Reading Like a Detective!

I absolutely LOVE learning new things! This past September I attended St. Lucie County's ECET2 Conference where I participated in a "Close Reads" training. If you google Close Reads you will receive thousands and thousands of hits. I am going to share with you how I use this strategy in my classroom with my students.

If the reading passage is short, I can usually get all six steps completed in one reading block (I do this about once every two weeks).

If the reading passages are long, I will break the steps into two days.

Step #1: Students will read a piece of text for the first time just to get the "gist". While reading, students code the text (see picture below showing a poster of coding marks). After students code the text, they go through the text and highlight words they don't know or understand.

Step #2: Students now discuss their coding with their shoulder partner. My students sit in groups of four. Each student has a shoulder partner and a face partner. With this particular step, students work with their shoulder partner. I select a student to begin first (either student A or student B) and set the timer for 2 minutes. During the two minutes student A shares the code he/she recorded and the reason. When the timer sounds, student B will have two minutes to share his/her thinking. After both students share their thinking, they now take turns discussing words they highlighted. Student B will go first this time (for two minutes) then student A will have his/her turn. When discussing vocabulary, student will read the highlighted word, read the sentence that contains the word, and read surrounding sentences for clues. Both students will work together to determine meaning of the word or words.

Step #3: Students will now read the text for the second time. Tasks will vary depending on the text and learning goal. I usually have the students look for clues that signal the structure of the text. Students will circle these signal words. We are a "Thinking Maps" school, therefore; students will select the appropriate thinking map that best fits their thinking. This will help signal the structure of the text.


Step #4: Students will now have a discussion with their face partner. I select a student to begin first (either student A or student B) and set the timer for 2 minutes. During the two minutes student A shares with student B the structure he/she feels the author uses. Student must use textual evidence. When the timer sounds, student B will have two minutes to paraphrase what student A said and agree or disagree with evidence.


Step #5: Students read the text for the third and final time. At this point I will have a question or two the students will answer in step #6 so the task is dependent on the question. For example, today the question asked the students to determine the theme of the text and provide evidence. During the third reading, the students underlined clues that determined the theme.


Step #6: Students will work in Cooperative Groups using a variation of a "Kagan" structure to answer a question or two. Each student has a role:

Student #1 will read the question, restate the question, and make sure everyone understands the question! Student #1 also takes the role of a facilitator.

Student #2 will answer the question using words from the question. He/she will make sure everyone is listening!

Student #3 will paraphrase the answer and agree or disagree with evidence. He/she will make sure everyone is listening!

Student #4 will summarize or paraphrase the answer to the question.

Roles will rotate with additional questions.

(This is a new structure my students are practicing. I will write another blog just on this strategy, complete with pictures and video)

These are pictures of my students participating in "Close Reading"!

Notice the "Close Reading" glasses!!!! The students LOVE them!