A Critical Inquiry Approach to Mentor Texts: Learn It With EASE

Fourth-grade students were introduced to a detailed process approach to examining mentor texts and then transferring their newfound knowledge of author craft to their own independent writing. The EASE strategy was created as a way to scaffold students from merely noticing the exceptional moves that authors make to adeptly applying these techniques. In an effort to read like writers and then write like readers, students were taught to closely examine powerful writing craft and assess why the author may have chosen to write in that particular way. They were also required to suggest other ways to write the excerpt and envision where they might use a similar move in a current or upcoming writing project. Through small-group writing conferences and writing samples, students showcased how they made direct connections between mentor texts and their narratives and reports.