Close Reading

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Close Reading
The answers you get from reading depend upon the
questions you pose. -Margaret Atwood
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What is Close Reading?

• Essentially, close reading means reading to
  uncover layers of meaning that lead to deep
  comprehension.
• Nancy Boyles, Educational Leadership December
  2012/January 2013

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9-12

• 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
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Close Reading Requires

• Creating a safe environment where students feel
  free to discuss their understanding-or lack of
  understanding.
• Understanding your purpose in reading
• Understanding the authors purpose in writing
• Looking for and understanding systems of meaning
• Engaging in a text while reading
• Formulating questions and seeking answers to
  those questions while reading

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Close Read Process

• Introduction of text with minimal commentary
• 1. Cold Read with Purpose
• (star an idea you want to discuss and ? An idea
  you dont 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.

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Questions

• Text-Dependent
• Questions to Spark Interest
• TeachingChannel.org Video

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Time frame

• Close reading can be done in a shortened format,
  however time needs to be set aside for an
  in-depth 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.

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How do we grade/assess this?

• 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.

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In Closing

• Close reading does not change what you teach. It
  changes how you teach subject matter. Through
  reading, information will presented and learned
  more in-depth.
• 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.