Procedures for Reading Journal

 

Susie Overwyk

 

Purpose:  This minilesson is to teach students about the importance of maintaining reading journals.  Students will be asked to respond to the teacher or a friend in a marbled composition book at least once weekly. They may respond to a friend at a minimum of once weekly and to the teacher once biweekly.   This journal will be a forum for the teacher to learn from them about their reading, and then help them decide what they’ll do next.  The teacher will respond biweekly to each reader about books, authors, reading and writing.  This minilesson will be performed at the beginning of the school year when writing workshop is being introduced.

 

Objectives:

NCTE 3:  Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

NCTE 4:  Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.

NCTE 5:  Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

NCTE 6:  Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.

NCTE 11:  Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.

NCTE 12:  Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

NCSCS English Language Arts – Seventh Grade

Competency Goal 1

The learner will use language to express individual perspectives in response to personal, social, cultural, and historical issues.

 

 

                        1.02 Explore expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:

§         generating a learning log or journal

                        1.04 Reflect on learning experiences by:

§         analyzing personal learning growth and changes in perspective.

§         examining changes in self throughout the learning process.

§         determining how personal circumstances and background shape interaction with text.

Competency Goal 2

The learner will synthesize and use information from a variety of sources.

 

2.01 Respond to informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:

  • summarizing information.
  • determining the importance of information.
  • making connections to related topics/information.
  • monitoring comprehension.
  • drawing inferences.
  • generating questions.

Competency Goal 4

The learner will refine critical thinking skills and create criteria to evaluate text and multimedia.

 

4.01 Analyze the purpose of the author or creator by:

  • examining any bias, apparent or hidden messages, emotional factors, or propaganda techniques.
  • exploring and evaluating the underlying assumptions of the author/creator.

4.02 Develop (with assistance) and apply appropriate criteria to evaluate the quality of the communication by:

  • using knowledge of language structure and literary or media techniques.
  • drawing conclusions based on evidence, reasons, or relevant information.
  • considering the implications, consequences, or impact of those conclusions.

4.03 Develop the stance of a critic by:

  • considering and presenting alternative points of view or reasons.
  • remaining fair-minded and open to other interpretations.

Competency Goal 5

The learner will respond to various literary genres using interpretive and evaluative processes.

 

5.01 Increase fluency, comprehension, and insight through a meaningful and comprehensive reading program by:

  • using effective reading strategies to match type of text.
  • reading self-selected literature and other materials of individual interest.

Competency Goal 6

The learner will apply conventions of application of grammar and language usage.

 

6.01 Model an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by:

  • using a variety of sentences correctly, punctuating them properly, and avoiding fragments and run-ons.
  • using subject-verb agreement and verb tense that are appropriate for the meaning of the sentence.
  • applying the parts of speech to clarify language usage.
  • using pronouns correctly, including clear antecedents and correct case.
  • using phrases and clauses correctly, including proper punctuation (e.g., prepositional phrases, appositives, dependent and independent clauses).
  • determining the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words using context clues, a dictionary, a glossary, a thesaurus, and/or structural analysis (roots, prefixes, suffixes) of words.

                        6.02 Continue to identify and edit errors in spoken and written English by:

§         using common spelling rules, applying common spelling patterns, and developing and mastering an individualized list of words that are commonly misspelled.

Time Required:  15-20 minutes

Materials Needed:  Overhead of the instructions which are glued to the inside of                                           the marbled composition book.

                                   Marbled composition book

Script: 

“Today I would like to discuss with you the procedures for the writing journals. These are the marbled composition books you were supposed to bring in today.   Look at the overhead and let’s read the instructions I expect each student to follow:

            Dear_______,

                        Your reading journal is a place for you, me and your friends to talk        this year about books, reading, authors, and writing.  You’ll think about    literature in letters to me and friends; we’ll write letters back to you.  Our     letters will become a record of the thinking, learning, and reading we did         together. 

                        Letters should be at least a page long.  In your letters tell what you        felt when you read a book and why.  Tell what you noticed about how the         author wrote.  Tell why you think he or she wrote this way.  Tell what you    liked and didn’t and why.  Tell how you read a book and why.  Tell what a         book said and meant to you.  Tell what it reminded you of—what other       books or experiences from your own life.  Tell what surprised you.  Ask      questions or for help.  And write back about our ideas, feelings,             experiences, and questions.

                        As a bare minimum you must write a letter to me or a friend in your       own journal at least once a week, due by Friday morning.  I need a letter     from you at least once every two weeks.  This is only a minimum        requirement.  You may pass a literary letter to me or to a friend as often as     you wish.

                        When you write a letter, give your journal to the person to whom the      letter is addressed; if that’s me, put your journal on my desk.  When a    friend gives you his or her journal, you must answer within twenty-four      hours.  After you’ve written back, deliver your friend’s notebook directly to       him or her.  You may not lose or damage another’s reading journal. 

                        You may write and respond to letters both during and outside    reading workshop.

                        Number the pages of your reading journal, as in a book.  Date your      letters in the upper right-hand corner.  Use a greeting and closing, just as             you would in any friendly letter.  Mention the name of the author of the         book you’re talking about and its title, and indicate the title by capitalizing       and underlining it (e.g., The Outsiders).

                        I can’t wait for us to begin reading together.  And I can’t wait for             your letters—for the chance to learn from you, learn with you, and help            you learn more.

                                                                        Sincerely,

                                                                        Mrs. Overwyk

This letter of instructions will be placed inside the cover of each of your notebooks.  Let’s review the instructions.  Raise your hands if you know the answer to these questions.  How often do you have to write to someone in the notebooks?  (Reply:  Every week.)  How often do you have to write to me as a bare minimum?  (Reply:  Every two weeks.)  How much do you have to write?  (Reply:  At least a full page.)  When can you write in your journal?  (Reply:  During reading workshop.)  If you write to a friend, when must the friend reply and return the notebook?  (Reply:  Within 24 hours.)  Where do you place the books when you have written a letter to me?  (Reply:  On your desk.)  How does all this happen?  (Reply:  Silently.)

Do you have any questions about the reading journal?  (Wait for questions.)  If you do not have any questions, please take out your marbled composition book you were supposed to have with you today.  Please take one of these letters and I’ll pass around the glue.  (Go around the room to those students who do not have their notebooks to tell them to bring it in tomorrow.)  Please glue these letters to the inside cover of your notebooks.  (Wait for the glue to get passed around to about ¼ of the students.)  Now that you have glued the instruction sheet to your cover, go ahead and number each sheet in your composition book.  Remember, you may use the back side of your paper if you want.  If you decide you like to use the both sides of the paper-- then number both sides of the paper.  You can decide whether you will be using only front sides or both sides. 

I will look forward to hearing from you within the next two weeks.  Now, let’s continue with reading workshop.” 

Additional Resources:

Atwell, Nancie.  In The Middle:  New Understandings About Writing, Reading, and Learning.