Jenni, I know what you are describing--I assume these letters are ala Fountas & Pinnell--which means you expect one a week. I don't think that is an unreasonable expectation, and it leaves plenty of room for the many choices that people have mentioned (tic-tac-toe, etc.)for additional reading responses. I agree with stressing the purpose to your students...mine know that it is another way for us to "talk" about their books. Have you suggested letter starters (ala F & P) or required them for certain kids? (E.g. At the beginning of letter writing, we post many stems, and I require them...Today while I read, I wondered...) Some of the more "worksheet" trained students like the security of an assignment...it doesn't mean they don't want to think. (Although, there are certainly always the couple who just want to rush & get the work done:o) They just aren't used to doing it on their own and choosing their topics. This uncertainty, coupled with some students' desire to fill the page, can lead to those summaries. That laundry list letter of topics that F & P have in Guiding Readers and Writers is completely overwhelming...I stopped giving it out after the first year of implementation. If you're using it, I would either modify it or stop altogether.
One thing that helps with my 3rd graders is to confer with them about their letters...I have seen vast improvements from some students after we've just taken the time to talk, not about the quality of thinking or the quality of the letter, but first about their book. This is where you can also determine if their book choice is correct, etc. THEN, I can talk about ways they can tell me that in their letters. I like the once a week letter format, b/c I have had some very interesting dialogue with many students and have learned much about them as readers. In Illinois, the letters are also more authentic bridge to extended response writing for the state test. Hope any of this helps! Lisa 2/3 IL --- On Mon, 12/1/08, Yingling <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > From: Yingling <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [MOSAIC] Reading Response Journals > To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" > <[email protected]> > Date: Monday, December 1, 2008, 7:57 PM > I am struggling to get my students to write quality letters > within their reader's notebooks. It's December and > they are still simply giving me summaries. I ask them > questions and give comments in my letters back to them yet > most of my kids aren't responding to my > questions/comments. I've gone to giving the kids grades > and their grades don't even seem to motivate some of > them to do better. We've written sample letters > together, I've shown them examples, I've written > examples for them, I've given them letter starters. > What do I do next? The kids seem to just want me to give > them worksheets to complete - they don't want to think. > Help please, > Jenni > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at > http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
