Close Reading (by Jessica Wayton and Emily Cooper) A close reader is NOT this… or this…

Definition Close reading is a reading strategy that helps students, through multiple readings, understand the deeper meaning of a complicated / challenging text. Students learn to become active readers (detectives) and to build/stretch their thinking and reading skills. …A close reader is more like a detective who finds and makes sense of clues in a text

Purpose and Importance Reading comprehension standards have been added to most content areas (particularly science, social studies, math, and foreign language). Students will use close reading skills in college, their jobs, and their lives. Current standardized tests (such as the redesigned SAT) require students to apply their reading skills to answer questions in math, science, and social studies. Thus, a poor reader has a reduced chance for success in all areas. Close reading of rich, meaningful, often profound texts, will not only help students develop valuable college and career readiness skills but will also provide students opportunities to reflect on and deeply engage with issues and concerns central to informed citizenship. Thus, it is suggested that every teacher incorporate a close reading lesson/strategy once every week to two weeks, depending on students’ skill sets.

Student Objectives/Benefits Define challenging vocabulary words through context clues Improve comprehension and retention (dig deep) of a text through multiple reads and prompts/questions Analyze a challenging text through annotation and discussion –Identify resources to address confusion –Evaluate the main idea and supporting details –Use evidence from the text to answer higher-order, critical thinking text-dependent prompts/questions

Six Close-Reading Practices 1. Short, worthy passages Limit text to 3 to 9 paragraphs; use excerpts of long passages. Passages should be challenging for the students/grade level. 2. Rereading Do any combination of reading independently, reading with peers, reading with teachers, reading aloud in class. Give students a purpose for each read. 3. Limited frontloading Provide objectives and purpose statements but don’t reveal content/background info. Otherwise, students often will skip the reading. 4. Text-dependent questions (see attached Figure 3.2) 5. Annotation Students should be active readers by marking up the text during first and second readings. (Annotations might include circling unknown words, underlining/highlighting details or key phrases, and writing notes in margins.) Markings should continue throughout subsequent discussion framed by text- dependent questions. 6. After-reading tasks Have students engage in Socratic Seminars, debate a topic, or write a 100- word summary (include name of author and key ideas), using their annotations to guide them.

A close reader reads with a pen! Annotate during each read!

Annotation Bookmarks

Example 1st Read (Gist Read): -During first reading, students read silently on own and mark unknown words, then use context clues to define the words in margins. -As a class or in groups, discuss and clarify definitions and any questions students have (ACE)* -Students then write and discuss the gist or main idea (ACE) *ACE= Answer, Cite, Explain

Example (continued) 2nd Read (Read for Details): -Before 2nd reading, provide students with 1-3 text-dependent questions (knowledge/comprehension domain). Such questions often ask about details that support the main idea, the text structure, the author’s tone, purpose, word choice, etc. You could even have students write their own questions. As they read, students should mark up the text. Model this for them first. -As a class or in groups, answer the questions / discuss details (ACE). Students could then illustrate specific imagery.

Example (continued) 3rd Read (Inference Read): -Before 3rd reading, provide students with 1-3 text-dependent INFERENCE questions (application/analysis/synthesis/ evaluation domain). You could even have students write their own questions. As they read, students should annotate the text. -As a class or in groups, answer the questions / discuss inferences (read between the lines) and form/argue opinions (ACE)

The messier the text, the better!

001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAPmbRRLk~,C5G7jhYNtifLHMZ3Mk 1et94EXmm8Be9z&bctid= http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid ?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAPmbRRLk~,C5G7jhYNtifLHMZ3Mk 1et94EXmm8Be9z&bctid= Go to for more information and videos. For sample questions or additional information, us: Emily Cooper: Jessica Wayton: