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Assign group roles. Then let each group annotate and present different chunks of the text. Note takers write the best example on the board, and presenters share group responses with the whole class. Shuffle roles. Everyone stands to present. It works if you can be flexible and let go of complete control. Difficult, I know! 😉
One go-to strategy for me is think-pair-share. Pose a question, ask students to think about it silently for a minute or two (or to write down a response on their own), then pair up with a classmate, and share each other's responses. Afterward, have a whole-class discussion.
Implement Socratic seminars. They work great for building student led discussions.
I always get more engagement when I let them talk to another student, even just one other student for 30 seconds. I give them a number of people per group and a time limit to discuss and find evidence (obviously more time if they’re annotating). They have answers, they just want to get confirmation from another kid they trust before they say things out loud or write them down sometimes.
I love a good turn and talk!
I use popcorn reading and pause to ask questions during the first read; some comprehension questions, but mostly inferential questions. I also allow the students to pause the first read and ask clarifying questions or make text connections when they feel the urge.
Since they have already started talking and thinking about the text during the first read, it makes them more comfortable to speak up and share during close read activities.
I work with a lot of struggling readers who generally have negative attitudes about reading at the beginning of the year, but I have received a lot of positive feedback from admin observing how I engage students while reading texts.
One thing I've done before is stations they rotate through where each has a particular text marking activity.
Don’t ever do their work for them. We are talking about tomorrow’s leaders, who will be responsible for our society. Let that moment become historical in their lives. We’re living in the time where critical thinking has been scarce among kids and adults. Whether the class spends one day or a week going over the same text, it’s up to them. Have them go back and reread a word, a sentence, a paragraph, even the whole text if it’s necessary! Of course, there are times you probably want to speed up the process by giving them clues of the text, it doesn’t hurt sitting and looking at them until they tell you what to write. Have them work in a group, and help each other.
Folger Method to the rescue!
The cutting strategy ensures close/ active reading. Have kids cut the text to the most essential elements and then justify their decisions.
I’ve done sound effects to something like “The Raven.” Each small group took a stanza and performed it.
I do a read aloud of the poem/passage & then direct them to specific parts to do an annotation disguised as an answer to a question, some with a partner & some independently. We do this repeatedly for multiple parts of the text & the questions build upon each other, like the answer for #1 will be helpful in answering #2. But they may have read paragraph 10/ line 50-75 for #1, and go back to paragraph 2 / line 20-35 for #2. The point is for me to map out ahead of time how I want them to move thru the text (not necessarily from beginning to end) & what I want them to get out of each stop along the way. It makes it meaningful because they feel like they're discovering hidden clues & messages within the text, like it's a secret between the author & them.
With struggling students, I chunk the text by embedding questions that require them to highlight specific words choices, make inferences, and give text evidence. Initially, I have them pair up and one person read the paragraph aloud, while the other offers a suggestion for an answer. They have to agree on the answer before writing it down. Then we do a class discussion. They are much more confident in their answers having discussed it with their partner.
I give students text dependent questions, give the class 3 minutes to write, then ask students to share out for participation points and take notes on what others share. We do this with a series of higher level questions about the text. I have also used TQEs with great success.