Regents Mastery ELL Sequence

More Bilingual Scaffolds

Propósito: Purpose

Perspectiva: Perspective

Contexto: Context

Contraste: Contrast

Resumen: Summary

Inferencia: Inference

Bilingual Dictionary Training

Bilingual dictionaries must be word-to-word only. Train students to use them for academic vocabulary (e.g., "delineate", "evaluate") rather than basic functional language.

The Expository Design / El Diseño Expositivo

Before writing, map your thoughts. Below are options suited for your analysis. Select one option in each section to construct your thesis blueprint.

A Choose Your Central Idea / Elige tu Idea Central

Check the box next to the theme you want to write about:

Tradition & Culture: Celebrating heritage and keeping traditional rituals brings communities together and honors ancestral roots.
Celebrar el patrimonio y mantener los rituales tradicionales une a las comunidades y honra las raíces de los ancestros.

Pride & Transformation: Rising from poverty to wealth can transform a person's character, replacing fear with pride and a sense of superiority.
Salir de la pobreza a la riqueza puede transformar el carácter de una persona, reemplazando el miedo con orgullo y superioridad.

B Choose Your Writing Strategy / Elige tu Estrategia de Escritura

Select the literary tool you will analyze:

Imagery / Imágenes

Visual descriptions (the red paper, custom moon cakes, new black robes) show the effort to honor traditions and celebrate success.

Characterization / Caracterización

Wang Lung's internal pride and his final negligent tone to the gatekeeper reveal his shift from a timid farmer to a confident, proud homeowner.

C Text Evidence Tracker / Rastreador de Evidencia

Write down your favorite quote from the excerpt that proves your central idea:

My Quote & Line Number:

Transitioning Tip: Start your evidence block using: For example, the author states, "..." (Buck, line X). This proves you did not copy and builds "Command of Evidence" (Rubric Criteria 2).

NYS Regents ELA Preparation Series Page 2 of 4

Step 3: Constructing Your Draft

The Expository Draft / El Borrador de Ensayo

2 Paragraphs Aligned

Paragraph 1 Blueprint: Central Idea & Thesis

Sentence Starter: "In the excerpt from The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, the author develops the central idea that..."

Paragraph 2 Blueprint: Strategy & Evidence Analysis

Sentence Starters: "Pearl S. Buck develops this central idea through the use of [imagery / characterization]. For instance,..."

College-Ruled Drafting Board / Líneas de Escritura Draft in Ink

NYS Regents ELA Preparation Series Page 3 of 4

Extra Drafting Space

Essay Continued / Continuación del Ensayo

Page 4 Addition

Use this extra sheet to finish your Paragraph 2 analysis. Remember to include your line citation (e.g., "..." [Buck, line 20]) and explain how your selected writing strategy proves your central idea.

NYS Regents ELA Preparation Series Page 4 of 4

"In the excerpt from The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, the author develops the central idea that [Your selected Central Idea / Idea Central]."

How to Complete It: Add your chosen theme. For example, write that "pride can change how a person acts towards others."

Traducción de Apoyo: "En el fragmento de The Good Earth de Pearl S. Buck, el autor desarrolla la idea central de que..."

Introductory Thesis scaffolding Slide 5 of 6

Drafting Paragraph 2 / Párrafo 2

STRATEGY ANALYSIS

The Analysis Formula

STEP A: Introduce

"Buck uses [imagery/characterization] to..."

Introduce el recurso literario.

STEP B: Evidence

"For example, the text states, '...'"

Sustenta con una cita directa.

STEP C: Explain

"This demonstrates the central idea because..."

Explica la conexión con la idea central.

Pro Tip: Avoid the "literal trap"! Do not just summarize what happens. Always explain *why* the author used that specific word or detail to prove the theme.

Part 3 Analysis scaffold Slide 6 of 6

Transitioning Stage Model Essay Breakdown

PARAGRAPH 1 ELEMENTS

Sentence 1 (Thesis): Introduce the text, author, central idea (e.g., "The central idea is that rising prosperity can create extreme pride in an individual"), and the chosen strategy (e.g., imagery).

PARAGRAPH 2 ELEMENTS

Sentence 1 (Topic sentence): State how the strategy is used. (e.g., "Pearl S. Buck uses vivid imagery of traditional luxury to emphasize Wang Lung’s pride.")
Sentence 2 (Evidence): Insert the quote. (e.g., "For example, the text describes the New Year's cakes 'such as only the rich ate at the feast' (line 22).")
Sentence 3 (Explanation): Analyze the quote. (e.g., "This imagery shows that Wang Lung values these traditional cakes because they represent his transition to wealth. His heart is 'fit to burst with pride' which proves that material prosperity has given him a new confidence.")

Targeted Feedback Prompt

If a student's essay reads as a summary of Wang Lung's preparations rather than an analysis of the writing strategy, ask: "You told me what Wang Lung pasted on his doors, but how does the visual color of the red paper make the reader feel? What does the color red symbolize?" This shifts them into analytical writing.

NYS Regents ELA Teacher Resource Page 2 of 2

NYS Regents ELA Support Handout Page 2 of 2

Formula

Topic + Author's Perspective = Central Idea

Tema + Perspectiva del autor = Idea Central

August 2025: Sweet, Sour, Resentful

Question #23 asks how the flashback reinforces the central idea.

Key Strategy:

Look for the "Big Picture" that covers the whole story, not just one paragraph.

Common Pitfall / Error Común

ELL Trap: Picking a detail that is TRUE but is TOO SMALL.

Trampa: Elegir un detalle que es cierto pero es demasiado pequeño.

Your Turn / Tu Turno

Open your Textual Analysis Blueprint. Which layer of close reading do you find most challenging?

1. Vocab

The Words

2. Purpose

The Reason

3. Central Idea

The Big Picture

Evidence / Evidencia:

"But I knew, one way or another, I’d reach the plains that day. ... It was the closest I had ever been to the ground. It was the bravest thing I had ever done." (Lines 36-47)

4. These lines reveal (show) the narrator's:

(1) confidence in his own ability

(2) anxiety about being exiled

(3) skill at evading the creatures

(4) fear of not reaching his goal

Identify the clue word / Palabra clave

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Inference Unit 2026

4. These lines reveal (show) the narrator's:

(1) confidence in his own ability

(2) anxiety about being exiled

(3) skill at evading the creatures

(4) fear of not reaching his goal

Identify the clue word / Identifique la palabra clave

Detective Strategy: The Mirror Check

Does the character feel like the object described? If yes, it is likely a parallel.