rigorous reading

Professional Development Part I – An overview of the first 3 of the 5 Access Points

Rigorous Reading: 5 Access Points for Comprehending

Complex Text By Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey

Essential Question:How will we teach students how to read at the level of complexity required by the Common Core Anchor Standards?

College and Career Ready Anchor Standard for Reading to be focused on for our purposes are:

#1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

See breakdown by grade level.

#10 Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

See breakdown by grade level.

Common Core Anchor Standards for Reading

http://www.corwin.com/rigorousreading/materials/Figure_1.1.pdf


Watch the video of Doug Fisher explaining “Reading Like a Detective” about text complexity.Choose Chapter 1, thenVideo

1.1

Text Complexity

http://www.corwin.com/rigorousreading/chapter.htm




Start with short passages (3 paragraphs to 3 pages)

Repeated reading – get students to read multiple times by changing the purpose and the questions.

Reading with a pencilText Dependent Questions

Close Reading

Much attention has been given to the process of close reading, which relies on repeated readings of short passages of complex texts. A key purpose of close reading is to encourage students to examine in detail what the text has to say. The first assumption behind the practice of close reading is that the text is worthy; not everything we read requires this kind of inspection. However, understanding the text itself is necessary for comprehension and is key to making the kind of analytic and evaluative judgments that mark a competent reader. One question we often hear is in regard to the use of close reading practices with students who are not yet fully independent readers. It is helpful to keep in mind that the intent of close reading is to foster critical thinking skills to deepen comprehension. Therefore, the thinking skills needed for close reading should begin in kindergarten.

Frey, Nancy; Fisher, Douglas B. (2013-09-10). Rigorous Reading: 5 Access Points for Comprehending Complex Texts (Corwin Literacy) (p. 13). SAGE Publications. Kindle Edition.

Close Reading

Watch the video of Doug Fisher explaining Close Reading. Choose Chapter 1, then Video

1.3

Close Reading







The 5 Access Points to Comprehending Complex Text:

Access Points Video

http://youtu.be/QaCgcf3ozZo

http://youtu.be/QaCgcf3ozZo

1. Purpose and Modeling2. Close and Scaffolded Reading

Instruction3. Collaborative Conversations4. An Independent Reading

Staircase5. Demonstrating Understanding

and Assessing Performance

The 5 Access Points to Comprehending Complex Text:

Purpose and

Modeling

Access Point 1

PurposeState it: “Today we’re goint to think about the

specific words that the author has chosen and practice asking questions while we read. I’m going to share some of my thinking with you, especially about the author’s words and the questions I have when I am reading. I’ll give you a chance to try it with your reading partner.”

Access Point 1 – Purpose and Modeling

Model1. Conduct a Think Aloud2. Lead a discussion about the Think AloudWhile students respond, record their ideas

for the whole class to see. For the purpose of this particular lesson, “Today we’re goint to think about the specific words that the author has chosen and practice asking questions while we read. I’m going to share some of my thinking with you, especially about the author’s words and the questions I have when I am reading. I’ll

give you a chance to try it with your reading partner.” the list generated could look like this:


.” the list generated could look like this: Analyze word choices Make predictions and confirmations Ask questions Make connections to the title Visualize Think about what we already know about a

character

View the video of a how a teacher models for her students. Choose Chapter 2, then Video 2.1





The idea is that the teacher explicitly or intentionally models the strategies that readers can use as they read.

We want students to recognize that complex texts require more from us as readers than those readings that are a more comfortable fit. Novice readers make the mistake of approaching all texts as equivalent, when they are not. In too many cases, when the text is challenging, they turn away and give up.


Modeling is not random, “whatever comes to mind,” but rather purposeful instruction focused on specific identified aspects of text complexity.



Close and Scaffolded Reading

Instruction

Access Point 2

Close ReadingWatch the video of students in a high school class engaged in close reading strategies.

Choose Chapter 3, then Video 3.1

Access Point 2 – Close and Scaffolded Reading Instruction








Short Worthy PassagesStudents’ rereadingLimited frontloadingText-dependent questionsAnnotationAfter-reading tasks


Short, Worthy Passages Because close readings can be time consuming, it is often best to

select shorter pieces of text for instruction. These selections, typically between three and nine paragraphs in length, allow students to practice the analytic skills required of sophisticated readers. Longer, extended texts are also used to encourage students to practice the skills that they have been taught during close readings. Close reading instruction is not limited to stand-alone short texts such as news articles, poems, or short stories. Close readings can be done with short passages from longer texts, especially when a section is especially challenging and is pivotal for understanding the larger message of the text.



Students’ RereadingAs part of a close reading, students must read and reread the

selected text several times. This requires that students have expanding purposes for each repeated reading. These rereadings can be completed independently, with peers, with teacher think-alouds, or any combination thereof.

During close readings, the purpose for each reading is made clear, and often, those purposes are related to looking for evidence in response to a specific question. Importantly, rereading also reduces the need for extensive frontloading.



Limited FrontloadingWhen students read a piece of text only one time, the teacher

has to do lot of work to ensure their understanding. In other words, the teacher is doing the heavy lifting. When students read and reread a text multiple times and talk about the text

with their peers, the teacher does not have to provide as much instructional support. The rereading, discussions, and text-

dependent questions do some of this. During close readings, the teacher does not provide much in the way of pre-teaching or frontloading of content. The structure of the lesson itself is the scaffolding that was once delivered through frontloading.

Frey, Nancy; Fisher, Douglas B. (2013-09-10). Rigorous Reading: 5 Access Points for Comprehending Complex Texts (Corwin Literacy) (p. 47). SAGE

Publications. Kindle Edition.


Text Dependent QuestionsThe types of questions students are asked

influence how they read a text. If students are asked only recall and recitation questions, they

learn to read for that type of information. If they are asked questions that require them to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate, they learn to read more closely and actively engage with the

text.

Frey, Nancy; Fisher, Douglas B. (2013-09-10). Rigorous Reading: 5 Access Points for Comprehending Complex Texts (Corwin Literacy)

(p. 50). SAGE Publications. Kindle Edition.


Text Dependent Questions General Understanding Key Details Vocabulary and Text Structure Author’s Purpose Inferences Opinions, Arguments, Intertextual Connections Annotation After-Reading Tasks

Samples & Video of Close Reading in the Primary Grades . Choose Chapter 3, then Video 3.5.






Text Dependent Questions

Thus far, the examples we have offered have involved older students, but if you are a primary teacher, you may be thinking, “How could this ever occur with my students?” K– 3 students have an especially wide gap between the level of texts they can read on their own and those they can read with some adult support. In other words, they can understand narrative and informational texts that far outstrip their current reading levels. It is for this reason that the list of text exemplars in Appendix B on the Common Core State Standards document contains read-aloud examples for the primary grades.



rigorous reading

Education

practice of close reading

close reading instruction

close reading strategies

process of close reading

intent of close reading

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reading partner

key purpose of close