Author Says/ I say

Purpose: This activity is supposed to be used during and after a reading. It has students create
connections between new knowledge and knowledge they had previously. It also has students
create new ideas based off of the reading. This activity would work well as a formative
assessment.
Audience: This could be used at any grade level, but the questions asked would have to be
created for specific grade levels/ ability levels. This could also be used in any content area easily.
Texts: The texts used would need to be providing students with some type of new information,
but is something students have previous knowledge about or some type of connection to. The
activity could also work well if the students have opposite views of the author.
Guidelines: Give students a handout (example below) that correlates to the assigned text. On
this handout there should be questions that the text answers and that students should have some
type of connection to. Have students read and fill out the handout either while they are reading or
after they have finished.
Adaptations: This could be turned into more of a group discussion as well by having the text
read aloud to the class and have the students come up with things they are wondering about as
the reading goes on. Those I wonder statements become the questions. This activity could be
used for videos or presentations as well. It is also a great way to help students comprehend
actions/ consequences.
Strengths: This is a great tool for struggling learners as it can be scaffolded easily and relies a
lot on their own ideas instead of focusing too much on the text. I also think this is a great way for
students to clearly transfer knowledge.
Weaknesses: For higher grade levels the questions could be a bit too easy if they come up with
their own questions.

Author SaysI Sayand So

Questions

Author Says

I Say

Read the question.

Find information from the text to

help you answer the question.

Consider what you know about the

information.

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