Verbal Linguistic

Close Reading Strategies

Taken from: Strategies for Close Reading

Be a Close Reader Yourself
Teach “Stretch Texts”

These are texts that you wouldn’t expect students to read independently, such as a critical essay or short piece of philosophy.

Teach Students to Look for the Evidence
Always Set a Purpose for Reading
Differentiate Your Instruction
.
Focus on Making Connections
Model it First
Let Students Make Mistakes
Incorporate Close Read Across the Curriculum
Use Student Questions to Drive Discussion
Listen to Your Students

How to Do a Close Reading

Annotating texts

Amadeus Annotation Assignment Annotation Rubric

Thinking Notes: This is a simple procedure to help students become more involved in their reading and to give them a way of recording their thoughts about the text. The strategy consists of a notation system that records students' reactions to what they read. Since Marking in a book is an issue sometimes, strips of paper or sticky notes can be labeled with marking systems and placed on the page.

Some Common Thinking Notes students might use:

Yes - agree
X - disagree
+- new information
! - WOW
? I wonder
?? Don't understand
* Important

Silent Sustained Reading and Reading Aloud

Building Student Literacy Through Silent Sustained Reading

Read Aloud

Poetry/Speech recitation and reading assigned parts in plays

Essays

Expository - Process

"Explain how the Sorting Hat selects new students for the four houses of Hogwarts."

Expository - Compare and Contrast

"Compare and Contrast Harry with Dudley or Ron Weasley."

Persuasive

"Write a note convincing the Dursleys to let Harry have his own room."

Descriptive

"How does the author of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone use imagery to create a sense of mystery in her description of Hogwarts."

Narrative

"Write a new chapter in which Harry and his friends have further adventures. Try to imitate the author's characteristic style, including her word choice and sentence structure."