Literacy Blogs

Should We Still Teach Close Reading? Blast from the Past: The Common Core State Standards introduced the idea of “close reading,” in elementary reading instruction. I wrote a version of this entry on June 18, 2012, hoping to explain a concept that was new to many puzzled teachers. Since then, some states have revised or replaced their English Language Arts standards, which has shifted attention away from close reading. This blog entry represents an extensive revision of the earlier version. The Common Core State Standards encouraged teachers to engage students in “close reading.” Not surprising, I received lots of letters asking me ...

Teacher question: I recently read an article suggesting that the research findings on reading comprehension have been modified, distorted and ignored (Dewitz & Graves, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.389). What concerned me most is that close reading and the CCSS came under heavy fire. Although the article ends with suggestions for bridging the research to practice gap, it leaves practicing teachers using the CCSS wondering whether to modify their reading comprehension instruction and use of close reading. Since you have written about close reading and the CCSS in other blogs, what are your suggestions? Shanahan responds: This article claims that today’s reading comprehension instruction is not in ...