Close Reading, Writing about Reading, and Book Clubs to Deepen Comprehension Grades 3-8

Dates: 11/18/2026, 12/09/2026, 2/3/2027 Grades: 3-8 Venue: Online via Zoom Time:  9:00am - 2:30pm ET (with a 45 minute break for lunch) Presenter(s): TBA Early Bird Discount Price: $480 (Until September 1, 2026) Regular Price: $600

Course Overview: 

This course equips participants with research-based strategies to deepen student comprehension by integrating close reading, book clubs, and intentional writing about reading. Rather than treating these as isolated tasks, participants will learn to weave them together, using close reading to alert students to the nuances of language and craft, while leveraging book club conversation and written response as the primary vehicles for critical thinking and evidence-based discussion. The course emphasizes practical classroom applications, providing coaching methods that foster student independence and ensure that deep analytical habits transfer across a variety of texts and media.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

• Deepening Analysis: Develop a deep understanding of multiliteracies to lead students in close reading habits that move beyond surface-level meaning toward a sophisticated analysis of language, craft, and structure.

• Responsive Instruction: Design and implement book club structures and reading-response routines that use writing and collaborative talk as essential tools for uncovering deeper layers of text.

• Coaching for Independence: Facilitate real-time coaching during peer discussions and independent work, providing targeted feedback that empowers students to apply analytical moves.

• Structures and Organization: Construct a professional toolkit including strategic demonstration texts, conferring logs, and progress-monitoring systems to track the evolution of student comprehension and critical response.