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Close reading is a process. In order to close read one must read and interact with said material on multiple occasions. One must also be able to apply concepts and identify context clues. There should be time for the person that is conducting the close reading to ask questions or inquire on a certain event that takes place within the reading. This is where classroom discussions are key. Annotating the text (on sticky notes or seperate sheet) can guide your thought process and keep you on track with the reading. I have attached an anchor chart that addresses my whole thought. I did not create this chart.

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For me, close reading involves making connections, questioning the text and considering it's meaning in the big picture.  Close reading involves MULTIPLE readings, and READING LIKE A WRITER. When we read with the eye of a writer, we get so much more than content. Reading Like Writers allows us to analyze and consider HOW the writer crafted the text so that we can implement similar techniques.  I can become a better reader and a better writer by employing this strategy.  Also, ANNOTATING and MAKING NOTES is CRUCIAL to being engaged while reading. STOP. DROP your PENCIL to the paper. AND WRITE! Record your thinking!

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To me, close reading is when you actively look for connections, deeper meaning, and ask questions when you read an article, book, or any kind of text. It is important because it allows you to think critically about what you are reading and it can give you new insight that you may not have gotten by reading it leisurely. I like to take notes, ask questions, and read the text a few times so that i can get a better understanding.

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Close reading is the process of detailed reading to gain a deeper understanding of the text.

Tools for close reading:
1- read with a purpose
2- have background knowledge
3- annotate while reading
4- look for patterns

Close reading takes a lot of practice and diligence. If students are not given useful tools to learn to close read, students can become frustrated and give up. I personally have to take breaks after two or three paragraphs to digest the new information.

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Close reading, for me at least, involves taking the text and really interacting with the content. Close reading is important because it helps the reader take away more information during the time reading. Examples and strategies of this could include annotating and recognizing theme. I interact with text by making notes directly in the book/sheet that the reading is on.

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Close reading is focusing on the text in different areas of the read. For me, I always need to read something twice. I agree with Todd, it depends on what I am reading. I may need to spend some extra time on a certain reading and less time on others. I like to break things down while I'm reading, read aloud if I'm able too.

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Close reading is a careful interpretation of a text. It is important to read closely to make sure you are understanding what the text is saying. I close read best when I am alone in quiet; if I am distracted, I forget what I am reading, and have to re-read. Close reading is not going back and reading a sentence five times due to distractions.

https://minds-in-bloom.com/3-close-effective-reading-strategies-for-informational-text/

Here is my hyperlink, my link gives strategies for teaching close reading.

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Close reading defined to me is when you purposefully pay attention to important aspects in a specific work.
One thing I like to do to help keep me focused during close reading is to pay attention to diction. For a long time I really struggled with picking out what was important in a text. I feel like word usage is a good place to start for those who have trouble annotating text. Why did an author use this word vs using a different word?

This gives some strategies to walk students through close reading.
https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/close-reading-protocol#:~:text=The%20Close%20Reading%20Protocol%20strategy,of%20the%20text%20tells%20us.

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Close reading is making sure that a text makes sense to you by finding ways to guide your understanding. It is important to know what the text is saying in order to fully comprehend what you are reading. For me, I like to annotate texts and find background information about what it is that I am reading. By annotating the text, I am able to pick out important features of what I am reading. I also really like to find background information on a text first, in order to better understand the context of the piece I am reading.

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Close reading is when you read a text while trying to understand every facet of it’s meaning. Close reading may help students focus on key details, find themes, or find patterns. It can also help students learn more a about the craft of writing or different writing styles. It is important because it can help students better understand the text. When I close read, I annotate, I read the text multiple times and I research unknown words and/or references.
https://www.weareteachers.com/strategies-for-close-reading/

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My strategies for close reading depend on what I am reading. With a novel, I may reread a section if I can't remember what I read the night before.

With academic reading, or articles like those you might find on the SAT or PRAXIS, I annotate as I read. I write the main idea of each paragraph beside each paragraph, and then at the end, I read my notes beside each paragraph and have a good idea of the whole article.

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To me, close reading means reading something (an article, book, blog, etc.) in a way in which the reader finds more than enjoyment in what they are reading. Most of the time I will say my reading is only for enjoyment/escapism. But when I am close reading something, whether it be for myself or for class, I think I am trying to better understand what the writer is trying to convey in their work.

When I am close reading I have to find  a quiet environment, somewhere I can be comfortable, and I need quite a few things. I need the text (duh), but I also need a pen/pencil, some normal sized sticky notes, and some smaller sticky notes, along with whatever notebook/journal I am using for that class. If there is a particular quote I find interesting then I will copy it down into my notebook with the page number. And, depending on how much I may want to write, sometimes I will put a sticky note in the book if something sparked an idea that I wanted to write a little about.

(I REALLY like Point #4 in this article).

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In the age of ChatGPT and other AI, using close reading strategies doesn't come naturally to students. When students get a new assignment, their first instinct may be to race to the finish line rather than engage with text. This means students will miss a lot of nuance and meaning as they move through school.

On the other hand, a close reading of text requires students to slow down, think, annotate, and reflect. The ultimate idea? We get more information and enjoyment from reading and working with the text when we use close reading strategies.

