Save the Last Word for Me

Save the Last Word for Me (Short, Harste, & Burke, 1995) provides a framework for student review of materials by first gathering ideas from all group members and then having the person who chose the passage present their interpretation of the material. Since the discussion takes place in a small group, students who typically do not participate in large discussions are more comfortable joining in the review.

Implementation

1. The strategy is fairly simple to explain, requires minimal modeling, and can be partially completed outside the classroom.
2. Here are the steps to follow when it is first introduced.
3. Have students prepare their Last Word card.
4. You may want to provide specific questions or prompts. For example:

• What do you Agree with in the text?
• What do you want to Argue with in the text?
• What parts of the text do you want to Aspire to (or Act upon)?

• Begin with images by providing a collection of posters, paintings, and photographs from the time period you are studying and then asking students to select three particular images that stand out. On the back of an index card, students explain why they selected this image and what they think it represents or why it is important.
• Begin with questions: Ask students to think about three “probing” questions the text raises. Probing questions are interpretive and evaluative and can be discussed without looking for a clearly defined right” answer.

Classroom Management

 

1. Each student individually reads the text.
2. As students read, they note any segments of the text, words, phrases, or sentences that catch their attention, that they find interesting, that they agree or disagree with, or that they find surprising, exciting or puzzling on the front side of an index card.
3. On the other side of the card, students write what they want to say about each quote or phrase they selected. This can be a question or a point of agreement or disagreement.
4. Once they have completed the reading, put students in small groups to share their cards.
5. Create groups of four and nominate a timekeeper.
6. When the group is ready, a volunteer identifies the point in the article that s/he found to be most significant and reads it aloud to the group. This person says nothing about why s/he chose that particular point.
7. The other 3 participants each have 1 minute to respond to that idea.
8. The first participant then has 3 minutes to state why s/he chose that point and to respond to his/her teammates based on what s/he heard.
9. The same pattern is followed until all four members of the group have had a chance to have “the last word.”
10. Debrief the experience.

 

Adapted from: School Reform Initiative