There are many strategies for students to use to help them to understand what they are reading. A strategy that is an excellent choice for upper middle school and even high school students is the Notice and Note signposts. The signposts come from an educational resource, Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading. The authors, Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst, are two leading internationally recognized experts in literacy. The book is published by Heinemann Company. The signposts alert readers to significant moments in a work of literature and encourage students to read closely. When students can identify these signposts and then to question them, allows readers to read a text and find evidence to support their thoughts and inferences.
Here are the five signposts that we cover in 7th grade:
Words of the Wiser – When an older or wiser character gives the main character advice, ask yourself what the lesson might be or how it will affect the character’s life.
Aha! Moment – When a character suddenly figures something out or understands something, ask yourself how that moment might change things.
Again and Again – When something is repeated in a book, ask yourself why the author thought it was important enough to repeat.
Memory Moment – When the action is interrupted and the author tells you about a memory, ask yourself why the memory might be important.
Tough Questions – When the character asks themselves a tough question, think about what the tough questions makes you wonder.
The Notice and Note signposts will give your child the tools he or she needs to notice critical elements in a text, make note of what they mean, and, as a result, do the close reading we want all students to do.