Illuminating Comprehension and Close Reading

Grasping the meaning of a text enables K-8 students to appreciate its language and structure through close reading, which in turn leads to deeper comprehension. This book explains the relationship between comprehension and close reading and offers step-by-step guidelines for teaching both of these key elements of literacy. Reproducible lessons are shared for eight engaging texts (excerpts from fiction, nonfiction, and poetry), complete with discussion tips, queries that scaffold comprehension, close reading activities, and connections to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The authors model lesson development and guide teachers in constructing their own lessons. Texts for 10 additional lessons are provided in the Appendix. Purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print all 18 texts in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size.

Isabel L. Beck, PhD, is Professor Emerita of Education in the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh. She has conducted research and published widely in the areas of decoding, vocabulary, and comprehension. Her contributions have been acknowledged by awards from the International Literacy Association, the Literacy Research Association, and the American Federation of Teachers. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Education. Her books include Bringing Words to Life, Second Edition.

Cheryl Sandora, PhD, is a Research Associate at the Learning Research and Development Center and a Fellow at the Institute for Learning, both at the University of Pittsburgh. Her work has included classroom-based research on comprehension and vocabulary instruction, the development of instructional materials for English/Language Arts classrooms, and professional development for districts around the country. She has taught in public, urban, and rural school districts and has served on the faculties of several universities.

I. The Hows and Whys of Comprehension and Close Reading
1. Overview and Rationale
2. A Sprint through Theory and Research: From Questioning the Author to the Present
3. Queries and the Role They Play in Discussion
4. Just the Gist: Developing Instruction for Basic Comprehension
5. Close Reading: Gist to Grist
6. A Closer Look at Close Reading: Modeling the Development of Close Reading Activities 
7. Your Turn for a Narrative
8. Your Turn for an Informational Article
9. Poetry: A Treasure Chest of Close Reading
10. Younger Students: Last but Far from Least
Frequently Asked Questions
II. Text Lessons for Comprehension and Close Reading
Lesson 1. Does an Elephant Never Forget?
Lesson 2. Li Ju and the Magic Tapestry
Lesson 3. Arachne, the Spinner
Lesson 4. Tribute to a Dog
Lesson 5. The Lady, or the Tiger?
Lesson 6. The Hound of the Baskervilles
Lesson 7. The Tell-Tale Heart
Lesson 8. John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address
Appendix. Reproducible Texts from Part I
Common Core State Standards