A Parents Guide to the Words Matter:

Common Core:
Terminology in
A Closer Look at Language Arts
Informational Text communicates information.
Close Reading Informational text may include newspaper and
magazine articles, digital information, non-
Close reading is not a new strategy for Gwinnett County students. fiction, reference materials, and more.
However, with the alignment of GCPS AKS curriculum with the Com-
Literary Text is primarily fiction, which includes
mon Core Georgia Performance Standards, its a learning strategy thats
short stories, fables, folktales, fairy tales, novels,
getting a lot of attention, and for good reason! Close reading is used by myths, drama, poetry, and more.
students to dig deeply into a text that requires analysis. For many books,
poems, stories, and articles, we can read the piece just once and under- Close Reading requires students to read a text
stand pretty quickly what it is we need to know. At other times, when multiple times. In a close reading, students will
the text is particularly important or perhaps more complex, one read- analyze the text to determine what it says, how it
says it, and what it means.
ing is not sufficient. When we read a text closely, we read it multiple
times to expose the meanings of the text. In a close reading, we pay very Text-Based Questions require students to read
close attention to both what the author says and how the author says it. a text closely to gain deep understanding. These
questions cannot be answered without a close
So, what does close reading look like in our schools? Check out some
reading of the text and will require students to
examples of how students read, analyze, and annotate their reading as
apply information directly from the text rather
they work to understand what they read. than simply recalling information from the text.
Close Reading of a Literary Text Academic Vocabulary are the words tradition-
A close reading of a literary text is ally used in academic conversation and text.
a complex and active process in Often, these are the words that are not used in
which a student draws conclusions The Jou daily conversation, but they are
rney
and inferences from a work in Speak
er and
the sp A u dience
by Mar
y O liver the words we encounter
order to construct meaning, eaker :
in the One day
poem
uses 2
nd pe what yo
yo u finally k when reading. For exam-
form connections, and develop point
of view rson u had to new
Occasi
o
to add (you
)
though
the voic
do, and
began, may h
n : the sp
eaker
ple, a small amount of re-
critical-analysis skills. A student directl
ress th
e read
kept sh
outing
es arou
nd by an
ave be
en pro
y; the er though their bad you actua mpted search might be referred to
might note a writers use of repeti consta the advice road d l walk
tion m nt began to whole house uring down
a
language, elements of craft and feel as
if its
akes it
and you
tremble u se d that e
a stor
m and as a modicum of research.
talk b a priv felt the create xperie
ate old tug nce to
style, literary devices, and the speak
etwee
n the
Mend
m y life! at yo ur ankle d
s. ifficult
a m etaph
or for
Instead of a claim being
er and each vo
ice crie journe
individ each
structure of a text to support ual re
ader
B u t you d
idnt sto
d . w ith dis
tracti
y , one false, it can be a fallacy.
You kn p. and o ons
an analysis. In this high school though
ew what
the win
you had
to do,
bstacle
s Its important for students to
with its d pried
example, the student forms at the ve
stiff fin
gers know the academic variations
ry foun Purpo
a personal connection, both se: the
though
was terr
their m
dations,
elancho
seems
to be
sp eaker of these and other words.
ly saying
to the text and with the It was al
ible. the ha
rdest th at
ready la may b journe
speaker. This connection enough
, and a
te
own in
e to li
sten to
y of a
ll Increased Text Complexity is
and the wild nig n er voic y o ur
leads the student to branch
road fu
ll of fall
ht,
en
when
th ere is
e, esp
e c ially
about ensuring that students
es and other a sto
stones. rm o
infer what might have But litt
le by litt
le, otherw
voices
a dvisin f read a wide range of texts that
as you le
ft their ise. g you
led the speaker on a Tone: I
would
the star
s began
voices b
ehind, are not too easy and not too hard.
charact through to burn
journey based on textual as: stri
erize th
e tone and ther
the shee
ts of clo Students will be asked to read
dent, co ew uds, Subjec
evidence in the poem. determ nfident, which yo as a new voice t: Its
ined, a
lmost recogniz
u slowly poet fe
e ls tha
clear
th e more difficult texts, but their teach-
conspir pay a t I ne
The student considers speaker
atorial;
the that kep
ed as yo
ur own ttenti
o n
ed to
ers will support them as they work
wants t yo u comp , journe to my ow
the tone of the poem to liste me as you st any y, my n
who a own v
the mes
n carefu
lly to in to the w
rode dee
p er and dee n d wha
t I am
is io n of to read and understand texts that
to determine a sage be orld, per what
fore determ my jo and
I set ou
t on m the only
ined to
do about
as I st
u r n ey is a
ll
are at or slightly above their reading
possible purpose, journey y own thing yo and d ride
deepe
d
whic
ifferent
h will be
determ
ined to
u could
do
Only
eeper
in to r levels.
noting the symbolism than her the only
life you
save when
I listen
the w
orld.
course. s, of could sa own v to my
oice a
throughout the ve.
own c
ourse
nd ch
ar t m
burn will th y
analysis. This safely
throu
gh an
e star
s
inside d guid
to wh e me
exercise in close o I am

reading shows the
value of exposing students
to rich text and equipping them with skills that Source:
Vancouve
Pre-Advan r (B.C.) S
allow for intellectual interaction with what they have read. ced Plac
emen
chool Dis
trict, Can
t English ada
(9th Grade
)
 3 Close Reading of an Informational Text In reading
informational text, its important for the student to identify and
analyze the main points of the text, looking for the facts that support
these main points. We ask students to read like a detective
and to be prepared to write as if they are a conscientious
investigative reporter who can cite specific facts to back up
what they write. In this middle school example, the student
underlined important ideas and made notes in the right margin
about them. Paragraphs are numbered so the student can
make quick reference in producing facts or observations to
support what shes read. Unknown vocabulary words are
circled, and the student has tried to guess the meaning of
words, based on clues in the sentence (contextual clues).
The student makes personal observations in the left
margin. Based on this close reading, the student should
be able to answer text-based questions, citing specifics
from the text to reinforce her points in writing.

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Close Reading at the Elementary Level

When examining this elementary school sample,
4
you may notice that the student is interacting with
the text in many ways. First, notice how certain
words stick out in the students mind. He writes a
more common or familiar word near the tricky
word in the text , a word that may not be part
of his everyday vocabulary. In addition, the
student is asking questions about what he
has read and making comments at specific
points that have captured his interest.
Several comments made by the reader are
connected as he moves through the text.
The act of reading closely causes the
reader to read and re-read passages as he
annotates or marks up the text.
Source:
Excerpt fr
Candlew om
ick Press,
Located March 20 by Kate
on http:/ 00 DiCamill
/www.d o
efiningth
ecore.co
m

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