Close Reading - How to Read with a Pencil Strategy
Reading Comprehension Strategies
Close Reading helps students take a piece of difficult text and uncover the layers of meaning. When students are able to read closely, they have a clearer understanding of the text.
Have you ever had a student in your classroom that can read a passage twice, but they still have no idea what they just read? Well, I even do this myself sometimes. So what do we do about these kiddos that don’t retain what they are reading?
Ever heard of Close Reading? Â
With practice, students are able to analyze the text while reading and rereading. Read my Close Reading – Free Resources blog post if you need to learn more. The article includes all the steps and reasons why you your students will benefit from this strategy. While you are at it, grab the free Text Evidence Sentence Starters to use with your Close Reading resources.
Reading closely helps students to DEEPLY comprehend a text. Don’t forget to grab your FREEBIE at the end of the article.
I am a HUGE fan of anchor charts! LOVE THEM so much that I couldn’t live without them! I have created an anchor chart for just about every strategy and skill. My hubby doesn’t like it too. much when I make anchor charts for him. 🙂 Sometimes I just can’t help myself.
Anchor Charts help students to make learning more visible.Â
Keep reading to find out about one of the first strategies I use with my Close Reading unit. I begin by teaching a mini-lesson that focuses on the “Read with a Pencil” strategy. Of course, I create an anchor chart with my students, and the one below shows what it will look like after you complete it together.
Read with a Pencil Strategy:
- Tell your students that they will be “Reading with a Pencil.”
- Ask your students to share what that means to them.
- Explain to your students that to read with a pencil, it means that they will take notes while they are reading.
- Your students will be taking notes, underlining, and circling words / phrases.
- Complete the anchor chart above with your students.
- Students will also draw this Close Reading anchor chart in their interactive notebook, or you may print the anchor chart below.
Grab your free Close Reading: Read with a Pencil Strategy resource. The resource includes the strategy steps, colored anchor chart, and black and white anchor chart to save on printer ink.
Like this FREEBIE? Check out my 76 page Close Reading Toolkit resource. It includes everything you need to get started with teaching Close Reading in your classroom.
- Close Reading process
- strategies
- activities and games
- partner work
- printables
- anchor charts
- and MORE!
Happy Teaching!
Jen
