Enhancing Student

Comprehension Through

Close Reading

Guiding QuestionsO What is Close Reading?O What are Text-Dependent Questions?O How can I use Close Reading & Text-

Dependent Questions in my classroom? O How are Close Reading & Text-

Dependent Questions connected to the TEKS?

What is Close Reading?

Close Reading in Elementary Schools

O by Douglas Fischer & Nancy Frey

O Read the article independently with a specific question in mind

O Work with your group to answer the question using text evidence

Debrief Article

Text-Dependent Questions

O What are Text-Dependent Questions?O How can Text-Dependent Questions be

used with students?O What are the benefits of using Text-

Dependent Questions?

Instructional Implications

O Text-Dependent Questions can be developed directly from a TEK being taught

O Students can respond to the Text-Dependent Questions in Reader’s Notebooks

O Student responses can be assessed and recorded as grades

2nd Grade O Students read the Time For Kids article

Honeybees without any background knowledge or class discussion.

O While reading, students made “think mark” notes that would allow them to get a better understanding of the article.

O Teacher re-read the article aloud and answered lingering questions to increase all students’ understanding.

O The learning outcome of this close reading exercise was for the students to generate a summary of the information read.

O Students then compiled their notes from the article and discussed information to draft their summary.

3rd GradeO Students read the poem Saw My Teacher on

Saturday without any background knowledge.

O Students answered a text-dependent question using response notebooks: O What clues does the speaker give that lets the

reader know that the speaker feels uncomfortable?

O *Students highlighted text evidence and wrote responses in readers notebooks

O Lastly, students completed the Close Reading Graphic Organizer.

Guiding QuestionsO What is Close Reading?O What are Text-Dependent Questions?O How can I use Close Reading & Text-

Dependent Questions in my classroom? O How are Close Reading & Text-

Dependent Questions connected to the TEKS?

Planning to ApplyO Which mini-lesson texts will you be using

in coming lessons?O Develop a Close Reading plan to enhance

student comprehensionO Which TEKS will you be teaching &

assessing in coming lessons?O Create some Text-Dependent Questions

connected to TEKS that could used to assess student comprehension

Sources O Close Reading In Elementary Schools

By: Douglas Fisher and Nancy FreyO Pre-reading or Not? On the Premature

Demise of Background Discussions By: Timothy Shanahan

O PPT can be located on:Carrie Pierce’s website-Schluter Staff page