Annotation and Close Reading of Complex Texts Learning to Read with Highlighters and Pens

Close Reading: What is It? Close reading is thoughtful, critical analysis of a text that focuses on significant details or patterns in order to develop a deep, precise understanding of the text’s form, craft, meanings, etc. It is a key requirement of the College and Career Ready Standards and directs the reader’s attention to the text itself.

What Does It Include? Using short passages and excerpts, Diving right into the text with limited pre-reading activities, Focusing on the text itself, Re-reading deliberately, Reading with a pencil/annotation, Noticing things that are confusing, and Discussing the text with others: Think-Pair Share, Turn and Talk, and/or Small groups.

What is Annotation? Annotation is marking a text to show understanding. While there are many ways to annotate, at Cordova, we are using the following: Highlighters * Yellow is used to highlight the claim of the text and the conclusion that mirrors or summarizes the claim at the end of the text. A claim is the argument presented, and it may be called a thesis or central idea. By using the term claim (claim and yellow share the letter L), we simplify the language for all of us – teachers and students. *Green is used to highlight the grounds (evidence) upon which the claim is based. It is the proof that supports the claim. Grounds and green share the letter G.

What is Annotation? Pens/Pencils: The color of the pen/pencil is irrelevant. It is the mark that matters. Underlining: The reader underlines words or passages that he/she thinks are essential to understanding the text. Readers may underline text that has already been highlighted in green, but one goal is to look for words/passages in addition to the grounds that reveal more specific information about the grounds. Additionally, readers will label the underlined text (metaphor, simile, allusion, quote, data, comparison/contrast, counter-argument, etc) and briefly explain why/how the author used it, the purpose it serves, or how it supports the claim. Circling: Readers circle words/text they do not understand.

I Read the Text. I’m Done, Right? No. Our process requires three readings to attain comprehension, understand the significance of the text, and establish an interpretation of the text. While experienced readers often combine steps, we want our readers to use three separate readings.

Comprehension The reader attempts this cold with no preparation or help from the teacher other than the directions. In this step, the reader is answering one of the following questions: What happened? (fiction) What is the author saying? (non-fiction) What is the author trying to accomplish? (non- fiction)

Significance The reader annotates in this step using this process: Highlight the claim and conclusion in yellow. Highlight the grounds in green. Underline important words/text. (No need to label or explain it yet.) Circle any words, ideas, or text that is confusing or not understood. The reader is trying to answer the following: What is the message? What is the argument/purpose?

Interpretation The third read is to create an interpretation of the piece in terms of social/political/cultural terms and/or how the author develops this piece through rhetorical strategies/devices and/or literary techniques/devices. Questions to address include the following: What did the author do? Why did he/she do it? How/Why does it work? In this step, the reader adds a label and explanation to the underlined passages. The next step is writing an essay that explains the interpretation.

Practice Time Read to comprehend. Look for the big picture. Annotate to show understanding with highlighters and pens/pencils. Interpret what you know.