Close Reading
What is close reading?
• Also known as “analytic reading”
• Reading to uncover layers of meaning that
lead to deep comprehension
• An instructional routine emphasized by
the PA Core
• Prepares students for college and career
success
Why do close reading?
• Provides the students the experiences they
need to become skilled in analytic
reading, a prerequisite for college and
career success
• Helps students meet the critical demands
of rigor and away from the “one and
done” mentality
Why do close reading?
• Close reading guides students:
• through a progression from explicit meaning to
understanding implicit meaning of text
• from working at a sentence level to working
across an entire text and even with multiple
texts (see diagram)
• from being a passive reader to an active
reader through annotations
Where to Close Read?
•Focus on the section that is
your standard focus to set your
purpose.
•Focus on the “meatiest”
sections of the text.
Note the Progressions
(Example: R.L.1)
Pre-K
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about details in a text.
K
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a
text.
1
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
2
Ask and answer such questions as who, what, when, where, why, and how to
demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
3
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text, referring explicitly to the
text as the basis for the answers.
4
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
5
Quote accurately from the text when explaining what the text says explicitly and
when drawing inferences from the text.
6
Cite textual evidence to support what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text.
5
Modeled
Annotation in
Kindergarten
Kemp, L. M. (1996). One peaceful pond: A counting book. New York: Houghton Mifflin.
Modeled
Annotation
in Second
Harvey, S., & Goudvis, A. (2007). Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension
for Understanding and Engagement. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Using
Questioning
in Fifth Grade
Same text,
different student,
different strategy:
Inferring.
Modeled
annotation
in Seventh
Grade
Modeling
in 9th
Grade
English
Student
annotation
th
in 11
grade
English
How do I teach close reading?
• Use short texts (a page or two; three to nine
paragraphs)
• Use excerpts from longer texts; at pivotal points
• Use a variety of genres, including both literature and
informational texts
• The teacher’s role is to ask text dependent questions
that draw readers back into the text.
• Let the author do the talking. Don’t try to reveal too
much; especially through frontloading (previewing)
How do I teach close reading?
• Provide opportunities for students to:
• respond to a specific question (purpose) by
looking for evidence
• provide a visual representation of their
thinking through annotations
• do repeated readings of the same text
• talk within groups and share out with the
class
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
1. The teacher reads the text
out loud to students without
stopping to give them a sense
of the overall plot or main
idea.
1. The students read the text
silently one time through to get
a sense of the overall plot or
main idea.
1. The student reads the text
silently one time through to get
a sense of the overall plot or
main idea.
2. The teacher re-reads small
chunks of the text at a time and
asks discussion questions. The
students may work in pairs
first, but answers are shared
with the whole group.
2. Teacher re-reads small
chunks of the text out loud and
asks discussion questions.
Students may discuss the
questions as a whole group, in
pairs, or small groups.
2. The student re-reads small
chunks of the text at a time,
stopping to make notes,
underline key points, and ask
himself questions.
Basic Lesson Structure
3. The students and teacher
3. The students write a written
develop a written response to a response to a prompt
prompt together.
independently.
3. The student writes a
response to a prompt and
provides evidence from the
text in his answer.
First Reading
• The FIRST reading of a text should allow the reader to
determine what a text says. The reader should be able to
answer the question: “What is the text telling me?”
• Prepare questions to help guide students to think about
the most important elements; particularly events that
may be confusing:
a. Main idea, details, conflict, action, characters,
motivation.
b. Students should be able to write a summary
c. QAR: “Right There”
Second Reading
• The SECOND reading should focus on the author’s
structure, choice of words and use of language. The
reader should be able to answer the question, “How
does the text work?”
• Questions should help guide the students to think about
the author’s:
a. Devices, purpose, author’s choice of of terms
b. Craft, structure, word choices, structural
elements
c. QAR: “Think and Search”
Third Reading
• The THIRD reading should allow the reader to
evaluate the quality and value of the text. The reader
should be able to answer the question, “What does
the author want me to understand?”
• Questions should help guide students to think about
how this text connects to them, other texts, events,
news, other experiences…
• Q.A.R.: “Think and Search” and “Author and Me”
th
5 Grade Main Idea Example
• https://www.engageny.org/resource/close-readingstrategies-with-informational-text-by-expeditionarylearning
Closing in on Close Reading
• Students navigate complex text through repeated
readings
• Students read with a purpose (see Eligible Content
and priority skills)
• Students interact with text through annotations
• Students have opportunities to discover the “deeper
meaning” by answering text dependent questions
and discussing with peers and the teacher
• Exit Slip