ABSTRACT
Written communication has evolved over the course of human history, with each new change requiring a neurological “rewiring” of our brains. For example, in the modern world, students must navigate not only traditional print text but also digital media. While the core of reading remains the same, there exists vast changes in how students approach multimedia text and the ways in which they profit from its benefit if they can utilize the skills to access it, such as with integrated videos and photographs, interactive tools, embedded dictionaries, and text-to-speech capabilities. Surprisingly, research has suggested that students, even with increased experience with digital devices, still comprehend better with printed text. This may hold especially true with elementary students as they often view digital devices as tools for play rather than tools for learning. This chapter highlights how to leverage Close Reading Frameworks to support comprehension when reading multimodal texts along with supportive strategies, such as think alouds, guiding questions, annotations, graphic organizers, and protected time for reflection and discussion.
