Conduct close reading of texts using video meeting tools

Author:
What: Read and analyze online texts using share screen and annotation tools
Learners read selected text during a remote synchronous session using video meeting tools. Learners respond to text-dependent questions by annotating the text, using non-verbal reactions, and/or writing in the chat.

Why: Critical thinking, explicit reading instruction

Online text is frequently complex and with the addition of nonlinear elements such as links, supplementary data, and advertisements, readers can be easily distracted from the main text. Asking learners to read closely and demonstrate comprehension of complex texts helps learners maintain their focus on the text (and aligns with college and career readiness standards.) In close reading, learners respond to text dependent questions that ask them to recall, analyze and synthesize the text’s ideas by looking at vocabulary, language, structure, and text features. Learners demonstrate their critical thinking by annotating the evidence in the text that supports their answers.

Evidence-Based Strategies

This routine is supported by the following strategies:

Explicit Instruction: Online Reading Instruction Annotating Explicit Instruction: Vocabulary

How: Zoom

Share the selected online text or website with the class using the share screen tool. Help learners locate their annotation tools and take turns responding to your text-dependent questions by using their line, highlighter, and/or arrow tools to call out the evidence in the text. (Refer to the Zoom support website for information on how to access annotation tools on most devices.) Note: Chromebook users do not have access to annotation tools on Zoom. If there are Chromebook users in your class, share a Google Jamboard link with learners, and upload a screen grab of the selected text to the Jamboard. Have learners use the Jamboard annotation tools.

EdTech Tool Types: Video Meeting

IS.3 Evaluate Online Information

Access to information that can be produced by anyone around the world makes it necessary for learners to practice evaluating information sources and the credibility of these sources. Annotation tools can be helpful for helping learners understand what to look for when accessing information online. Ask text dependent questions that will help learners evaluate the credibility of the text and the biases of the author, for example, “What is the URL of this website? What date was this page/article published or last updated? Who is the author? What is the author’s affiliation? What types of data does the author use to support their ideas?”, etc.

WO.4 Choose the Appropriate Tools

Learners can use a variety of tools to annotate the text, but some will communicate ideas better than others. Help learners identify the annotation tools and symbols that are most useful by asking, “Is it better to use a highlighter or line tool to identify the evidence in this text? What symbol or stamp would be best to use for the main idea? What colors should we use? Why?”, etc.