1. A script modeling the use of the
CLOSE READ
Instructional Strategy
using
the book
Little Rock Girl
by Shelley Tougas
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

2. Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP
Revised Publishers’ Criteria for the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts & Literacy Grades 3-12
Grade level text aligns with complexity requirements outlined in standards
All students have extensive opportunities to encounter grade- level complex text
Shorter challenging texts that elicit close reading and re-reading are provided regularly at each grade level
A greater focus on informational and literary nonfiction text
Within a sequence or collection of texts, specific anchor texts are selected for especially careful reading
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

3. Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP
Revised Publishers’ Criteria for the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts & Literacy Grades 3-12
Informational texts should build a coherent body of knowledge within and across grades
Standards require aligned ELA curriculum materials in grades to include a substantial sampling of literary nonfiction, including biographies, journalism, and historical, scientific, or other documents written for a broad audience.
Quality of suggested texts is high-they are worth reading closely and exhibit exceptional craft and thought or provide useful information
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

4. Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP
The CLOSE Read Strategy ( 11 X 17 placemat) 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.
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

5. Conducting a Close Read-CHECK
Language Standards
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple- meaning words and phrases based on grade 9-12 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
Use context (e.g. the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of word or phrase
Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g. by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary) 9-12 L. 4 a & d
The first step in the process is to Check for unknown vocabulary. The first step is closely aligned with the language standards
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

6. Conducting a Close Read-CHECK
Check for unknown vocabulary or unusual language
“ When students see words in print, they must isolate the roots, prefixes and suffixes of words, retrieve the meanings of these elements, and integrate the meanings of the elements to determine the meaning of the words.”(Carol Westby, 2006 p. 404)
“ Awareness of semantic relationships among words also contributes to comprehension.” (Carol Westby, 2006 p. 404)
In the first step you…
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D

7. Check for unknown vocabulary-stoic
“Elizabeth Eckford’s stoic expression was in sharp contrast to Hazel Bryan’s snarling face.”
Infer what the word stoic means in this context (Word Meaning, DOK L 2)
Refer to the CLOSE Reading Instructional Matrix.
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

8. Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP
READ is a vocabulary strategy that gives students a step by step procedure and non-linguistic representations for what to do when they come to a word for which they do not know the meaning.
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

9. Conducting a Close Read -LOOK
Reading Standards for Informational Text
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text RI. 1
The 2nd step in the CLOSE process is Look. The standard that aligns with this step is…
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

10. Conducting a Close Read -LOOK
Look for key ideas and details
Look for how key details are provided
Look for the author’s/photographer’s viewpoint
“The adoption of the new standards and the focus on text complexity requires that students understand what the author says[photographer shows] and be able to defend their opinions and ideas with evidence from the text [photograph].”
(Fisher, Frey & Lapp, Text Complexity, Raising Rigor in Reading, 2012 p. 108)
In the 2nd step
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D

11. Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP
To be
“Elizabeth Eckford’s stoic expression was in sharp contrast to Hazel Bryan’s snarling face.”
Explain how the photograph helps the reader to infer what the word stoic means (Word Meaning DOK L 2)
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

12. To be Infer what story the photographer tells with this photograph?
(Analysis within and across text DOK L 3)
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

13. Conducting a Close Read -OBSERVE
Reading Standards for Informational Text
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g. visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to address a question or solve a problem RI.7
The 3RD step in the CLOSE process is observe. The standard that aligns with this step is…
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

14. Conducting a Close Read -OBSERVE
Observe-book and text features (characters, setting, problem, photographs, captions, diagrams, charts, illustrations, maps, rhymes, stanzas, patterns)
“ [Students] need to identify the organization of texts and use the information to assist them in comprehending the relationships among elements of the texts. ”(Carol Westby, 2006 p. 404)
The 3rd step in the CLOSE Reading process is OBSERVE.
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D

15. Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP
Let’s look at the same illustration. What do you see in this illustration? Take a moment to jot down your response.
Examine this photograph and infer the time-frame or what was happening in the country during this picture. Cite evidence from the photograph (Text Structures & Features, DOK L 3)
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

16. Conducting a Close Read –STUDY & SEEK
Reading Standards for Informational Text
Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn between them RI. 3
The 4th step in the CLOSE Reading process is STUDY & SEEK. The reading standard aligned to this step is…
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

17. Conducting a Close Read –STUDY & SEEK
Reading Standards for Informational Text
Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging RI. 5
The 4th step in the CLOSE Reading process is STUDY & SEEK. The reading standard aligned to this step is…
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

18. Conducting a Close Read –STUDY & SEEK
Study how the sentences and text are structured.
Seek out signal words.
“ [Students] they must also have knowledge of the discourse structures or the superstructure organization for different genres (narrative and expository[descriptive, compare- contrast, cause-effect, problem-solution, proposition- support, etc]) and linguistic signals for these patterns or relationships ” (Carol Westby, Handbook of Language & Literacy 2006 p. 404)
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D

19. Conducting a Close Read Study & Seek-stoic
“Elizabeth Eckford’s stoic expression was in sharp contrast to Hazel Bryan’s snarling face.”
Describe how the author has structured this text to support the reader’s understanding of the word stoic. (Text Structures & Features DOK L 2)
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

20. Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP
Notice the signal words to help the students to determine how the text is structured.
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

21. Conducting a Close Read-EXAMINE
Language Standards
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
Interpret figures of speech (e.g. euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text.
9-10 L. 5a
The 5th and last step in the CLOSE Reading process is EXAMINE. The standard that is aligned to this step is
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP

22. Conducting a Close Read-EXAMINE
Examine the level of reasoning required to infer the author’s purpose and message.
“ By annotating texts, whether informational, persuasive or narrative, students learn to slow down their reading to mine the depths of the concepts, arguments, and metaphors used by the writer.” Look for examples of literary devices.
(Fisher, Frey, & Lapp, Text Complexity, Raising Rigor in Reading, 2012 p. 114)
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D

23. Conducting a Close Read-EXAMINE
Infer what the author meant when she wrote, “ Click, click, click. Counts snapped a high quality, technically sound picture. That much he knew. But Counts had no idea that a single photograph would become a magnifying glass for race relations in the United States.” (Language Use, DOK L 3)
Beryl Irene Bailey, Ed.D., CCC/SLP