Don't Ask Comprehension Questions When Reading a Novel: The Brilliance of TRACKING Ep 10

Traditional comprehension questions are holding your students back. It’s time for a shift. This method flips the script on how we approach novel studies and writing in middle school, moving beyond recall questions and into deep, authentic engagement.

Instead of asking students to remember what happened, this strategy teaches them to track what matters. By gathering purposeful evidence on theme, characterization, world-building, and author’s craft as they read, students naturally build the foundation for high-level literary analysis. And the best part? It all connects seamlessly to evidence-based writing using the CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning) framework.

Use this approach to bring more meaning to your novel studies, elevate your writing instruction, and finally answer the question: how do you truly teach writing in middle school? You start here.

Want a closer look at the Literary Evidence Trackers? Go HERE.

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