Marking the Text

What is it?

A process of active reading, marking the text (or annotation) is most successful when used to support students in reading purposefully.

What should I use it for?

This metacognitive strategy helps students read closely and independently. Use it to teach:

Comprehension: Main idea, Argumentation, Close Reading

Process: Following directions, Read thoughtfully, Text Structure

Vocabulary: Key content words, Academic language

How do I use it?

Marking the Text

Don’t assume that anything about Marking the Text is self-explanatory. Explain and model thoroughly, making sure to think aloud as you work your way through texts. Continue modeling Marking the Text until students are clear about how to choose their marks and annotate their texts independently.

1. Set a purpose for reading and communicate it with students. What should students know after reading the text? (This could be your Learning Intention).

2. Have a conversation about the benefits of marking a text while reading it. This will help students understand why they are using this tool:

   • Marking the text is a way to have an ongoing conversation with yourself as you move through the text. This will help you better understand what you are reading.

3. Select your marks. Referencing your purpose for reading, choose 1-2 things that you are going to mark as you read. Keep this list short to keep your reading focused.

4. Model working your way through the text, talking through your process as you:

   • Number the paragraphs (this helps everyone refer to the same chunks of text)

   • Use your preselected marks to annotate the text

   • Ask yourself questions and write them in the margins.

• What does this mean?

• Does this make sense? Why or why not?

• Why is the writer saying that?

Revisit the sections you marked, returning to your purpose for reading.

5. • If there are post-reading questions, now is the time to answer them.

6. Help students reflect on and learn from the marking process.

   • How did you choose what to mark?

   • What did you learn by marking certain aspects?

   • How did marking affect what you paid attention to while reading?

   • Did marking make the text easier to understand?

After the first time

1. For more advanced students, set the purpose for reading with students:

• When I am done reading this, what should I know?

• Are there questions I should be able to answer when I am done reading?

2. Referencing your purpose, select marks as a class.

3. Instead of modeling (step 4), mark texts as a class and use guiding questions to focus students' attention on what's important. For example:

1. • Is this related to ___ (our purpose for reading)?

   • What does this mean?

   • Does this make sense? Why/why not?

4. Once students master marking texts as a class, have them mark a text independently or in small groups. Intervene as needed to help them make the most of the marking process. Among other things, you can:

1. • Ask guiding and focusing questions (e.g., “Is this related to ___ (our purpose for reading)").

   • Encourage them to ask questions as they read.

5. Remind students to use Marking the Text on their own, not just when you say so. To facilitate the process, post items you may want to mark in the classroom.

6. What do you do with texts you are not allowed to write on? Get creative. Try sticky notes, overhead transparencies laid on top of the text, or a sheet of paper tucked between the pages where you keep track of things you would otherwise circle or underline.