Close Reading: Visible Learning for Literacy

Written by Lindsay Brooks, Instructional Coach
Douglas Fisher: Visible Learning for Literacy on August 16, 2017

“Literacy fluency is the key to success not just in school but in life”

                                                                                (Douglas Fisher – August, 2017)

Literacy is the #1 thing we can do to change kids’ lives. Regardless of the grade we teach giving kids choice within literacy really matters. Choice raises the volume of literacy. When kids read things on their own they are more likely to understand it.

Close Reading is an instructional routine in which students critically examine a text, especially through repeated readings.

Close Reading allows the students to look for deep structures within the book. Things like:

·      The way the text is organized

·      The vocabulary used

·      The key details

The primary role of close reading is to allow students the opportunity to integrate new text information with their existing background knowledge and prior experiences. An opportunity to critically examine a text.

A second purpose of close reading is to build the necessary habits of readers when they engage with a complex piece of text.

Paul and Elder (2003) recommended that students regularly engage in four such habits:

The way close reading is implemented in an elementary classroom can look different. In elementary school classrooms there are situations in which the teacher does the reading. Often the case in kindergarten and first grade. Close reading in the primary grades often begin with the teacher reading the text aloud as a shared reading. The teacher can then ask questions initially focused on general understanding, followed by vocabulary and text structure questions, author’s purpose questions - (text dependent questions) and then personal opinions. As they talk about these questions, the students will be able to recall specific details from the text. The teacher will have read the text prior to be able to create the text dependent questions.

Close reading is almost always the first encounter with the text. The students can then

“re-read” to find further information. The teacher can re-read aloud in the elementary classroom and use the student’s questions/observations to guide them back specific areas within the text.

It is the readers purpose for reading that determines whether close reading is required.

“Read like a detective, write like a reporter”

Close Reading encourages students to put the “content under investigation” and talk more deeply about the content in the text.

A Close Reading strategy is “Repeated Reading”

We need to encourage repeated readings 

as it is both valuable and necessary.

Encourage kids to read things that they have already read. Too often we say “pick something else you have already read that”. However, re-reading a text allows readers to put the content under investigation and get a “closer” look. Students should provide evidence from the text in their responses after re-reading. They can be guided by questions about what bigger ideas exist within the text and what interesting information did they find.

Not just recall questions about the text.

With each successive reading a great deal of discussion can follow. Students can interact with their peers and evaluate the perspectives and understandings of others.

Close reading is encouraging students to examine in detail what the text had to say. Understanding the text itself is necessary for comprehension and is key to making evaluative judgments that mark a competent reader.

The intent of Close reading is to foster critical thinking skills to deepen comprehension.

Progression of Text Dependent Questions to Engage Thinkers

Written by Rebecca Forchuk, Director of Staff Development

Douglas Fisher: Visible Learning for Literacy on August 16, 2017

“TEACH complex texts, don’t just ASSIGN complex texts…”
                                                                                             (Douglas Fisher – August, 2017)

Regardless of the subject and grade we teach, all students will interact with complex texts, which means complex for the student, not the teacher.  It is essential to remember this when using textbooks, books, videos, podcasts and others.  Fisher makes a great point that we can no longer assign complex texts, such as ‘read Chapter 2 and answer the questions at the end’, or ‘google search the topic’; we must teach students how to make meaning from these texts. This requires teachers to teach differently. No longer do we simply teach content; we must teach students how to acquire information and make meaning from the texts we provide in class. 

One high impact strategy [1] Fisher explained is one that many teachers have used for years: 

 ANNOTATION.  It is important to understand that annotation is not highlighting but “slows down the reader in order to deepen understanding.”  As teachers, is deep understanding not our goal for students?  Annotation becomes more effective when it is used throughout a school as a routine where students develop the habit by practicing it over and over and over again with common understanding and expectations.  

Similarly, we can improve students thinking by developing surface learning and deep learning while they read or view text.  Fisher suggests that can schools adopt the same three questions that all teachers, regardless of grade or subject area, use when requiring students to make meaning and annotate to deepen understanding of content:

 From Douglas Fisher Professional Learning Session, August 16, 2017

Some examples of questions from the speech from Chief Joseph (find the speech found here):

What does the text say? (Literal)	How does the text work? (Structural)	What does the text mean? (Inferential)
GENERAL UNDERSTANDING	VOCABULARY	INTERTEXTUAL CONNECTIONS
Who is delivering the speech?	What does Chief Joseph mean when he says “From where the sun now stands…”?	Chief Joseph succeeded his father as leader of the Wallowa band in 1871.  Before his death, the father said to his son….How does this second passage help you to understand the speech? What inner conflict would Chief Joseph have experienced?
What happened?	What is the tone of the speech? What words and phrases support your claim?	Where do you see evidence of conflict in the speech?
Without knowing who Looking Glass and Toohulhulsote are, what can we say about their roles in the decision?
KEY DETAILS	STRUCTURE
What concerns does Chief Joseph have about the health and welfare of his people? How do you know?	How does the text structure convey Chief Joseph’s mood?
	What is it about the use of the word forever in the last line, “I will fight no more forever” that makes this statement so memorable?

From Douglas Fisher Professional Learning Session, August 16, 2017

As you have students read and view text in your class, ensure that you are teaching them how to read complex texts rather than just assigning complex texts. Using these levels of questions will help develop strong readers and thinkers at the universal level.  Focusing on structural questions has also proven to improve writing of students as well!!

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[1] High impact strategy refers to a strategy where the effect size is equal to or greater than 0.4, which results in at least one years worth of learning for one year of schooling.

The Summer Slide & How To Prevent it

Written by Rona Reid, Instructional Coach

Summer break is quickly approaching! Although it’s a time to relax and rejuvenate, it can also be a time of summer slide. Studies show that when away from school, students lose significant math and reading skills over the summer break (up to three months worth, which accumulates year after year) . Though students deserve a holiday, learning should not stop when on vacation.

 

Throughout the school year students have reflected on how they hope to grow as learners. Many students have indicated that they want to work on developing their English Language Arts skills. Summer is a great time to read for pleasure so your teen may want to sign up for Scholastic’s Summer Reading Challenge or checkout the Sheep River Library’s Summer Reading Club or Teen Zone. There is also a free audiobook site for teens called Sync or free podcasts which might be a nice alternative for long car rides. Another idea, Harvard’s Family Dinner Project promotes “food fun and conversation” and they offer lots of ideas for engaging family fun at home. Our favorites are the Alphabet and  Food Poetry games.

Additionally, many students want to improve their Mathematics skills. Because summer Math loss is also a concern, we hope that parents will consider integrating/practicing math skills over the summer (e.g. math apps, math puzzles/challenges, etc).  A wonderful option for developing a growth mindset in mathematics is Stanford University’s free course for students wanting to form a positive relationship with Mathematics. For those who would like to increase their mathematical confidence, please consider signing up. It’s a commitment of six 20 minute sessions and it’s free!

Have a wonderful, relaxing summer break. Be sure to read fun and interesting things everyday!