Teaching the sophistication is intimidating–so much so that I used to tell my students not to worry about the sophistication point in AP Lang.
With the sophistication point being so elusive and the bulk of an AP Lang essay score coming from evidence and commentary, it didn’t seem wise to focus on the sophistication point very heavily.
And then I realized something: while I didn’t want my students to stress about the sophistication point, I did want them to know how to make their writing more engaging, as doing so would help them beyond the confines of my classroom.
Here are 5 ways I incorporate the idea of “sophistication” into my lessons:
Tip 1: Discuss situating the issue in a broader context.
(Yes, I use the term with my students–I have found it helps them understand the expectations of the rubric if I use terms from the rubric and CED.) Even if my students don’t earn the sophistication point when they attempt to situate the issue in a broader context, the attempt often improves their commentary.
What does this look like?
- For rhetorical analysis, we discuss the historical significance of the text, especially when reading speeches. Depending on the passage, we’ll discuss the extent to which the message or argument still applies today or the extent to which the changes the speaker desired have taken effect.
- For synthesis or argument, we’ll discuss the short-term and long-term effects on society. If applicable, we’ll discuss relevant personal experience or outside knowledge of the topic. The goal is to help students to think beyond what the provided sources/passage conveys.
Tip 2: Remind students that they can make rhetorical choices.
When studying rhetorical analysis, we have our students identify and analyze rhetorical choices. When they write essays, they are now the writer and thus get to make rhetorical choices. It seems like a simple premise, but each year, when I remind my students of this, their eyes widen. I can tell by the expressions on their faces that it’s starting to click. The skills we discuss with rhetorical analysis are skills writers make, and although they students, our students are, in fact, writers.
So which choices can student make?
The choice students make depend on the prompt, their argument, and even their writing style. So, here are some choices students can consider:
- Comparison – a metaphor or analogy present in the introduction that the writer revisits in the conclusion
- Detail/Description – this is one my creative writers gravitate toward
- Definition – defining terms, especially in an introductory paragraph, can be a helpful way to set parameters, especially in argument and synthesis
Tip 3: Focus on word choice, punctuation, and varied syntax.
- Have students get in the habit of omitting simple words from their essays: good, bad, thing, etc. I’ve seen some creative ways of addressing this: word funerals or retirement parties (note that a retirement party might be less triggering for some students.) Have students create their own posters to display in class or synonyms lists to keep in their notebooks.
- When doing shorter in-class writing, rough drafts, or even revisions, have students add in appropriate adverbs and adjectives to improve their word choice throughout the response.
- If helping students prepare for the SAT or ACT, remind them that they can include some of the more advanced punctuation they’ve studied in their writing as well. Lately, I’ve been including “punctuation requirements” in some of my shorter assignments. For example, as part of the instructions, I might ask student to include a colon or dash (used correctly) in their response. Some students struggle with this the first time or two, but with practice, students can do it more effectively and eventually, they begin to incorporate these tactics in their own writing.
Tip 4: Examine tensions within the rhetorical situation.
A couple years ago, about midway through the year, I had a student very earnestly ask me what they were supposed to do with the SPACE part of SPACE CAT in the body paragraphs. That question sparked an excellent discussion of how to connect the choice to the rhetorical situation. Soon after, “why this choice for this audience on this occasion?” became my mantra. As part of that discussion, we looked at the tensions within the text (Gandhi’s letter to Lord Irwin is a great text to do this with once students are comfortable with RA.)
Questions to ask in discussion:
- What, if any, tensions exist in the relationship between writer and audience? Why might the audience be reluctant to accept the message?
- Why was this choice more effective than (include a choice the writer does not make) and why is the audience more receptive to this choice? Why would the audience have been less receptive to the other choice?
- What, if any, social tensions exist at the time the passage was written? How does the writer navigate these tensions?
Tip 5: Examine the structure.
I typically have my students divide a passage into sections. Honestly, the number of sections doesn’t technically matter. Though, for an exam length passage, 3 sections is pretty common. After having them divide the passage into sections (usually with a partner,) I’ll have them explain their decision to the class. In many cases, they will not divide the passage in the exact same places. However, they can justify why they did it–shifts in choice, topic, or tone.
Having students divide the passage helps them understand the structure. This can lead to a great conversation about why the writer structured the passage in that manner (again likely connecting to the rhetorical situation.)
Questions to ask in discussion:
- Why did the writer structure the text in this way?
- How do the choices “build?”
- Why is this order of choices effective?
Bonus Tip: I’ll be discussing these tips in more depth in my Teaching Rhetorical Analysis course. Join the waitlist here!
