Rigorous Reading
5 Access Points for Comprehending Complex Texts
- Nancy Frey - San Diego State University, USA
- Douglas Fisher - San Diego State University, USA
Corwin Literacy
English/Language Arts Common Core | Reading (Middle/High School) | Reading (Primary/Elementary)
Free resources
Planning Template
Use this planning template from Rigorous Reading to organize your purpose & modeling.
Video: Analyzing Complex Texts
Watch this video of Douglas Fisher, author of Rigorous Reading, discussing methods for analyzing complex texts and the expectation for students to "read like detectives and write like reporters," enabling students to dig deeper into texts and defend their findings with evidence.
Excerpt: Ramping Up Complex Texts
Just giving students complex text doesn’t mean they will read and understand it. Read this excerpt from Rigorous Reading to learn more about how you can ramp up complex texts.
Webinar: Close Reading Up Close
Join Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey, authors of the bestselling Rigorous Reading, as they articulate an instructional plan to support reading instruction within K-12 classrooms.
"One would think that the first place to look when wanting information about the Common Core State Standards would be, well, the Common Core State Standards. The fact is, though, Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey are quickly becoming the go-to folks for information on teaching these standards. They've proven this again in Rigorous Reading. This is certainly a book to be added to your collection of books that attend to the demands of the CCSS."
"With Rigorous Reading Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey have provided literacy educators who are committed to successfully raising the bar with solutions that make sense. The book is masterfully developed with an extensive reach across many grade levels in terms of defining what it means to provide intentional instruction and teaching text complexity. The five access points are discussed pragmatically with evidence of a solid research base deftly woven throughout the book. This is the most practical book I have come across in terms of providing teachers with the knowledge base and assistance many are seeking to improve their instruction with regard to complex texts."
"In Rigorous Reading: 5 Access Points for Helping Students Comprehend Complex Texts, Fisher and Frey help teachers understand how to bring vigor to rigor. They teach us how to help students understand more from their complex texts -- greater understanding that will help to bring life and energy to each student's reading. Rooted in solid research, this is book is a must-read for those grappling with how to translate the recommendations and mandates around text complexity from the Common Core into instructional practices."
"In a time when nearly every state has adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), we need resources that show us how to support students in developing their full literacy potential. In this very practical and insightful book, Fisher and Frey examine how CCSS conceptions of text complexity are causing us to shift some of our ideas about reading instruction. Rigorous Reading is an important resource that will help teachers align reading instruction with the CCSS in powerful ways."
“This is a bold book. . . . Its genius, and its unique contribution, is in bringing the balance and the centeredness to this new game in town—the Common Core."
The current textbook that we have is still being used for two more years.
Not enough information outside of close reading
It supplements my main text very well
