Close Reading in Elementary School: Bringing Readers and Texts Together

The Common Core State Standards encourage teachers to use close reading as a means to help students access complex text. Many literacy experts believe close reading has the power to create strong, independent readers. But what does that really mean, and how does it work in the classroom?This book is your must-have guide to getting started! It provides step-by-step strategies and scaffolds for teaching close reading and improving students’ comprehension of complex texts. You will learn how to teach close reading based on text type, how to transition students through increasingly challenging texts, and how to use close reading as a springboard for close writes and close talks.

Special Features:
• An easy-to-use framework for creating a close reading lesson
• Close reading strategies for a variety of literary and informational subgenres
• Ideas for teaching close reading to meet specific comprehension objectives based on the Common Core, including analyzing text structure and evaluating argument
• Suggestions for helping students read with increased levels of rigor
• A clear explanation of what text complexity really means and how it varies by student
• Scaffolds to help students at all ability levels do a close reading
• Guidelines and procedures for close talks―purposeful, focused discussions about text
• Procedures for close writes that vary based on genre and student ability level

In addition, each chapter includes study guide questions to help you apply the ideas in the book to your own classroom. With this practical book, you will have all the tools you need to make close reading a reality!

Dr. Diana Sisson and Dr. Betsy Sisson hold doctorates in Educational Leadership as well as being certified reading consultants. The sisters have worked abroad developing reading programs for students in international settings, have consulted on federal research grants, and present at both national and international conferences. They currently operate their own consulting service focusing on professional development and school improvement. They also serve as adjunct professors in the fields of teacher preparation, curriculum and instruction, research in literacy, and special educational programming.