READING BUZZWORDS (HIGH SCHOOL) In high school, your child must be able to analyze literary text and communicate effectively his thoughts on the work. You can encourage your child’s literary comprehension and analysis by taking an active role in what he is learning. The jargon used by educators and literacy experts can be daunting but you should understand the concepts being taught to your child. Here is a list of literary buzzwords to help you stay involved in your student’s reading curriculum: Etymology: the study of the history of words. This is useful when reading advanced texts where significant terms may have roots in Greek or Latin. Figurative language: a literary mechanism used to express thoughts in a creative and descriptive manner. Figurative language is often used to create a clear picture of the author’s intended meaning without saying it outright. It generally uses literary devices such as metaphors, personification and imagery. Literal language: communicates in a direct fashion. The author says what he means in simple, direct terms. Literary criticism: evaluates the work’s style, including the tone, mood and theme. Advanced readers should be able to use the terminology associated with literary criticism when analyzing a work. Literary criticism also can include political assumptions on a topic or philosophical arguments. Literary devices: add significance and meaning to a literary work through figurative language. Examples of literary devices include imagery, allegory, symbolism and irony. Narrative analysis: analyzes the interactions between main and subordinate characters, including conflicts, motivations, relationships and influences, to explain the subsequent affects on the plot. A student must be able to determine character traits by using devices such as narration, dialogue, dramatic monologue and soliloquy. Reading comprehension: at this level students analyze the organizational patterns, arguments and positions advanced by texts. Reading comprehension can be gauged by a student’s ability to generate questions about the text and evaluate the credibility of the author’s argument. By Renee Sarnowski