ABSTRACT
One of the most essential elements in developing a close reading lesson is to have a clear instructional purpose. While we have discussed the imperative of identifying the purpose of the lesson prior to developing the close reading activity so it will guide your reading cycles and discussions, that purpose can be strengthened by considering what literacy objective can be met through the use of that particular text. It cannot be enough to conduct a close reading activity with the goal being only to help students to understand a text. While comprehending at the literal level certainly provides a foundational step in accessing complex text, a specific literacy objective tied to the text will instil greater strength to the lesson—guiding your thinking about the cognitive pathways students will take to arrive at a given point as well as making those pathways known to students.
