Close Reading is Essential for Building Comprehension

Close Reading of Complex Texts

Grades 3–8

Close Reading of Complex Texts Interactive Edition

Grades 3–8

Close reading is a powerful instructional strategy that helps students develop the reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing skills crucial to success. When students master close reading, they are prepared to negotiate the challenging texts in science, social studies, math, and English language arts (ELA).

Learn how to implement close reading into your daily ELA routine with these FREE resources! Choose a video, ebook, or tip sheet and begin guiding your students to be confident readers of complex texts right away!

Videos

eBooks

Tip Sheets

Strengthening Disciplinary Knowledge through Close Reading

Learn how to improve middle school students’ content-area knowledge with close reading.

8 Essential Elements of Close Reading

Include the eight essential elements of close reading into your lesson plans.

Demystifying Close Reading: Tips to Be sure Every Reader Succeeds!

Learn what close reading is, why it is so important, and how best to instruct your students.

Close Reading Within the Four Corners of the Text

Increase students' abilities to read, analyze, and synthesize, deepening their understanding.

Strengthening Disciplinary Knowledge through Close Reading

8 Essential Elements of Close Reading

Demystifying Close Reading: Tips to Be sure Every Reader Succeeds

Close Reading Within the Four Corners of the Text

Understand the Basics of Close Reading, Vol. I

Diane Lapp, Barbara Moss, Maria Grant, and Kelly Johnson have outlined the essentials of close reading in this informative professional development eBook.

Understand the Basics of Close Reading, Vol. II

For successful close reading lessons, teachers must continuously assess the texts they select, the questions they use to scaffold, and the readers’ tasks they've planned.

Understand the Basics of Close Reading, Vol. I

Understand the Basics of Close Reading, Vol. II

8 Essential Elements of Close Reading

This tip sheet reviews the elements of close reading and helps make close reading planning easier for you and engaging for your students.

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Multiple Reads of Complex Texts

Have your students use this close reading graphic organizer as they read a text multiple times to deepen their understanding of the meaning of the text.

Model for Annotating a Text

Teaching students how to annotate with a purpose will help them keep track of key ideas and will help them formulate thoughts and questions they have while reading.