The Iron Law of Pedagogy states: Every good teaching idea becomes a bad idea the moment it hardens into orthodoxy. One most recent example is close reading. Close reading isdefined as “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 Common Core State Standards and directs the reader’sattention to the text itself.”
Literacy expert Tim Shanahan from the University of Illinois defines close reading as “an intensive analysis of a piece of text, in order to come to terms with what it says, how it says it, and what it means,”
In Common Core students are expected to “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.”
With those definitions, the sense of reading wherein the reader is able to have a personal experience of the text may be gone. The words used in the text become sufficient as they are without really digging deeper and more personally into the meaning and experiences the writers wanted to convey in the first place.
While close reading per se is good, its overuse and misuse should be taken into very careful considerations. If not, then the danger of losing the essence of reading becomes a problem not only for the teacher, but worse, the students.
So, how should teachers help students achieve reading proficiency using methods properly and appropriately? In this instance, closed reading may be good especially for young learners because they are able to learn the words and grammar used but as mentioned, the teacher who utilized the method should be very careful not to allow the technique to hinder the meaning and essence behind every text read.
Be with the students as they read allowing them to swallow not only the words but the beauty of the story or article being read by discussing with them about the reading material, asking questions, and encouraging them to ask questions as well.
References:
“Learning about Teaching: Initial Findings from the Measuring Effective Teaching Program”. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.– The Los Angeles Times (11 December 2010). Retrieved on April 1, 2016 at http://documents.latimes.com/measures-of-effective-teaching/
Pederson, P. (2007). What Is Measured Is Treasured: The Impact of the No Child Left Behind Act on Nonassessed Subjects. Clearing House, 80(6), 287–291. Retrieved from Education Research Complete on February 10, 2014
Reville, Paul (October 2007). “Stop the Narrowing of the Curriculum By ‘Right-Sizing’ School Time”.Education Week 24(Academic Search Premier. EBSCO.Web)
By: Heidi N. Gatchula | Teacher III | New Alion Elementary School
