Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post and I was compensated for my time to review and write about Telemachos Publishing close reading. All opinions are always my own. Thank you to Telemachos Publishing for sponsoring this post. For more information on sponsored posts, see my disclosure.
Have you ever handed your teen one of your favorite classic stories, only for them to decide to complain, not read it, or put it on the bottom of the pile. Your child isn’t being lazy, and it isn’t a lack of intelligence, they have never been taught close reading.
They have learned to read for storyline, but not for substance. If your child understands what happened in the story, then that is enough. However, comprehension alone doesn’t build analytical skills. If we want our kids to think critically and write clearly, then we must intentionally teach them to slow down and investigate the text itself.
What is Close Reading
Close reading is a guided journey into classic stories. Instead of a speed-run through the classics, there are guide posts within the text that cause the reader to slow down, read the text deliberately, and thoughtfully engage with it.
Telemachos guided editions are an invitation to read and understand the classics. Almost every page contains a question about the text. Which is my favorite part. Instead of waiting until the end of the chapter, the question is asked within the text. This gives the reader opportunity to interact with the story immediately. The reader is required to think deeply about the passage that was just read.
Classics often have older sentence structure, unfamiliar vocabulary, subtle humor, and long descriptive passages that kids skim over. Close reading helps the reader to comprehend the story. It requires the reader to notice the text, such as word choice, tone, imagery, and key details. It also helps the reader connect meaning such as theme character motivation, and author’s purpose.
Reading well is a prerequisite to thinking well, and it starts with understanding the words on the page.
What Makes Telemachos Guided Editions Different
When I first opened a Telemachos guided edition, I immediately noticed that it does not simply present the text and expect the parent to create everything else. Instead, it integrates instruction directly into the reading experience. Which point readers to key details that open up the wonder of these classic tales. The guided questions on the page model the critical thinking process for students, when a teacher is unavailable.
This built-in structure changes the dynamic of reading. Rather than passively moving through chapters, students are invited to pause, notice, and reflect. The extensive glossary of vocabulary used throughout the text helps the reader understand the historical meaning of words. The footnotes throughout the books give context to historical and literary references.
Each book gives instruction on close reading. It breaks it down into three levels: identifying evidence observed by the reader, identify conceptual associations, and identify the relationship among associations. There are extensive examples of how to apply close reading to the text, so students can still be independent.
Telemachos guided editions will take your reader from surface-level to deep reader and thinker.
Why This Structure Works Well in a Homeschool Co-op
The added bonus of using Telemachos guided editions, they would make a perfect homeschool co-op class. And bulk discounts are available.
Homeschool co-ops present unique opportunities and challenges. On one hand, discussion can be rich and collaborative. On the other hand, without structure, conversations can drift away from the text.
Telemachos guided editions provide a shared framework that keeps discussions anchored in the text. The prompts are right on the page, so it is easy facilitation for the teacher. And students can come prepared to discuss the text because they know what questions will be asked. They are already thinking about them. The conversation moves easily from comprehension to interpretation and, eventually, to evaluation.
Reading together also builds deeper relationships. Students are hearing each other’s opinions and viewpoints. It creates topics to discuss that most teens probably would not bring up on their own.
Conclusion: Close Reading
Habitual skimming does to the mind what fast food does to the body. If your child is skimming over the text and struggling to understand it. It might not be because he hates reading, he just doesn’t have the right tools to handle tougher texts without feeling lost. Learning close reading changes that.
Close reading teaches your child to slow down, notice the words on the page, and interact with the text.
Whether you are using these at home or in a homeschool co-op setting, the goal is the same: create readers who can think deeply. Once students learn how to read closely the classics stop feeling like a punishment and start feeling like a discovery.
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