Close reading is a district wide instructional strategy, which encourages students to read with purpose and build comprehension skills. As a part of the instructional leadership team at NACA I, we integrated close reading into our early childhood classrooms. Close reading for a Kindergarten reader is identifying key details in the text and pictures. While reading closely in my classroom, Kindergarteners underline key words with crayons and label the partnering illustrations with key details from the text. For the students, this creates a more meaningful and purposeful reading of each passage read.
This is an example of a daily close reading packet completed by an on or above grade level reader. The student is able to underline the sight-words with crayon each day, label the key details in the photo, in addition, to read and answer questions following the passage. On or above grade level readers complete this daily activity independently with the support of classroom teachers, volunteers, and other peers, if needed.
This is an example of a daily close reading packet completed by a below grade level reader. The student is able to underline some of the sight-words with crayon each day, label two or less key details in each illustration, in addition to answering a majority of the questions when reading to the student following the passage. Emerging readers need one-on-one support to complete this daily activity, which is provided by the classroom teachers, volunteers, and other peers.