How to Construct a Rationale Statement

Writing a rationale is an effective way to develop the teacher-student relationship. By explaining to his students the reasoning behind studying a particular novel or film, the teacher is able to involve the student and clarify what is expected of them. A rationale always should outline the educational significance of the work involved and explain how the teacher plans the work to be carried out.

Introduce the piece of work that will be studied. Include a bibliographical citation to assure students of the work's credibility.

Identify your target audience. Be specific; you should consider what age group you will be working with, and the level of ability that the work demands.

Indicate whether the work will be carried out as individual study, in pairs or as a group.

Summarize the work. Include a brief overview of the work, why you believe it to be important and what its educational significance is.

Explain how the selected piece of work relates to the program as a whole. You should justify your choice of this particular piece and how it fits in.

Explain the impact of the work. You should summarize how the piece of work is culturally significant and explain any impact that the work may have on the students.

Discuss any problems with the work that may arise. This allows you to offer reassurances to the students, which will give them the confidence to approach you if they encounter a problem.

Collect information about the work. Reviews, articles or journals can be used as resources, if necessary, and offer the students different opinions and readings of the work.

Suggest alternative works. This offers the student a chance to broaden her knowledge on a specific topic, using the alternative works to supplement their learning. Explain why these alternatives have been suggested.