Today's topic: Close reading in the content areas
Last week, we touched on the importance of vocabulary in the content areas and the use of graphic organizers, and close reading is a reading comprehension strategy that can encompasses those skills as well. Content areas, remember, are anything but literacy (reading/writing) - so science, math, social studies, etc.
Close reading is not literal close reading, as in bringing the page closer to your face - I had a student ask me that one time (: Close reading is a reading comprehension strategy or format, whichever you prefer that is focused on multiple reads with questions that are content based, reading based, and require the students to text annotate to make inferences, conclusions, and find the main ideas in multiple areas of text. I love love love close reading, and I think it has multiple benefits when used appropriately.
Caution! This is not a throw together lesson, this is not I went to sleep at 7 PM and forgot to plan, so let's do a close read. NO. Please don't do this. Close reading has the potential to bring together so many ideas and concepts when used correctly, and if you have not prepared - if you have not annotated the text, created high level questions and attempted to answer them, and you have not made sure there are multiple standards - reading and content - being covered - then, my friend, close reading is not for you. If the planning is not intentional, the results won't be either.
I've read many blogs and articles on close reading, and I want to make sure that the advice I give you is easy to implement and follow - sometimes, we are so theoretical and we always envision a perfect classroom, but that isn't the case - so here are 5 easy steps to putting together a close read!
1. Cluster standards. Cluster your reading standards (RI/RL) with content standards. For example, a cluster might include:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1: Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.2: Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.3: Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.
5.L.2.1: Compare the characteristics of several common ecosystems, including estuaries and salt marshes, oceans, lakes and ponds, forests, and grasslands.
5.L.2.2: Classify the organisms within an ecosystem according to the function they serve: producers, consumers, or decomposers (biotic factors).
5.L.2.3: Infer the effects that may result from the interconnected relationship of plants and animals to their ecosystem.
Standards provided by NCDPI and Corestandards.org.
As a teacher, you need to make realistic groupings with standards - if you have to reach to make it fit, then your students will too. Reading instruction, especially when integrated, needs to be intentional and direct - take the guess work out! RI.5.3 is a difficult standard for some students to understand, because it deals with interactions in informational text, and that's a foreign concept for them. They know characters interact with each other in literature, but to tell them that informational text has the same sort of idea blows their minds, which is why instruction needs to be intentional. I paired RI.5.3 with 5.L.2.2, because students can see and verbalize those interactions within a food chain, pyramid, or web. Remember - make it intentional.
2. Create the assessment.
This may be a controversial step for some, because there is a school of thought that says simply completing a close read is an assessment, but I disagree (and you can disagree with me too, it's okay.) I teach high-risk students, the majority of my students meet more than one at-risk factor, and require intentional practice, which is why my close reads always have an assessment. I want them to take their knowledge from annotation and questioning and produce something that shows me they understand the connections. An assessment for a close read that is integrated with content areas will be content centered. What does that mean? That means their assessment will focus on their content knowledge, rather than a reading skill, but any good teacher will tell you that in order for them to complete the assessment, they will have had to demonstrate the reading skill or skills within the close read to begin with.
Examples of assessments: digital presentations, skits, brochures, etc.
3. Choose a text.
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP (to me.) If the text isn't good, anything after that won't be either.
Take your time choosing a text - don't spend days, but spend a quality amount of time choosing a quality text. If the text doesn't lend itself to higher level questions (inferences, interactions, etc.), then it shouldn't be used for a close read. Students (and teachers too) need to realize that a close reading raises the bar for the reader, so the bar should be raised for the text.
Things to consider: Text should be grade level. Yes, let me say it again, text should be grade level. Students who are struggling readers can reach assistance throughout the close read, but the text should be grade level (especially when the content areas are integrated.) Text should be short, but long. The text should be short enough that it's not overwhelming or seems like an endless task, but long enough that there are at least 3 reads and the opportunity for multiple questions, including higher order questions.
*Preface: 99% of all close read lessons begin the same.
Lesson 1: Teacher reads aloud and students identify vocabulary they do not know and work in small groups to determine meaning with your assistance.
Lesson 2: Students reread in small groups and annotate text. Text annotation should be one of your first lessons of the year.
Lessons 3 - x: These are the close read lessons with questions, graphic organizers, etc. Close reads can have innumerable lessons, but I recommend never doing more than 4 or 5.
The steps that follow are preparing for lessons 3 - x.
4. ID problem vocabulary that may need instruction, create 3 levels of questioning, and find a graphic organizer.
This is the meat of the close read, and probably the planning step that will take the longest. This is the step that creates the progression for the students.
You should identify any vocabulary that would require direct instruction - the only reason you should do this is if the meaning cannot be inferred from any portion of the text. This is rare, so just use your judgement, and give your students credit for being problem solvers.
Depending on how many close reads you are having your students do, your questions should progress in difficulty and higher order thinking skills. Three levels of questioning is beneficial to you at planning, but the students won't be able to categorize them, because you'll lump together when assigning them. Level one questions are recall or right there in the text questions - requires very little thought. Level two questions are inferences, conclusions, connections to world/self/text - require background knowledge. Level three questions are analysis, evaluation, and creation - these require text support and the student's own thought. All types should be present in every close read.
Also, try to find a graphic organizer to help students with vocabulary or a reading skill (inferences.) By having a graphic organizer, modifications for struggling students will be easy to execute. It will make your job easier.
5. Check questions, activities, and assessment with standard.
At the end of your planning, check the flow and consistency. Make sure all standards are addressed in some form or fashion, make sure the close read is aligned to the assessment and the final expectations. This is making it intentional. Students shouldn't have to guess at what you want them to do.
That's it, ladies and gentlemen - that's a close read. It's not scary. It's not a beast. It's a valuable, higher order thinking reading comprehension strategy/framework that allows students to see how reading skills integrate into real life. It makes intentional connections through actual text work that is completed by the student.
I hope you will try close reading this year and allow students to explore text multiple times - quality over quantity!
Until tomorrow, loves - xo, Lucy
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