I'm still thinking about these ideas, Jennifer; they're fascinating! I think much of how we answer this question depends on our own belief system regarding a transactional point of view of reading, and Louise Rosenblatt and friends as well. And those among us who believe that what a reader brings to the page is easily as important as what is actually on that page. I think these are probably part of the foundation implicit in the question. I've got a lot of thinking to do! One thing that I do find it easy to agree with, though, is that most passages that have a clear, obvious "main idea" (that you can tell exactly what the author intended to be the main idea) are found precisely where you'd expect -- on a standardized test. And while authors would probably largely agree that they have an obligation to their reader to make the "main idea" clear and accessible, the formulaic "main idea followed by supporting details" probably isn't a constant presence guiding an author's writing process. Actually I think quite a lot of them probably figure they'll put the writing "out there" and it's "every man for himself" to figure out what is important, mainly. Interesting stuff. Bev
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:30:20 -0400> To: > [email protected]> Subject: Re: [Understand] Main Idea> > > You > are right---'guessing' what the author believes is important is easier > in > non-fiction that is written a certain way...like those Time for Kids > > articles that little people often read. > > I don't think there is a main > idea in fiction...there are themes...but no > main idea! The text structure > is different---plot---rising action, > climax---resolution. But in > non-fiction---there are multiple text structures. > I think maybe it is > possible to have a main idea/detail text structure with > more than one > important idea! > > I keep thinking about the nonfiction article about a > house. What a realtor, > a historian and a thief would feel was important in > that article would all be > different. Our purposes for reading affect what > the most important ideas are > in that article. YET...maybe that article is > written as a description and > maybe it is written main idea/detail...> I > think I am getting even more confused!> Jennifer> In a message dated > 7/30/2008 9:22:53 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:> > > So, Dana if you are looking at the structure of the text are you really > > looking at the main idea? I am a voracious reader and writer and I have > always > struggled with the concept of main idea on a test. I can justify my > answers > orally until the cows come home, but on a test...problems. I > remember > reading Shakespeare in high school and my teacher telling me that > I was not > understanding it the way that Shakespeare meant it to be. My > question was how did > she know how he meant it to be understood? Obviuosly > there is usually a > surface main idea, but upon further readings > comprehension grows, which often > clouds the "exact" main idea. I find it > easier to identify in non-fiction > informational text, but then it depends > on the way the author writes. So, when we > don't neccessarily agree with the > author's main idea (or what the test claims > that to be) what are we to do? > Will teaching text structure help people > like me? There seems to be many > ways that an author can write the main idea. I > am not sure how to best > teach my kiddos. I still maintain that they have to > be flexible in their > thinking.> > Nancy> > > > > > > > **************Get fantasy football with > free live scoring. Sign up for > FanHouse Fantasy Football today. > > (http://www.fanhouse.com/fantasyaffair?ncid=aolspr00050000000020)> > _______________________________________________> Understand mailing list> > [email protected]> > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/listinfo/understand_literacyworkshop.org _________________________________________________________________ Time for vacation? WIN what you need- enter now! http://www.gowindowslive.com/summergiveaway/?ocid=tag_jlyhm _______________________________________________ Understand mailing list [email protected] http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/listinfo/understand_literacyworkshop.org
