Key Points and Summaries from the First Meeting on 2/20/14

Key Points / Summaries from the First Meeting on 2/20/14

Close Reading of Informational Texts: Assessment Driven Instruction in Grades 3-8
Key Points/Summaries from the First Meeting on 2/20/14

Chapter 1   What does "Close Reading" Mean?

• Close Reading (Brummett, 2010) is a purposeful and disciplined reading of a text to get a deeper understanding of its meaning.  The reader analyzes the text at the word or phrase level and the sentence and paragraph level.  The goal of close reading is for the reader to be able to identify the author's central ideas and describe why any particular idea is significant.  The reader also finds supporting details in the text and explains how the details support the central ideas.

• Analyze text at the word or phrase level - sentence and paragraph levels

• Essential Skills for Close Reading

          1)  Prior knowledge of text structure
          2)  Prior  knowledge of topic and related vocabulary

          3)  Setting a purpose for reading

          4)  Self-monitoring for meaning

          5)  Determining what is important

          6)  Synthesizing  

• Close reading is most effective when integrated across content areas

• Identify author's central idea and describe why

• Important to know students strengths before each lesson

• Prior Knowledge of Text Structure and Related Vocabulary
• Student practices using strategies to understand unfamiliar vocabulary 
• Students learn the features of how authors present information in  a non-fiction text to begin to make predictions about text and set a plan for reading  

• Setting a Purpose for Reading
• The reader previews text to make a relevant prediction about the author's purpose for writing text     

• Self-Monitoring for Meaning

         1)  What are you reading that you already know?

         2)  What are you reading that is less familiar? / Slow down, reread, utilize prior knowledge of text 

              structure and prior knowledge of topic and vocabulary 

         3)  What are your questions?

• Determining What is Important 
• Determine and understand the author's central ideas by identifying the key words and phrases at the sentence and paragraph levels
• See "pasta" analogy on page 22

• Synthesizing 
• Reader develops a deeper understanding of the text by using knowledge of vocabulary and text structure; setting a purpose for reading the text, self-monitoring, and determining what is important in order to identify details that support the central ideas and how this information influences the reader's own thinking and knowledge of topic(s) presented in text
• Synthesizing involves active reading and thinking
• See "frame" analogy on page 26
• Synthesizing knowledge ultimate purpose of close reading described in this text

Chapter 2   An Assessment Driven, Structured Approach to Teaching

• Teaching -learning Cycle 
• Ongoing assessment by teacher before, during, and after reading

• Structured Teaching
• The gradual release of the responsibility of learning to the student
• Scaffolding - Teacher uses "Step-in" - "Step-back" approach 

• Key Components of Assessment Driven, Structured Approach to Teaching
• Assessment of students' strengths and needs
• Lesson preparation and text study
• Focus lesson - explaining the instructional objectives with teacher modeling using read-aloud, thinking- aloud, and writing-aloud strategies
• Guided practice
• Independent practice
• Student self-assessment

• Writing about the text during and after reading helps the reader synthesize 
• Teacher writes-aloud during focus lesson to model the process
• Teacher uses "I" not "you" when writing-aloud 

• Guided Practice (after Focus Lesson and Teacher Modeling)
• Students think through a section of text by using strategies modeled in focus lesson
• Students collaborate - partners or small groups
• Teacher only listening and supporting - step-in and step-back/scaffolding

• Independent Practice
• Essential that student practice reading and writing about text independently using text on his/her reading level

• Student Self-Assessment
• Helps student develop a sense of self-efficacy - I can do this
• Provide opportunities for student to be in conversations with peers about strategies used when reading and writing about text
• Think-Pair-Share

• Using Close Reading  Effectively with Diverse Groups of Readers
• Students with Learning Disabilities
• English Learners
• Students Reading above Grade Level