Close Reading can be done with a number of apps, many of them of the paid variety. In schools that have a number of iPads, cost is an issue. With that being the case, iPevo Presenter App (free) can be used for the budget conscious teacher or school administrator.
If you don’t have iPads for each student, this tool can still be leveraged in your classrooms by a single user. iPevo has video function that can be used to upload examples to a blog, website, Cloud Storage, or Learning Management System (Edmodo, Schoology, etc.). In addition, you might want to invest in a mirroring program such as Reflector, Airserver, or X-Mirage in order to mirror you iPad onto your laptop which is attached to a projector. You could also purchase a dongle that will connect your iPad to your VGA connection.
iPEVO Presenter
1. Open an internet browser (Safari, Google Chrome,etc.) on your iPad.
Find your complex text through a browser and take a screenshot.
You’ll need to locate some complex text from a website. I’d recommend using a piece that is a paragraph or two and no longer. If you can’t find a suitable text, you can type one in a word processing app. Either way, you’ll need to take a screenshot of the text (sleep button and home button simultaneously). You’ll see your screen flash if successful. The screenshot will be placed in your photos.
2. Open the iPevo Presenter App
Upon opening for the first time, pay attention to what each component of the app does.
Quickly double click the home button (the white square that is physically on the iPad). Find and open your iPevo Presenter App. Don’t be hasty to push buttons! Read the functions of each component of the app first. This will give you an idea of other ways to incorporate this app into your practice.
3. Bring your Screenshot into the App
Look at the bottom of your screen. You’ll see a picture icon.
Look at the bottom of the app. You’ll see the picture icon with the plus sign in the bottom left corner on it. Click it and it will prompt you to allow it access to your photos. Do so and choose the screenshot.
*Pay attention to the other import options. You can use this tool in a number of different ways. You can also bring in multiple pages.
4. Mark your text
Look at the top of the screen for your options for interacting with your screenshot.
Look to the top of the screen, you’ll find tools that will allow you to write, erase, and add text to the screenshot. Play around with the colors and size of your writing and text. You might want to have certain metacognitive markers use a specific color of text and writing.
5. Save your Marked Up Text
Look to the bottom left corner, you’ll see a camera and video camera icon.
Look to the bottom left of your screen and you’ll see a gray and white camera icon. Once you’ve finished, click it and you can save your work to your photo app. There is also a video camera that can be used to record all the marking in real time.
Intelligent Hoodlums 