Transcript Close Reading - Marshall High School

The answers you get from literature
depend upon the questions you pose.
-Margaret Atwood

“ Essentially, close reading means reading to
uncover layers of meaning that lead to deep
comprehension.”
◦ Nancy Boyles, Educational Leadership December
2012/January 2013
“…students must grapple with works of
exceptional craft and thought whose range
extends across genres, cultures, and centuries.”
Note on Range and Content, CCSS, page 35
Creating
a safe environment where students feel free to discuss their
understanding-or lack of understanding.
Understanding
your purpose in reading
Understanding
the author’s purpose in writing
Seeing
ideas in a text as being interconnected
Engaging
in a text while reading
Formulating
questions and seeking answers to those questions while reading
Introduction of text with minimal commentary
1. Cold Read with Purpose
(star an idea you want to discuss and ? An idea you don’t
understand.)
2. Read aloud (Stopping often for discussion and clarification)
3. Paraphrase a section of the article that includes key ideas.
◦ A. Shoulder partner discussion.
◦ B. Discuss differences and similarities together in class.
4. Text dependant questions
5. Identify important and/or unfamiliar vocabulary. Discuss
meaning of vocabulary how it is used in the text.



Close reading can be done in a shortened format,
however time needs to be set aside for an indepth close read at least once or twice a month.
It is not uncommon for a close read to take more
than one class period.
Close reading is a process to teach our students
how to “dig deeper”-think about their thinking.

Close reading is a process used to teach
students to read text for deeper meaning.
Therefore, grading a close read is not always
necessary. If teachers feel that grading needs
to take place, participation and completion
would be the acceptable form of grading.
Close
reading does not change what you teach. It changes how you teach subject
matter. Through reading, information will be presented and learned more in-depth.
Communication
between content area teachers and knowledge of previously
introduced material is vital to aid in class discussion in order to assist the students in
making meaningful connections.
Close
reading should be done in all subject areas at all levels because when students
are taught to think independently about text meaning, they will be successful
academically and college and career ready.