Bias as a Research Skill: Helping Students See Author Choices [Ep 71] Artwork

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Middle School Café – Strategies & Support for Middle School ELA Teachers

Bias as a Research Skill: Helping Students See Author Choices [Ep 71]

February 17, 2026 • Carolyn Wahl - Middle School ELA • Episode 71

0:00 | 12:01

In this episode, we continue the research series by focusing on how students learn to recognize bias in informational texts. Instead of treating bias as a separate lesson, the episode explores how it grows from the reading habits students already use— noticing what’s emphasized, what’s left out, and how language shapes the way information comes across. You’ll hear practical, grounded strategies that help students understand how author decisions influence meaning.

We also look at why this awareness strengthens students’ research skills. When students learn to spot how information is shaped, they become more intentional when selecting evidence, comparing sources, and making decisions in their own writing. This episode offers simple, realistic ways to build bias recognition into everyday instruction so students read, write, and research with more confidence and clarity.