1. Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP
Teaching Elementary Students to Conduct a CLOSE Read of Text using the Structured Read Aloud Process
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

2. The Structured Read Aloud Process-Theory of Action
What is firmly established by the research is that measurable long-term storage of sound and word patterns begins as early as eight months of age. Children hearing the most language will have the best chance of having the best language skills.2 There are only two ways for words to enter a child's brain: through the eyes or through the ears. Since the child isn't reading yet, that leaves just the ears. -Jim Trelease, The Read Aloud Handbook

3. What is the Structured Read Aloud Process?
Developed by Dr. Beryl Irene Bailey in 2000, the structured read aloud process is, a hybrid method, combining several scientific & evidenced-based language strategies and authentic multi-cultural children’s literature and informational text. The concept of structure signifies an established routine that ensures that children are provided very explicit instruction in what happens during reading, understanding the author’s message and how to problem solve text when comprehension breaks down.

4. What Differentiates the Structured Read Aloud from a Regular Read Aloud?
Systemic Framework of Structured Read Aloud
Choosing of text is deliberate and serves as mentor text for specific reading/writing standards
Access to academic content knowledge above reading level
Should happen first thing in the morning-structured time
Requires a close read and analysis prior to reading to children
Teacher identifies vocabulary to explicitly teach
Teacher embeds lessons on explicit oral language development, phoneme awareness, phonics & fluency
Teacher prepares text dependent questions and codes the book/text.
Teacher creates anchor charts to model metacognitive strategies to facilitate narrative discourse development & problem-solving of complex text

5. The Structured Read Aloud Process
Up Close and Purposeful

6. What Differentiates the Structured Read Aloud from a Regular Read Aloud?
Arbitrary Reading of any book
No prior reading necessary. Teacher may just take book from shelf and intermittently ask low level or key detail questions
Often used as a gap filler for when students are napping or resting
Often occurs at the end of the day
Not necessarily aligned with a theme or lesson

7. The Structured Read Aloud Process
The structured read aloud process is an essential and effective solution to leveling the playing field for children who come to school with limited literacy learning.-Beryl Irene Bailey

8. The Structured Read Aloud Process
Teacher Responsibilities
Conduct a close read of the story/text before reading it to students
Identify the tier 2 & tier 3 vocabulary to teach
Code the text
Create anchor charts
Conduct think alouds
Generate Text Dependent Questions
Provide explicit strategy instruction (vocabulary & comprehension) to ensure comprehension

9. The Structured Read Aloud Process-Student Responsibility

10. The CLOSE Read Strategy is a metacognitive instructional procedure that uses the word close as an acronym and provides teachers and students with a brain friendly step by step guide to conducting a close read of complex text. The role of vocabulary and the strategies for determining the meanings of unknown words are foundational to the skill of conducting a close read and a priority in the Common Core State Standards for literacy. If students are expected to read at high levels of text complexity, they must develop word consciousness, the skill of inferring and problem solving strategies.
Each verb in the CLOSE Read Strategy represents a spectrum of viewing or shades of meaning; check, look, observe study, examine. It can also be viewed as a continuum of viewing. This strategy and matrix represents the key elements of complex text as described by Hess & Hervey (2010). It provides educators with scaffolding questions, concepts, essential questions and big ideas. Each step in this process is also aligned to the Claim 1 targets for reading.
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

11. CLOSE READING
How is conducting a close read of text like when a doctor gives you a physical examination?

12. How is conducting a close read of text like when a doctor gives you a physical examination?
When a doctor conducts a physical examination he checks the eyes, ears, throat, legs, arms and functions of the different organs to determine the health of the person.
Physical Examination
Body Check-up

13. How is conducting a close read of text like when a doctor gives you a physical examination?
When a student conducts a CLOSE read of text she analyzes or thinks about all of the parts of the text to make an inference about what the author has written.
CLOSE Read of Text
Analyze all the parts

14. CLOSE Read Activity-This is the Dream
Participants will conduct a close read of text
Participants will use context to determine the meaning of words
Participants will identify text features and structures
Participants will discuss text with their peers
Participants will answer text dependent questions

15. Conducting a CLOSE Read
These are the passengers on weary feet
Walking until they can choose their own seat.
Explain the author’s use of the word weary.(DOK L2 Apply)

16. Conducting a CLOSE Read
These are the passengers on weary feet
Walking until they can choose their own seat.
How is this text structured?
(Look for signal words.)(DOK L2 Apply)

17. Conducting a CLOSE Read
Using the text and illustration, infer the historical time period and what the people are thinking
Look at text features)(DOK L3 Analyze)

18. CLOSE Read Activity-The Art Lesson
Work with a partner and conduct a close read of a page from Tommy dePaola’s book, The Art Lesson. Answer the following Text Dependent Questions
The author wrote, “…the paint blew right off the paper.” What does the word blew mean in this context? (DOK L 2 Apply)
How does the illustrator show motion in this picture? (DOK L2 Analyze)
Is the wind blowing behind Tommy or in front of him? Use evidence from the text. (DOK L3 Analyze)

20. The Structured Read Aloud Process

21. The Structured Read Aloud Process
Sample Anchor Charts

22. Shades of Meaning

23. The Structured Read Aloud Process-Explicit Vocabulary Instruction

24. The Structured Read Aloud Process-Retell Chart-Text Structure

25. The Structured Read Aloud Process-Text Features

26. Interactive Thinking with Anchor Charts

27. The Structured Read Aloud Process Vocabulary -Structural Analysis

28. Character Description-Anchor Chart-Point of View

29. The Structured Read Aloud Process Biographical Sketch-Text Features

30. The Structured Read Aloud Process-Biographical Sketch-Point of View

31. The Structured Read Aloud Process Character Sketch

32. The Structured Read Aloud Process

33. The Structured Read Aloud Process
A House for Hermit Crab Activity
Participants will:
Conduct a CLOSE Read of the book, A House for Hermit Crab using the CLOSE Read Strategy
Code the text for vocabulary to teach and questions to ask
Create a Retell Anchor Chart
Generate & Answer Text Dependent Questions

34. Reflections

35. The Structured Read Aloud Process
Do elementary teachers have a role in ensuring that children learn to read by 3rd grade and are college and career ready by high school?
ABC-OLUTELY!