I also have students keep a reading response journal for text they read. They are able to choose from a list of topics as you have descibed, or any ideas of their own that they have about the book. I found that reading students work and modeling good responses does really help them so they are not just giving a retelling or copying small details that they remember. I usually use Friday's as a conference and share day, where I can conference with students one on one about their journals, or they can share an entry with the class. Making the students responsible for their journals by having them conference and share usually will produce better entries. Alison
Barbara Punchak <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: I, too, require a "reading response journal" from my students. What I do is type a list of "topics" students could write about. (i.e. theme, character traits, T-S, T, W connections, predictions, surprising twists, etc.) Then I fold the sheet and tape the list on the front cover of their reading journals. I emphasize that they are not to retell the story, teach how to respond, model it often, and read other students' wonderful entries. Yet, I still have many who simply "retell" the %$#@& book! *aarrgghh* Barbara -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Horne, Jane I like the idea of writing a reflection once a week-due on Monday. Do you discuss the novel in groups or whole class? I also give them the starter sentences to help them get started. I am trying to get them to go back into the text to find supprt to back their ideas. Jane _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive --------------------------------- Need Mail bonding? Go to the Yahoo! Mail Q&A for great tips from Yahoo! Answers users. _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive
