.
In fact
nonorganic
peanut butter

By helping
others who
dont have a
shelter and
food,
becoming
more
conscious of
what I have
and thinking
about what I
really dont
need.

This applies
to any writing
that is about
how people
dont value
every
material
thing, and the
food they can
afford. To
topics that
refer to the
lifestyle or
what is like
to be a
homeless,
and how a
person can
help the
homeless and
prevent
others from
having that
lifestyle.

My Visit to
Niagara
NATHANIEL
HAWTHORE

Hawthores
visit to
Niagara and
his
descriptions
as to how it
looks and
what was
happening
that precise
moment. He
gives great
detail about
every single
thing.

does not
require
refrigeration
and is unlikely
to spoil in any
reasonable
time. The
student does
not know that,
and since it is
Daddys
money, the
student
decides not to
take a chance.
It was written Demonstrates
during his
how since
time there and television
for those who wasnt
werent able
invented then
to go to
people rely on
Niagara and
books and how
for the people authors were
back then that demanded to
didnt have a write and
way to travel. make the
The way he
reader seem as
states what he if they were in
does and what the same
happens in his place, making
surroundings the story really
says it all. It vivid. My
was an
contemplations
afternoon of
were often
glorious
interrupted by
sunshine,
strangers who
without a
came down
cloud, save
from Forsyths
those of the
to take their
cataracts. I
first view of
gained an
the falls. A

By writing
with more
detail and
making the
story or essay
more vivid, as
well as to view
my
surroundings if
in any case I
want to tell
someone were
I was and
possibly how
beautiful the
place was.

When it
comes to
writing about
fascinating
places to
travel and
giving detail
of what is
there that
might interest
future
travelers and
the people
who cant
afford to
travel. When
it applies to
the given
topic and if a
topic
specializes in
the way
people lived
and why
author wrote
a specific

insulated
rock, and
beheld a
broad sheet of
brilliant and
unbroken
foam, not
shooting in a
curved line
from the top
of the
precipice, but
falling
headlong
down from
height to
depth.

short, ruddy,
middle-aged
gentleman,
fresh from old
England,
peeped over
the rock, and
evinced his
approbation by
a broad grin.

way.