The Big Picture: Readings for Developing Writers

An exciting approach to learning and refining reading and writing skills prevails throughout this provocative anthology. It interests readers in several works on a certain theme, engages them in reading instruction while reading, and prompts them to complete a writing assignment based upon what they have read. Forty thought-provoking readings on a number of subjects are organized around five general themes: people, places, events, phenomena, and issues. The essays, short stories, poems, and excerpts—along with the six activities that follow each one—will help readers bring all the pieces together to create and understand “the big picture.” For anyone who wants to find out that reading can be fun, and that anyone can learn to be a good writer.

The Big Picture is designed for instructors who teach holistically, who integrate reading and writing in their instruction, and who are ready for a new, exciting approach to teaching developmental students. Students read several works on a certain theme, engage in reading instruction along the way, and then move on to a writing assignment based upon the readings. Students get the structure they need, and they arc engaged and interested.

Each selection is surrounded by activities designed to help students get the most from the reading.

• Prereading. Students are given an activity related to the topic to prepare them for the reading. Many include free writing, brainstorming, or minor research.
• Annotating. Students are encouraged to take an active part in their reading by underlining key words and phrases and by writing notes in the margins.
• The Selections. The Big Picture contains 40 reading selections divided into five themes: People, Places, Events, Phenomena, and Issues. Readings include essays, short stories, poems, textbook excerpts, letters, an interview, excerpts from book-length works of nonfiction, a speech, and a radio broadcast.
• Exploring Vocabulary. Students are asked to define key terms from the selection.
• Profiling People. Using the profile sheets in the text, students are asked to write a profile of a character in the selection.
• Exploring the Text. These open-ended questions prompt students to think critically about the content of the selection.
• Exploring Ideas. These open-ended questions challenge students to examine the ideas presented in the selection.

Each unit ends with additional Suggestions for Reading, Suggestions for Summarizing, Suggestions for Writing, and Suggestions for Profiling.