While completing her educational training during the 1990s, Dr. Angela Rodriguez observed that reading and writing instruction occurred as isolated...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
While completing her educational training during the 1990s, Dr. Angela Rodriguez observed that reading and writing instruction occurred as isolated subjects, even though research demonstrated these skills were naturally connected. A curriculum specialist argues that Rodriguez's later contributions as an instructional designer sought to address this separation not through developing more rigorous reading curricula, but through creating methods that combined literacy development with subject matter instruction across various academic fields.
Which evidence, if accurate, would most strongly validate the curriculum specialist's argument?
Through her 'Intensive Reading Mastery' program, Rodriguez established focused reading seminars that enhanced students' analytical abilities via concentrated engagement with sophisticated literary works.
Rodriguez's 'Inter-Grade Writing Exchange' program linked learners across different academic levels for collaborative composition activities, enabling younger participants to benefit from older students' writing expertise.
Rodriguez's curriculum 'Integrated Literacy Pathways' required students to examine primary source documents during history lessons, compose scientific research reports in laboratory courses, and develop story problems for mathematics, collaborating with subject specialists including historian Dr. Patricia Wong and scientist Dr. Marcus Johnson to maintain disciplinary authenticity.
In her role as director of the 'Educator Enhancement Program,' Rodriguez facilitated regular conferences where teachers exchanged methods for boosting student achievement within their respective academic areas.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'While completing her educational training during the 1990s, Dr. Angela Rodriguez observed that reading and writing instruction occurred as isolated subjects' |
|
| 'even though research demonstrated these skills were naturally connected' |
|
| 'A curriculum specialist argues that Rodriguez's later contributions as an instructional designer sought to address this separation' |
|
| 'not through developing more rigorous reading curricula, but through creating methods that combined literacy development with subject matter instruction across various academic fields' |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: A curriculum specialist argues that Dr. Rodriguez addressed the problematic separation of reading and writing instruction by integrating literacy development with subject matter teaching across academic disciplines.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes a problem Rodriguez observed (literacy skills taught in isolation despite research showing their connection), then presents a specialist's argument about how Rodriguez later addressed this issue through cross-curricular integration rather than intensified reading instruction.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The correct evidence should show Rodriguez creating programs or methods that:
- Integrate reading and writing with other academic subjects (history, science, math, etc.)
- Work across multiple disciplines rather than focusing only on literacy skills
- Demonstrate the 'combined literacy development with subject matter instruction' approach the specialist describes
Through her 'Intensive Reading Mastery' program, Rodriguez established focused reading seminars that enhanced students' analytical abilities via concentrated engagement with sophisticated literary works.
✗ Incorrect
- Describes 'Intensive Reading Mastery' focused reading seminars using literary works
- This represents exactly what the specialist says Rodriguez did NOT do - developing more rigorous reading curricula
Rodriguez's 'Inter-Grade Writing Exchange' program linked learners across different academic levels for collaborative composition activities, enabling younger participants to benefit from older students' writing expertise.
✗ Incorrect
- Shows writing collaboration between different grade levels
- While this involves writing instruction, it doesn't combine literacy with other subject areas like history or science
Rodriguez's curriculum 'Integrated Literacy Pathways' required students to examine primary source documents during history lessons, compose scientific research reports in laboratory courses, and develop story problems for mathematics, collaborating with subject specialists including historian Dr. Patricia Wong and scientist Dr. Marcus Johnson to maintain disciplinary authenticity.
✓ Correct
- Shows 'Integrated Literacy Pathways' requiring students to read primary sources in history, write scientific reports in lab courses, and develop math story problems
- Directly demonstrates combining literacy development with subject matter instruction across various academic fields
In her role as director of the 'Educator Enhancement Program,' Rodriguez facilitated regular conferences where teachers exchanged methods for boosting student achievement within their respective academic areas.
✗ Incorrect
- Describes teacher conferences where educators share methods 'within their respective academic areas'
- This keeps subjects separate rather than integrating literacy across disciplines