Bloom with Aubrey

Tag: reading

  • Close the GAPS

    Close the GAPS

    A Simple Strategy That Helps Struggling Readers Read with Purpose

    Struggling readers don’t usually struggle because they can’t read.
    They struggle because they don’t know how to enter text with confidence.

    When students are handed an essay or article and told to “start reading,” many immediately fall into survival mode. They skim randomly, fixate on unfamiliar words, or disengage altogether. For them, reading feels like guessing—because it is.

    That’s where Close the GAPS changes everything.

    Why Struggling Readers Need a Way In

    Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey remind us that “students need clarity about what they are reading and why they are reading it before they can engage deeply.” When readers don’t understand the purpose or structure of a text, comprehension becomes accidental instead of intentional.

    Struggling readers often:

    • Don’t recognize genre
    • Don’t know what the author is trying to do
    • Don’t know whose voice they’re reading
    • Don’t know how the text is organized

    So they guess. And on multiple-choice questions, guessing looks like confusion.

    What It Means to “Close the GAPS”

    Close the GAPS is a pre-reading strategy that students use the moment they receive a text. Before reading closely, they skim to identify:

    1. G – Genre: What type of text is this?
    2. A – Author’s Purpose: Why was it written?
    3. P – Point of View: Who is speaking or presenting information?
    4. S – Structure: How is the text organized?

    This is not busywork.
    This is orientation.

    When students identify GAPS first, they are no longer reading blindly—they are reading with a plan.

    Why This Matters for Comprehension (and Confidence)

    Timothy Shanahan emphasizes that comprehension improves when students understand how texts are built, not just what they say. Structure and purpose act like road signs for the reader.

    When students close the GAPS:

    • They anticipate the kinds of questions that may be asked
    • They know where to look for answers
    • They can eliminate distractors more efficiently
    • They understand that multiple answers may seem right—but only one fits the text’s purpose

    This is especially powerful for struggling readers, who often feel overwhelmed by answer choices that all “sound good.”

    Close the GAPS Turns Guessing Into Strategy

    Nell Duke’s research on informational text highlights that students comprehend better when they know what kind of reading they are doing. An argumentative text requires different thinking than a narrative or explanatory one.

    When students know:

    • “This is argumentative,” they expect claims and evidence
    • “This is cause and effect,” they track relationships
    • “This is third-person informational,” they stop searching for opinions

    Suddenly, the text feels predictable—and predictability reduces anxiety.

    Why This Strategy Helps Close Achievement Gaps

    Struggling readers often have fewer academic reading experiences, not fewer abilities. Close the GAPS levels the playing field by making expert reader thinking visible.

    Instead of asking:

    “Why didn’t they get it?”

    We start asking:

    “Did we give them a way into the text?”

    As Fisher and Frey note, when strategies are explicit and repeatable, students begin to internalize them. Close the GAPS is repeatable, quick, and transferable across content areas.

    That’s how gaps close—not through more reading, but through better entry points.

    What This Looks Like in the Classroom

    Teachers introduce Close the GAPS as:

    • A 1–2 minute skim routine
    • An anchor chart students reference daily
    • A shared language across grade levels and content areas

    Students learn to say:

    • “This is informational, so I shouldn’t expect opinions.”
    • “This structure is problem–solution, so the answer must include both.”
    • “The author’s purpose helps me eliminate this choice.”

    That metacognition is the win.

    Final Thought

    Struggling readers don’t need harder texts or longer lessons.
    They need clarity.

    Close the GAPS gives students a way to orient themselves, make sense of multiple answers, and read with intention instead of fear.

    When students know what they’re reading, why they’re reading it, and how it’s built, comprehension stops being a mystery—and starts becoming a skill.

    Practice available on the TPT page – Bloom with Aubrey here https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Reading-Comprehension-Strategy-Closing-the-GAPS-15090369

  • Shifting the Reading Lens: Key Themes from Today’s Best Literacy Thinkers

    The reading landscape is changing in today’s classrooms—and for the better. Educators are moving from rigid, teacher-centered instruction to engaging, student-driven reading experiences. This shift isn’t about abandoning structure or rigor—it’s about finding a better balance between whole-class novels, independent reading, and authentic student voice.

    Choice is Non-Negotiable

    Let’s be honest: students don’t fall in love with reading because we assign it. They fall in love when they find the right book at the right time.

    “Students must have books they can and want to read.” – Penny Kittle, Book Love

    Across books like Book Love, Disrupting Thinking, and No More Fake Reading, the message is clear: reading choice fosters engagement, stamina, and identity. By giving students a say in what they read, we validate their interests and build habits that outlast the school year.

    Balance Whole-Class Novels with Independent Reading

    Kate Roberts frames this perfectly in A Novel Approach:

    “When we treat the whole-class novel as one piece of a larger reading puzzle… we create room for rigor and relevance.”

    Rather than ditching whole-class novels, these educators show us how to frame them as shared texts that spark discussion, teach literary elements, and model thinking. But to reach every reader, those novels must live alongside personal, high-interest reading.

    Teach Students How to Think, Not Just What to Say

    So often, reading instruction becomes about the “right answer.” But true literacy happens when students are empowered to think deeply, ask questions, and construct meaning.

    “Reading is not about right answers—it’s about thinking.” – Kylene Beers & Robert Probst, Disrupting Thinking

    Whether we use signposts, notebook entries, or Socratic discussions, the goal is always the same: equip students to be independent, thoughtful readers of any text—not just the ones we assign.

    Reading and Writing Are Reciprocal

    Gallagher and Kittle remind us in 180 Days that reading and writing aren’t separate acts; they’re mutually reinforcing.

    “Reading is breathing in. Writing is breathing out.” – Kelly Gallagher

    By blending mentor texts, quick writes, and book clubs, these educators demonstrate how students grow stronger in both areas when the skills are taught in tandem.

    Authentic Conversations Drive Deeper Understanding

    Literature Circles are one of the most powerful ways to build these authentic conversations. In a well-run Literature Circle, students take on real-world roles (Project Manager, Journalist, Communications Specialist) and collaborate to explore the book deeply and independently.

    “Students need time to talk about what they’re reading. Talk grows thinking.” – Kate Roberts, A Novel Approach

    When students are trusted with ownership—leading discussions, analyzing characters, tracking themes—they don’t just perform understanding; they build it.
    Literature Circles offer an ideal blend of structure and freedom: students know their responsibilities, but they get to direct the discussion, make connections, and challenge each other’s ideas in meaningful ways.

    Through Literature Circles, students develop:

    • Critical thinking skills (analyzing, questioning, connecting)
    • Communication and collaboration abilities
    • A deeper sense of agency over their own learning

    When used thoughtfully, Literature Circles reflect all the best practices emphasized by today’s literacy experts: choice, authentic talk, and intellectual independence. (Literature Circles Roles and Resources @https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/bloom-with-aubrey)

    Final Thought: It’s About Growth Not Control

    What ties all of these educators together is a belief in students as capable, growing, authentic readers. Our job is to create an environment that supports that growth—not stifles it with rigid expectations.

    If you’re just beginning this journey, start small:

    • Add 10 minutes of choice reading.
    • Let students select one novel from a curated list.
    • Use Literature Circles to make discussion more student-led.
    • Model your own reading life through a quick book talk.

    Then, watch what happens. As Penny Kittle reminds us:

    “Every kid deserves the right to be seen as a reader.”

    And with the right approach? They will be.