What is close reading?

Close reading is a way to read and work with text that moves beyond comprehension into interpretation and analysis. Put another way, close reading helps readers get from literal to inferential understanding of text.

After a close reading, students should understand what the text says and understand ideas embedded in the text, like a cultural perspective or religious opinion. They'll also have an idea of what the text means to them, and what their opinion about it is based on more than just an offhand feeling. In class, close reading may take multiple class periods to complete and should have a goal at the end-a discussion or essay or some way for students to share what they've learned.

Read more: What is close reading anyway?

Here is our step-by-step guide with strategies for teaching close reading:

1. Choose the perfect passage

Image: Jennifer Findley

As you're planning texts for a lesson or unit, start with what you want students to get out of what they're reading. So, if you're studying text structure, choose books or articles with interesting text structures. If you're studying character development, find a passage that shows how a character changes or evolves. The point: There has to be something to find in text so that students aren't grasping at straws.

Read more: How To Choose the Perfect Passage for Close Reading

Tip: Texts should be at or just above students' grade and reading level, but they don't have to be dense with text. Here's how to use picture books in close reading lessons.

2. Prepare students by teaching annotation

Source: The English Classroom

Close reading will require some prep work. Students have to know how to annotate effectively, pulling out and making notes on the most important parts, i.e., not highlighting everything. Spend some time at the start of the year or unit teaching students how to identify and mark the most important parts of a text (new or key words, main ideas, pivotal plot points).

3. Students read the text for literal comprehension

First, have students read the entire text. The text should take less than one class period to read through once, so a chapter or article or even a few paragraphs could be enough. The first time students read, they're reading for a general understanding and the main idea. They can think through:

What is this story about?

What information does this article contain?

What is literally happening?

What is the message or purpose?

4. Check in

After the first reading, check in with students to make sure they have a clear, literal understanding of the text. If they don't, clear up misconceptions. If they do, move on to the second reading.

5. Chunk text in preparation for read 2

Image: iTeach. iCoach. iBlog.

Before the second reading, have students separate the text into paragraphs or chunks. Number each chunk. This way, when students review the text, they can easily refer back to paragraph 1 or chunk 2 and all be on the same page.

6. Work with text-dependent questions

Image: Instructional Coach

Now that students have a clear understanding of what the text is about, introduce the text-dependent questions that students will be working with in their close reading. Text-dependent questions are those that can only be answered using the text. For example, a question like "Why did Jeremiah eat a bullfrog?" rather than "Why is it not a good idea to eat a bullfrog?"

Questions that you work with should also range in their complexity. If the passage is more complex in terms of structure, content, or vocabulary, the questions may be less complex. But if a passage is easier for students to work with, the questions can be more advanced.

7. Set the end goal

Students shouldn't be reading just to read. Explain the end goal-a Socratic seminar discussion, a partner discussion, an essay, a project. Once students know how they are going to respond to the questions, they're better able to think through how they're going to show what they know.

Here are creative ways to use close reading.

8. Time for reads 2 and 3

Image: Reading Ladies

Now that students have the question, the text, and the end goal, they're ready to reread. The second time students read the text, they're reading it to annotate for their own understanding. This is also the point where you'll want to break students into groups-which students can work independently and which need some, or a lot of, support to complete the read?

Some texts will require a third reading for students to fully prepare, or students may need to reread chunks or paragraphs even more to get what they need. The important part is that students understand that rereading is an important part of close reading.

9. Respond to the text

This is it! The final close reading discussion. In this response, students will:

Summarize what they read.

Answer the text-dependent questions.

Include evidence to support their ideas.

Draw conclusions about the meaning of the text.

Have some way for students to plan out what they are going to say or write, and have them turn in their annotated reading so you can refer back to it if you're confused about how they got from point A to Z.

10. Reflect

Every so often, reflect on how close reading is changing what students are taking away from what they read. Close reading should shape their reading skills and how they approach text beyond your class, but students may need support seeing the connection.

11. Level up

As students get more comfortable with close reading, you can level up their discussions by:

Having students develop their own questions after they read a text or as you progress through a longer text.

Using texts that are more complex in terms of content or structure.

Challenging students to do a close reading of a picture book or graphic novel, rather than full-on text.

What strategies do you use to teach close reading in your classroom? Share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

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Close Reading Strategies: A Step-by-Step Teaching Guide

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Close reading doesn't come naturally today. Here's a step-by-step guide to teach close reading strategies.

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Close reading is reading critically while analyzing the specific literary devices, techniques, etc. Personally, in order to close read, I have to be in the appropriate environment to be able to focus. I also, stop while reading to ask myself questions, annotate on the side and mentally connect what I'm reading on the page to the overall moral or theme of the text. It's important to be able to close read to get a deeper understanding of the "hidden messages or themes". Ultimately, its easy to read the words on a page, but to be able to comprehend and read between the lines take a little more skill..called "close reading."

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Close reading is when we evaluate the plot of a text, its characters, and even its language to divest deeper meaning from that text. Close reading entails keeping historical context in mind and evaluating the literature's relevance to our own society. Rereading is an essential strategy and annotating in the margins is highly recommend to further understanding.
https://jenniferfindley.com/annotating-tips-for-close-reading/