close reading jennifer corbett, ed.s. [email protected]
TRANSCRIPT
Close Reading
Jennifer Corbett, Ed.S.jennifer.corbett@cowetascho
ols.org
Overview
Research
Close reading instruction
Practices
Short texts
Rereading
Text-dependent questions
Annotation
After-reading tasks
Application
Objectives
To know the importance, key principles, and indicators of modeling thinking of complex text through think-alouds, demonstrations, and annotation
Identify characteristics of a quality purpose statement, understand how a quality purpose statement will support students in accessing complex texts, and engage in and complete tasks assigned
What is close reading?
Essentially, close reading means reading to uncover layers of meaning that lead to deep comprehension (Boyles, 2013).
Close reading is an instructional routine in which students critically examine a text, especially through repeated readings (Fisher & Frey, 2012).
Why close reading?
With the increase of rigor due to the Common Core State Standards, every student needs to learn academic English (Barrow, 2014).
Common Core State Standard – ELACC RI & RL
ELACC6RL1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
PARCC standard
Common Core
PARCC
Short texts – literary & informational
Folktales
Legends
Myths
Short stories
Poetry
Scenes from plays
Sections of a novel (a sentence, paragraph, or page)
Short articles
Biographies
Personal narratives
Example – scene from a play
An extended metaphor from Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl
We’ve had bad news. The people from whom Miep got our ration books have been arrested. So we have had to cut down on our food. Our stomachs are so empty that they rumble and make strange noises, all in different keys. Mr. Van Daan’s is deep and low, like a bass fiddle. Mine is high, whistling like a flute. As we all sit around waiting for supper, it’s like an orchestra tuning up. It only needs Toscanini to raise his baton and we’d be off in the “Ride of the Valkyries.”
Rereading
The idea
To expand the reader’s purpose with each rereading
Students look for evidence to cite in response to specific questions
Rereading can be completed
independently
with peers, or through
think-alouds
Rereading
Why the Bear Has a Short Tail (on LearnZillion)
Sources
Video (6 minutes)
Power Point
Handout of notes for rereading
Copy of the story
Think-alouds
Generally more appropriate for k-3
An intro to annotation using sticky notes
One significant difference between a think aloud and a read aloud is that during a read aloud you teach (for example, predictions, character traits, beginning, middle and end, story elements and so forth). However, during a think aloud you model your thinking (in other words your reading comprehension) out loud as you read (Patsalides, 2012).
Six Types of Text-Dependent Questions
Whole Question Types
Across Text
Entire Text
Segments
Paragraph
Sentence
Word
Part
Opinions, ArgumentsIntertextual
Connections
Inferences
Author’s Purpose
Vocabulary and Text Structure
Key Details
General Understanding
Text Dependent Questions
Click here to read Eleven by Sandra Cisneros
Question type
General understanding
After line 75, retell what’s happened to Rachel up to this point in the story?
Key Details In lines 16 – 19 Rachel compares growing old to three different things. Tell how all three things are alike. Explain in your own words Rachel’s idea about growing up.
Vocabulary & Test Structure
Read the boxed paragraph a couple of times to yourself. Notice the words and phrases that help you experience Rachel’s feelings in your imagination.
Author’s Purpose From what point of view is this story told? Circle the pronouns in lines 24 – 30.
Inferences What do you infer about how Mrs. Price feels about Rachel? What do you infer about Mrs. Price’s character?
Opinions, Arguments, Intertextual Connections
In your opinion, do you think the teacher handled this situation appropriately? What could she have done differently to find the owner of the sweater?
Craft technique & possible questions
Figurative language• simile• metaphor• personification • symbols
What is being compared?Why is the comparison effective?What symbols are present? Why did the author choose these symbols?
Word choice What words stand out and why?Did the author use nonstandard English? Why? What was the effect?
Tone and voice What one word describes the tone?Is the voice formal or informal?Does the voice seem appropriate for the content?
• Sentence structure• Short sentences• Long sentences• Sentence fragments
Why did the author choose a short sentence here?Why did the author write a fragment here?
Your turn
Let’s take a short passage and create a table of text-dependent questions based on the two examples presented.
Annotating texts
Before reading
During reading
After reading
Free lesson plans online to introduce students to annotating texts
Activities also available with textbooks (i.e. Holt)
AKA Dialogue with Text
Make predictions
Ask questions
State opinions
Analyze author’s craft
Make connections
Reflect
Modeling annotation
Model texts with annotations (from previous students)
“They can see that there is no one right way to annotate but that there are patterns and categories that seem to be used by readers as they work to make sense of their reading.” (Porter-O’Donnell, 2004).
Alternatives for students with no books
Photocopy selected documents and public domain texts
Keep a dialectical journal
information interpretation
Student work sample
Annotation Pinterest - bookmark
s
Teachers Pay
Teachers
Classroom posters
Close listening
Interactive read-alouds (Fisher, Flood, Lapp & Frey, 2004)
Text-based questions are answered orally
Because children’s listening comprehension outpaces their reading comprehension in the early grades, it’s important that your students build knowledge through being read to as well as through independent reading, with the balance gradually shifting to silent, independent reading (Boyles, 2013).
Jigsaw - Earth ScienceStorms
thunderstorms tornadoes
snowstorms hurricanes
Additional Strategies
Vocabulary
Get moving (Barrow, 2014)
Chunking
Clunks & clues organizer (ReadWriteThink.org)
Student/teacher conference
Conference form for reread and close read (Robb, 2009)
Practice
From Natalie Babbitt’s Tuck Everlasting
How would you use close reading to guide students to understanding how the man in the yellow suit and the constable got along during their ride in chapter 16?
FYI – the typical response is, “Good.”
What if the students were to role play this?
References Barrow, M. (2014). Evan math requires learning academic language. Phi Delta
Kappan, 95 (6), 35-38.
Boyles, N. (2013). Closing in on close reading. Educational Leadership, 70 (4), 36-41.
Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2012). Close reading in elementary schools. The Reading Teacher, 66 (3), 179-188.
Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2013). Rigorous reading. Thousand Oaks: Corwin.
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers. (2014). Structure of the model content frameworks for ELA/literacy. Retrieved June 8, 2014, from http://www.parcconline.org/mcf/english-language-artsliteracy/structure-model-content-frameworks-elaliteracy
Patsalides, L. (2012). Think aloud: The new read aloud. Retrieved June 9, 2014, from http://www.brighthubeducation.com/middle-school-science-lessons/4014-chrysanthemum-lesson-plan/?cid=parsely_rec#
Porter-O’Donnell, C. (2004). Beyond the yellow highlighter: Teaching annotation skills to improve reading comprehension. English Journal, 93 (5), 82-89.
Robb, L. (2009). Assessments for differentiating reading instruction. New York: Scholastic, Inc.