Close ReadingHow Can I Interact With the Text

for Better Understanding?

I can…

• read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems. R.L. 7.10

• read and comprehend literary nonfiction. R.I. 7.10

Why Close Reading?

• Deeper understanding and better comprehension

• To help me answer text-dependent questions

• Makes it easier to find textual evidence

• Higher retention of what I read

Think of the text as if you are talking with someone physically. What would you do?

Would you only stare at them as they were talking?

Of course you wouldn’t! You would listen, interact and respond to

the conversation. This is the same premise as

Close Reading – Interacting with the Text.

SHOW ME HOW….

Preview The Text

• Who is the author? Publisher?

• When was it written?

• What type of text is it? – Why is all this important? Because it will tell you whether its an opinion, fact, or fiction and whether it should relate to you in today’s world. It will help you to form your own opinions about the text. Answering these questions will help you to reach into your own background of experience to better connect with the text.

Annotations

Annotations are a big part of close reading. Once you get used to this technique, it will help you, the reader, have a better understanding of

what you read. Use the following steps to annotate for Close Reading.

Steps to Annotating

1. Ask specific questions about what you read. Don’t use pronouns, restate the subject and ask the question.

2. Connect with the text by talking about something in your background of experience that relates to what the author is saying.

Steps to Annotating, cont.

3. Give an opinion about what you just read. Do you agree? Why or why not. Again, be specific.

4. Define new vocabulary words. If you’re not sure what a word means, try to define it using context clues first. Then, if you’re still confused, look it up.

Steps to Annotating, cont.

5. React! This is a big one. What do you think about what the author says? Do you feel strongly for or against?

6. Pay close attention to the big ideas and theme. Restate what you are beginning to understand is the message of the text.

Summarize and Synthesize

• Summarize the text into a meaningful summary to help you better understand what you just read.

• Synthesize all of this and relate it to what you already know and discover whether it enhances your learning and expounds on or adds a new concept.

Your Turn

Use this on your next reading and examine whether it helps you with better

comprehension.

Begin close reading today!

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