Did that title get your attention?
Many of you immediately are thinking, “If your high school student can’t read, there are bigger problems.” I completely agree with you! By high school, students are usually quite proficient at reading words. As their teacher, I want them to read what the author wrote. I want them to also read the words between the lines of text. I want them to ask questions. I want them to argue and debate (respectfully of course), interpret, and dissect. THIS is the reading that I’m talking about. I often refer to this as “fun reading,” and “reading for more.”
One of the most transformative skills we can give students is the ability to read deeply. Close reading isn’t just about understanding what a text says. It’s about uncovering what it does and means. Annotation is the bridge between comprehension and analysis, and when taught well, it trains students to notice patterns, wrestle with ideas, and generate insights that naturally grow into strong essays or discussions.
For many students, “annotation” means circling unfamiliar words or highlighting favorite sentences. While that’s a starting point, higher level thinking requires a more intentional approach. Students need strategies that move them past surface-level comprehension into interpretation and analysis.
- How do characters speak? – Does the author use elevated, old, or catchy language? Short, fragmented sentences or long, winding droning? How does that affect tone?
- Track imagery and motifs – What recurring images, symbols, or ideas stand out? How do they connect to the text’s larger themes?
- Mark foreshadowing – Where does the author drop hints of what’s to come?
- Ask questions in the margins – “Why does this character act this way?” or “How does this symbol connect to the setting?” “How would I respond?”
- Connect ideas – Encourage arrows, stars, and marginal notes that link one passage to another. Doodles & icons encouraged!
Students often benefit from tools that make annotation feel approachable and even creative:
- Transparent sticky notes – Perfect for marking library books or Bibles without writing on the actual page. Students can layer notes, jot questions, or color-code observations.
- Twistable colored pencils – Different colors for different elements: blue for diction, green for imagery, red for motifs, etc. Visual coding helps students quickly identify patterns. They are opaque so you can see the words through them, and they don’t fade or change color over time.
But why do they need to do this? I get emails from parents (and students), that they don’t know what to write. They don’t know where to start. With intentional annotation, the groundwork is already done. A margin note that says, “Light vs. darkness keeps showing up—maybe connected to truth?” can become the thesis for a paper on motifs in Frankenstein.
If a student has me, they likely have assignments based on setting, characterization, themes, archetypes, symbols, etc….this Lord of the Flies study guide is a prime example of how I encourage students to interact with, and engage with the text, taking notes while they read, to better answer study guide questions, which in turn makes it easier for them to write essays and study for the test. When annotations capture why something matters, not just what happens, students naturally build the kind of analytical material they can use in essays.
Taking notes while reading helps us engage and interact with the literature on a deeper level. Not only are we making connections between characters, plot points, themes, etc….but you begin to make connections with yourself in the text. Suddenly, Darcy’s flippant response makes sense to you in a way it didn’t before. The light bulb goes on when Frankenstein explains his need to have a partner after reading about him observe humans for months, longing for connection. Authors write for purpose, and sure, entertainment is always one of those reasons. By taking just a few extra minutes, teaching your high school student to read can be life changing.
Other resources to help your high schooler read (and write) well:
Enhancing Student Essays Through Literary Analysis
Classic Bookish Bingo (with notes pages)
Teaching Literature with Faith
The Nurtured Bee 