Considers the significance of the disappearance of close reading. Looks briefly at the devastation wrought by certain "gangster theories"--indeterminacy, misreading, and the idea that people all tell stories (all knowledge is determined by the situation in which people find themselves). Suggests that close reading and close observation…

Discusses the concept of ownership of literacy and how ownership can be assessed. Suggests that teachers must give high priority to encouraging and assessing their students' ownership of literacy if they want them to be committed to literacy as a lifelong pursuit. (MG)