equally appropriate for all texts. One way that students “engage deeply” with text is by analyzing it for the relationships within and across sentences (Duke, Ward, & Pearson, 2021).
Contemporary as well as classic pieces of literature may be used to scaffold the metacognitive work students will need when engaged with close reading and/or text analysis. Short pieces of non-fiction such as those found in elementary magazines and newspapers may also be used. Teachers should strive to choose texts which provide interesting content and vocabulary that may not have been introduced to the students before reading the selected passage.
We suggest that “discussion” in grades 1 and 2 take place between two partners who “turn-and-talk” so that every pupil is engaged with the task. It would be helpful for the teacher to select a partner, too – perhaps a student who struggles with expressive language or socialization. Participating as a teacher- partner provides an opportunity for the teacher to assess a particular student’s strengths and weaknesses during such close interaction. A second appropriate discussion format is to have every student jot a response (word, phrase, picture, question) on a small white board so that it can be held in front of the students. The teacher should be able to read the responses from his vantage point in the classroom. Then, the teacher can have the students form groups for similar responses, noting “Twelve of you chose the same word as the most important one on this page. Let’s share why.” During or after sharing, the teacher may instruct the students to closely read the passage again to determine which words or sentences around the selected key word caused them to choose it. Of course, the students’ other responses may also be discussed as they may be subordinate ideas. The discussion framework shared here is also viable for either teacher-led or student-led discussion in the upper elementary grades and above.
Grade 1: Ezra Jack Keats’ classic story, The Trip, has been a first grade staple as a stand-alone piece of literature as well as a story included in reading anthologies. In the story, Louie adjusts to living in a new house and neighborhood after leaving the old ones behind. Louie’s imagination is a key concept in the story, although it is never explicitly stated. The pages of this story are not numbered so we suggest that teachers number the pages for easy reference by all.
Before the words of the story begin in this book, there is a 2-page picture of a room in Louie’s house. This illustration is an appropriate place to have students begin scrutinizing what the author is conveying to them: what can they learn about Louie from studying this picture?
The teacher should assess all student responses, strong and weak, so that he may tap the metacognitive awareness of first graders by having them explore why they think their responses provide information about what they are going to read. The teacher may need to scaffold by directing the students’ close attention to the buildings drawn in each picture to find out what the students think Louie knows about buildings, and why they have come to a determination.
When vocabulary is carefully selected, students can have deep discussions about concepts related to the words. For example, in The Trip, “neighborhood” and “sighed” are important conceptual terms. Close reading and text analysis are meant to add to the readers’ meaning-making as well as their reading enjoyment. A few quality questions rather than a plethora of yes/no or other ineffectual questions will deepen discussion and enhance written response. An appropriate writing task that would demonstrate close reading, and perhaps even analysis at this early grade could be: Why do you think Louie designed the inside of the box the way he did? How do the words of the story support your answer?
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