Mark & Annotate

Mark & Annotate Text

What: Marking and annotating the text is an engaged reading habit, where readers underline or highlight key words or main ideas; use symbols to show connections, questions, and reactions; and use marginalia to reflect on deeper meaning. This is one tool to support students in "reading to learn". Students need explicit instruction and modeling in how to mark and annotate a text effectively.

Why effective? Marking and annotating the text allows readers to track their thinking and actively interact with the text for deeper comprehension. The process also requires students to revisit the text multiple times, increasing their critical understandings, connections, and interpretations.

Resources:

• Marking Text (poster)
• Marking Text Bookmark - Students fill in their own symbols
• Annotate Text - from Scholastic; includes an annotation sample guide
• Purposeful Annotation: A "Close Reading" Strategy That Makes Sense to My Students" by David Stuart Jr. - a blog post that demonstrates the process and benefits in action
• AVID Marking the Text - A folder of printable PDFs showing multiple ways to mark the text

Digital Annotation Tools:

• Read & Write - A subscription-based tool the Beaverton School District has purchased for all students and teachers. It offers many features beyond text annotations. Visit the Read & Write page on this site for more information.
• Kami - A free chrome extension that allows you to highlight and make text annotations; consideration: once installed, it seems to take over as the default PDF viewer
• Genius Web Annotator - This free tool allows you to mark and annotate web pages
• NEWSELA - Use the built-in highlight and annotation tool to model how to mark and annotate a text for your students. Then, share the markings in an assigned article. Also explore their "Using Annotations" page. (This is a "how to" page with a tutorial.)

References

Porter-O'Donnell, C. (2004, May). Beyond the yellow highlighter: Teaching annotation skills to improve reading comprehension. English Journal, 93(5), 82-89. Retrieved from http://vd-p.d91.k12.id.us/Curriculum_Resources/Sheltered%20Instruction%20(SIOP)/Fall%202011%20Class%20-%20Where%20Every%20Student%20Learns/Session%2001/Fall%202011/01_Beyond%20the%20Yellow%20Highlighter.pdf