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Complex and Close:A Close Reading How To

Students who reached benchmark scores and did well in college:Ability to make inferences while reading or answering questionsAbility to answer questions associated with complex text- ACT, 2006 Reading Between the LinesText Complexity Matters

Why Complex Text?Must read closelyThink deeply about textsParticipate in discussions based on textGain knowledge

Publishers Criteria for ELA/Literacy Grades 3-12, p. 3

What does complex mean?Talk with your neighbor about how you would define complex.

What is the difference between complex and difficult? Is there a difference?Talk with your neighbor.

A Quick Exercise in Complex vs. DifficultCOMPLEXITY VS. DIFFICULTYComplexity: the thought process the brain uses to deal with informationDifficulty: the amount of effort that the learner must expend within a level of complexity

A learning activity can become more difficult without becoming more complex. [Sousa, 2006]

Examples: Complex vs. Difficult

Examples: Complex vs. Difficult

How Text Complexity is Measured

Qualitative measures levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demandsQuantitative measures readability and other scores of text complexityReader and TaskReader and Task background knowledge of reader, motivation, interests, and complexity generated by tasks assigned

Tons of Resources

Understand the CCSS call for a staircase of complexity.Pay attention to the progression of Reading Standard 10.Review lexile ranges as well as Fountas and Pinnell guided reading; they have been increased.Make a district decision as to how to decide on text complexitySelect texts across a wide range of text complexityand one more thing

Important to Know and Decide

Pay Attention to Text Quality Rich in contentProvide strong models of thinking and writingBroad resonance: referred to and quoted oftenProvide students with deep engagement in the world and a variety of culturesReflect on important issues in the disciplinesBuild background knowledge and vocabulary essential to reach CCR levels11

How do we help students engage with complex texts?

Read the passage that starts NOTHING can possibly be conceived in the worldAs you read, think about the strategies that you are using to comprehend this challenging text?Close Reading Activity

What is Close Reading?

Model It!!!Find strong passages for practiceAnnotate with reading graffiti mark word choices, sentence patterns, images and dialogueConsideration: Use poetryHow to Teach Close Reading

What do you notice about the process?How do you think your students will respond to this process?What does this look like at your respective grade level?Watch and Reflect

A Close Reading Instructional Framework1. Introduce complex vocabulary2. Establish a purpose with an essential question3. Model a Close Reading4. Practice with a Partner5. Check for Understanding6. Independent Practice7. Discussion or Debate8. Student Writing: Argumentative or Informative

Remember this?

Lets talk about scaffoldingBefore You PlanWhat it does doWhat it doesnt do

Helps students access complex text directly.Allows the reader a first encounter with minimal clarifications.Guides the reader with follow-up supportEncourages re-readingReduce the complexityReplace the textTell students what they are going to learn.

Pair easier texts with complex texts: introduce vocabulary and build background knowledge with an easier text and then incorporate use of the more complex textStrategically pair or group multiple texts. For example, pair an informational text and a narrative text selected by the same author for an author study or thematically group texts.Teach students to deconstruct complex sentences to better understand texts.Devise a set of core questions that students can ask as they read assigned material, to guide their thinking and help make sense of their reading. (See handouts)Incorporate peer-assisted instruction to support reading of complex texts.

Strategies for Scaffolding

Plan a Close Reading with a Grade Level Complex Text

Time to Plan: Think About What You Are Doing Next Week