When students are connecting with a text, what type of thinking are they engaging in compared to simply answering questions?

When students connect with a text, they are engaging in higher-level thinking. This type of thinking involves deeper cognitive processes such as analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information. Students who connect with a text can draw upon their own experiences, make inferences, and understand themes, which requires them to think critically about the material. This differs significantly from simply answering questions, which often involves recalling information or surface-level comprehension without deeper engagement with the content.

In contrast to higher-level thinking, lower-level thinking typically focuses on basic skills like memorization or recall of facts, while surface-level understanding involves the ability to grasp the immediate meaning without delving deeper into implications or connections. Higher-level thinking promotes a richer understanding of the material, enabling students to engage more fully with the text and apply their knowledge in meaningful ways.