ABSTRACT
Comprehending the meaning of close reading and how it is done is only part of the practice. Knowing when to implement it is equally relevant. Not every text requires a close reading or a rereading. Many children do not write with a reader in mind. It is all they can do to get an idea from their head, down their arm, through the pencil, and onto the paper. Many are exhausted by that effort; they do not have the stamina to revisit those squiggles on the paper. If students closely read their work with the questions in mind, they could rely less on teacher feedback and more on their own agency as writers. Reading and writing are reciprocal processes. The more the students write, the greater their appreciation for the choices the authors make in the books they like to read. Most teachers will attest to the observation that their students who read the most are often their strongest writers.
