Close Reading Strategies and Resources

Overview

The act of reading requires more than simply scanning our eyes across the page of some text. And we have to acknowledge that there is a difference between reading for pleasure and reading for academic purposes. These strategies outlined below will help guide you to become an active reader. Being an active reader means engaging with the text, taking notes, and having a conversation with the pages. Close-reading strategies allow readers to take their understanding of literature to a deeper level.

Immerse Yourself in Reading

• Distraction-free environment
• Put your phone away
• Music with lyrics doesn't actually help you concentrate on the words of a text
• Turn off tv shows, movies, or video games

• Preview the text
• Are there any excerpts at the top that give background information?
• How is the story organized?
• Do you notice any bolded words and headings?
• Are there any vocabulary words bolded or defined already? Footnotes?

• Have a pen, pencil, highlighter, and sticky notes ready.
• Or make sure the proper annotation tools are available on the digital text you are reading (like OneNote, Nook, or eBook)

• Use a ruler, note card, or other straight edge
• These tools can help you to focus line-by-line on the text
• Put the ruler or note card at the top of the page, parallel to the lines of text. Once you read a line, move it down
• OneNote has a ruler you can use!

Know the Purpose for Reading

Look at the directions for any reading assignment and create a “checklist.” If your teacher has specific requirements for annotation, be diligent about what they are asking for. Read the directions and rewrite them in your own words at the top of the text or reading assignment.

Create an Annotation Key

• If your teacher gives you a list of topics or concepts to annotate, choose colors or symbols that you can identify with each topic or concept.
• For example, if you are asked to annotate for character and setting, choose yellow for character and pink for setting.
• If your teacher does not give you a list, consider making your own key.
• Think of your key like a key on a map.
• Make sure that in addition to highlights, you also make NOTES (notes help you remember and track your thinking as you read!)

Summarize Key Moments and Main Ideas

• Use the space at the end of chapters to summarize main ideas or plot points.
• Make a bulleted list of major events that happened in a chapter.
• Throughout a story, periodically write a note on the side about what is happening./li>