eMysteries Toolkit

The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. [Project Number: 2019-1-DE03-KA201-060127] 37 Module 3: Close Reading Close reading is a concept that has been analysed and discussed for many years, from its uses to the best methods for implementation. Before we can look closely at the benefits of close reading in the context of literacy building and creative writing, it is first important to examine “what is close reading”? Close reading is described as the critical analysis of a piece of text. It is the thoughtful assessment of the written word, focusing on details included, patterns used, vocabulary and syntax (Burke, n/d). Similarly, Snow and Connor (2016) define close reading as a method for teaching comprehension that requires students to evaluate how language is used in a text. In doing this, the reader is not just absorbing the information provided, but they are also developing a deeper understanding of the text’s meaning (Burke, n/d). Close reading practices have been used to study a wide variety of texts such as poetry, novels, plays, films, etc. Used as teaching method to enable students’ comprehension, the main benefits of close reading are the development of critical thinking and analysis, and its usefulness in strategic planning. Critical thinking and analysis There are two types of comprehension: literal and inferential. Literal comprehension is the understanding achieved by students from explicit information in the text. Inferential comprehension relies on the student’s ability to look at the text abstractly, to evaluate information at a deeper level, and requires students to think more critically (Dakin, 2013). Critical thinking and analysis are at the core of close reading practices. Close reading methods allow students to break down passages and decode the hidden information behind the literal meaning.