Implementing the Common Core State Standards: A Primer on "Close Reading of Text" - Review

     There is no denying the fact that implementation of the Common Core State Standards has been a challenging and time consuming process that many have proceeded with begrudgingly.  This comes as not surprise as the new standards require teachers to learn how to teach in a manner that is out of sync with their usual day to day approaches to lesson planning and instruction.  One of the biggest pushes within the Common Core State Standards is for close reading of texts.
     The above mentioned article touches on some very important points with regards to the implementation of close reading in the modern classroom and the implications it has for instructional approaches.  First, close reading requires that students have multiple readings and multiple lessons on the same brief, high quality piece of literature.  ALL students must have the chance to interact with this material through engaging in partner and group reads, and even those with reading challenges should be given the opportunity to struggle with advanced concepts and engaging discussions.  As the article states, this opportunity to grapple with the text has been show to motivate students further and increase their will to take on more challenging texts in the future.  The teacher's comments at the end of the article further supported this notion as she indicated that these opportunities motivated her students to work harder and think more deeply, often at a level thought to be beyond their ability. This point hammers home the intention of Common Core in that it suggests that teachers not give their students the answers; however, teachers must let students self-discover the answers to create students empowered to take control of their own learning.
     Another important take-away from the article is the role that background knowledge plays in the ability to tackle more complex texts in close reading.  Teachers must know student well enough to know what background knowledge they need and what information they can self-discover.  Often times, if a teacher is giving too much help prior to reading that means the text is not appropriate and/or the teacher does not believe his/her students are capable of the task.  If cross curricular approaches to reading instruction are being employed, then the need for extensive pre-reading activities is significantly reduced.  Students are already gaining the needed background information in other subject areas and can use this information to support their understanding of a close read set around a similar topic or time period.  While having background knowledge is very helpful in completing a close read, it is not always the most realistic.  Students will encounter texts in their lives on which they have little or no prior information, and for this reason, assigning students a "cold read" is appropriate and extremely beneficial in preparing for life and state assessments.
     Finally, teachers must engage in close reading themselves prior to implementing the instructional approaches in their classroom.  This allows the teacher to understand what exactly is required of students when conducting a close read and what does it look like in practice.  This exercise makes it much easier for teachers to provide opportunities for modeling, guided practice, and independent practice in a manner that is conducive to creating independent learners.  As the old saying goes, "You have to walk the walk to talk the talk."  A teacher who attempts to teach close reading without having done so themselves may not be fully prepared to set students up for success when it comes to the rigor and in-depth thinking that close reading of high quality, complex texts requires.