Close Reading Looking at Text More Closely to Extract Meaning

1. Close Reading Looking at Text More Closely to Extract Meaning Arnett Elementary August 31, 2012 Ruthie Staley, Kentucky Department of Education, ELA Content Specialist

2. Today’s Learning Target • I can use research based strategies to implement close reading that address the ELA Common Core Standards in my lesson plans and instruction. • I can read closely to determine what a text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it. • I can cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. • I can increase eyes on text, as well as stamina of text, by using the strategies I learn today with Close Reading.

3. What Is Close Reading? • Keeping your eyes on the text to read the content very carefully, paying attention to details. • Close Reading requires active thinking and analyzing of the content to make decisions.

4. Close Reading • Close reading is different from a summary or the big idea. • Text-dependent, discipline-specific questions support the need for students to incorporate close reading because they MUST cite evidence directly from the text • This is a skill that will remain one of the students’ most practical literacy skill throughout their college and careers. • The majority of career paths depend on close reading to remain current in the particular field.

5. How do I begin Close Reading in the Elementary? • Close Reading involves engagement with text • One way to make thinking concrete and engage students in text is to model our thinking as we read (I do it – explicit instruction) • As students think out loud with students and teachers, they begin to internalize this dialogue; it becomes their inner speech, the means by which they direct their own problem-solving processes. (we do it – explicit instruction) • Finally students develop into reflective, metacognitive, independent learners (you do it – explicit instruction)

6. Strategy # 1 – Think Aloud It’s The Thought That Counts

7. Directions For Modeling The Reading Salad • Point to the cover of the book and read the title….have a student drop a card in the bowl that says text. • Point to your head, like you are thinking and think aloud as to what you think the book will be about……have a student drop a card in the bowl that says thinking. • Continue this process until a passage or page has been modeled. • After the text and thinking cards are placed in the small bowl toss all of the cards in the “Reading Salad” and mix together.

8. READING SALAD Materialsneeded: • One large bowl, two small bowls • Small red paper squares, small green paper square • A book you are currently reading

9. Sample Prompts that relate to Book Selection Reading • The title/author/pictures/ of this book makes me think it is about __________. • The photographs make me think this book is about __________. • The comments on the inside of the book or on the outside of the book make me think it is about __________ .

10. Sample Prompts that Relate to Visualization • When I close my eyes I can see this character, setting, event , etc. as _____________________ • I am making a mental image of this fable as I see _________________________ • I see ____________________ • As I visualize this text I can describe how these two versions of the text are different by___________________. • In my minds eye I can see the illustrations and how they relate to the story by _________________.

11. Prompts that help us Monitor Comprehension • This is not making sense because ___________. • This is not what I expected because ____________. • This connects (or doesn’t connect) to what I already know, have read, have experienced because _______________.

12. The Thought Bubble • Requires two students, a thinker and a reader • Thought bubble is placed on the reader who thinks aloud as text is being read. • Effective with both Literature and Informational text

13. Graphic Organizers that support Think Aloud • Venn Diagrams (expose students to a variety of Venn Diagrams) • A blank piece of paper works, where students can visualize and draw what they see in their minds eye

14. Wordless Picture Books • Use wordless picture books to help children think aloud (think about their thinking) • Words don’t get in the way • Struggling readers can participate

15. Some Tips for Thinking Aloud • Proper planning prevents a poor performance • Use precise language • Select a particular strategy or strategies that you want to focus on • Use the Think Aloud Technique throughout the day

16. Strategy # 2 – Text Coding Jotting simple symbols in the margins of a text to represent your thinking There are several ways to introduce this to students: • Modeling it yourself showing a set of codes and letting students practice using them • Having the students themselves think up useful codes Bring out the smallest size Post-It Notes or use Two-Column Notes when using a textbooks

17. Text Codes •  – When you read something that makes you say…. “I knew that” or “ I predicted that” or “I saw that coming.” • X – When you run across something that contradicts what you know or expect. • ? – When you have a question, need clarification, or are unsure. •  – When you read something that seems important, vital, key, memorable, or powerful. • – When the reading really makes you see or visualize something. • _ When the student can make connections between the text, their life, the world, or others things they’ve read. • ZZZ – This is boring, I’m falling asleep.

18. Strategy # 2 - Teach and Practice Text Annotation • Replace highlighters with pen or pencil. (Highlighting can lure students into a dangerous passivity. ) • Students mark only the most important sections of text • Students stop and write their own thinking in words • Annotating text works in all content areas and is especially useful when text gets more difficult

19. Strategy # 3 – Create and Practice Text Dependent Questions • 80 to 90% of the ELA Reading Standards in each grade level require text dependent analysis • One of the first and most important steps to implementing the ELA Common Core Standards is to focus on identifying, evaluating, and creating text-dependent questions • Deep Reading, the kind encouraged by the common core standards, asks students to “read like a detective”, looking closely for details • Rather than asking students questions about their prior knowledge or experiences, the standards expect students to struggle with text-dependent questions www.achievethecore.org/steal-these-tools/text-dependent-questions

20. Text Dependent Questions What Are they? • Specifically asks a question that can only be answered by referring explicitly back to the text • Does not rely on a student’s background knowledge • Does not rely on a student’s own experiences • Forces students to dig further into the text by asking them to re-read, re-visit, and search for meaning

21. Text Dependent Questions Good text dependent questions will linger over specific phrases and sentences to ensure careful comprehension of text. These questions will ask students to: • Analyze • Investigate • Probe • Examine • Question • Note Patterns • Consider

22. Steps To Creating Text Dependent Questions Step 1: Identify the Core Understandings and Key Ideas of the Text Step 2: Start Small to Build Confidence Step 3: Target Vocabulary and Text Structure Step 4: Tackle Tough Sections Head-On Step 5: Create Coherent Sequences of Text-Dependent Questions Step 6: Identify the Standards Step 7: Create the Culminating Assessment

23. Text Dependent Text Dependent Questions • Question why authors choose to begin and end when they do • Consider what the text leaves uncertain or unstated • Note and assess patterns of writing and what they achieve Not Not Text Dependent Why did the North fight the civil war Have you ever been to a funeral Why is equality an important value to promote

24. Let’s Write Some Text Dependent Questions PRODUCTIVE STRUGGLE

25. Next Steps • Decide how you will incorporate some of the strategies we discussed today for Close Reading • How will you increase stamina of text through the Close Reading process? • When conducting a Close Read, how will you incorporate the Speaking and Listening Standards?

26. Reflection – Write Around Respond to the following by using this content writing/reflection strategy: “How can eyes on text and stamina of reading be increased with Close Reading?” • Write your response to the quote. • Pass your response to the person sitting next to you. • Conduct a silent discussion. Respond in writing to what you read. • Continue the process until everyone has a chance to write their response. • The original reader should should reread all responses. • Conduct a conversation with the group • Gather as a class or group to see where the silent conversation had taken all of the participants.

27. How Can I Help You? Ruthie Staley Kentucky Department of Education Ruthie.staley@education.ky.gov (859) 609-7958