1. Close Reading with Signposts
Do you ever plow through a story or book giving it little thought, and then wait for your
teacher to tell you what to do next?
This is not really reading!
Reading and finishing are not synonyms!
Real reading is more than just passing
your eyes over the words on the page

2. On our journey to becoming lifetime readers, we all tend to progress through some similar stages:
Early in life we read mostly just to enjoy the plot.
Later (in early adolescence) we begin to read through the eyes of the main character.  Readers can test out the choices they would make in situations by living vicariously through the main character.
In late adolescence, we begin to ponder life’s bigger questions and find ourselves considering the themes of a novel (while still enjoying the plot and characters).
Finally, some people reach a stage where they read primarily to enjoy the beauty of the words on the page.

3. This is called close reading.
In order to continue progressing through these stages, we need to take the time to think and reflect WHILE we are reading.
This is called close reading.
What we want is to notice those elements of the text that are, for example…
surprising, or confusing or contradictory, so that then we pause and take note…
think carefully, reread and analyze – we read closely.
These text features will be referred to as signposts.

4. Six signposts to look for when you read:
1. CONTRASTS & CONTRADICTIONS 2. AHA MOMENT 3. TOUGH QUESTIONS 4. WORDS OF THE WISER 5. AGAIN AND AGAIN 6. MEMORY MOMENT

5. 1. CONTRASTS & CONTRADICTIONS

6. 2.  AHA MOMENT

7. 3.  TOUGH QUESTIONS

8. 4.  WORDS OF THE WISER

9. 5.  AGAIN AND AGAIN

10. 6. MEMORY MOMENT

11. Words of the Wiser Let’s practice… Which signpost is this?
Excerpt from Text
“My father and I have lost faith in our country. We were born servants here
and no matter how hard we work we will always be servants. Your father was a good man. He gave us a small piece of land and
a cabin. But your uncles...you know their reputation. They would take it all away and treat us like animals. We will not work for them. The work is hard in the United States but at least there we have a chance to be more than servants.”
Summary
Miguel is explaining to Esperanza why he is leaving Mexico with his family to go to the United States.
Which signpost is this?
Words of the Wiser