An anchor standard of the Common Core asks students to “read closely to determine what the text says explicitly” and implicitly. While the phrase “close reading” has become fashionable within our curriculum discussions, it is perhaps necessary to discuss what is actually meant when we use that phrase and, just as importantly, how do we foster that habit.
The expression “close reading” means that a reader will look deeply into the meaning of a text. It includes comprehending the intended (and sometimes unintended) messages of texts.
A close read examines what is said and what is implied, and it requires readers to contemplate how the text is constructed. Close reading differs from basic comprehension which asks only for the main idea and supporting details of a text. Close reading suggests that the text is more complex and requires readers to dig out a deeper understanding.
Too often, we treat texts as though they merely present facts and details. We expect students to essentially go on “fact finding” missions within the reading to pull out details we want them to know or remember. However, this is a low level process that encourages students to skim texts for explicitly stated answers versus a high level process that encourages them to think more critically about what is—and even is not—being said.
One way to foster closer reading is to re-think how we use texts within a classroom. Under the traditional model, texts are simply the transmitter of information. But, we now know that simply passing information onto students is not very effective, it’s kind of boring, and it doesn’t create critical thinkers. Close reading involves a mental shift on the part of both teachers and students. For teachers, it means that we have to be more thoughtful about what we want students to “get” from a text, focusing on big ideas and the relationships of those ideas versus focusing on the details, dates and facts. For students, it will mean that they will have to invest more thought into what they are reading.
The big question is how do we foster deeper reading in our classrooms? While study guides can help students navigate difficult readings, they generally don’t require students to think more deeply about the text.
So here are some helpful hints.
First, start with the big question you want students to contemplate or consider when they approach the text. It should be a higher order question, one that doesn’t ask students to simply restate what they read but rather to conceptualize, evaluate or synthesize the ideas.
This gives teacher license to be creative with how they assess student understanding of texts. Posing hypotheticals is one way to do this. Tell students, “John created this brochure on photosynthesis. Based on the information from our chapter on photosynthesis, evaluate how he did with his brochure. Please focus on content, but also consider how he organized the information and formatted the visual elements of this topic to communicate the ideas.”
An important practice of close reading is re-reading. A common close reading exercise is to choose specific passages from the assigned reading to which you want to draw the students’ attention. This requires students to return to the texts to take a deeper look at what it says. In doing this, you can simply ask students, “Why is this passage important to the reading?” You could also challenge the word choice of that particular passage. In other words, ask students if the meaning of the text would be substantially changed if one key word was changed to another. Another popular close reading activity is “Cloze Reading.” For this you will take out ever seventh word of a text and leave them as blank. Then ask students if they can fill in the blanks.
Tea parties are also a good way to have students read texts more closely. Again, you will pick four or five key passages from the day’s reading. Print them out on slips of paper. Hand them out randomly to students as they enter the room. At the start of class, ask students to read the passage silently and to consider first what the text says, and second, why it might be important to the reading. Then, have students get up and visit with at least three other people. In each visit, they should read the passage and discuss the importance of the text.
Paired readings are also a good way to help students read texts more closely. They require more set-up and practice over time. In a paired reading, students are paired with a partner. They are assigned a section of text and told to read it aloud together. They alternate reading aloud every two or three paragraphs or so. But as they read, they must stop at least once a paragraph and allow their partner to respond to the text. The partner can make a prediction, summarize what has been read, ask a question, make a connection, or evaluate. This exercise takes time. And it is one that may take a good deal of modeling and practicing before students get the hang of it. But the rewards are pretty substantial, for these cognitive processes are the types of things that all good readers should do as they consume texts.
Close reading, as a whole, takes practice. Typically, students avoid looking deeply at texts because they either don’t want to invest the time or they are overwhelmed by the volume of what they have to read. Still, as the saying goes, a rushed and sloppy job often means that you will have to do it twice. So invest effort and energy the first time to ensure that you don’t have to do it again.
