Reader's
Response Journals
At the beginning of the
year, model to your students the purpose and use of reader's
response journals. You can do this as part of one of
your mini-lessons when introducing students to independent
reading or Reader's Workshop.
As you
read, write your personal response in your reading log. State
your feelings, thoughts, reactions, and questions about
situations, ideas, actions, characters, settings, symbols,
plots, themes, and any other elements in the story. You can't
be wrong in your responses, so take risks and be honest. Write
about what you like and dislike, what seems confusing or
unusual to you. Tell what you think something means. Make
predictions about what might happen later. Relate your
personal experiences which connect with the plot, characters,
or setting. Don't just summarize the plot. Let me hear your
voice. Remember your response journal is a place to
record your reactions and questions, not a place to simply
summarize what you've read. Sometimes a summary will be
necessary to get your point across. After you read the
selection, ask yourself these questions. Decide which would
make the best entry from your response journal. You may
certainly use other ideas of your own. Just make sure you
include more than just a summary of what is happening. Support
your summaries with what you are feeling as you read your
book. Doing this will help you get the MOST from your book.
From
Debfourblocks.com
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