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Jared Thornton/Literacy, Families, and Learning

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Jared Thornton/Literacy, Families, and Learning

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This site aims to identify some of the important aspects of reading response journals. It also looks at response at a wider level, examining how we use response as adults

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1. Understanding reader response

Several years ago on an international flight from London to Sydney I recall after finishing the reading of a novel (I think it was Louis de Bernieres' ' Captain Corelli's Mandolin') becoming aware some 5-10 minutes after closing the book, that I was sitting head down, book in both hands, with it clamped between my knees. What was I doing? I was responding by quietly pondering the story, reflecting on the power of the plot, characters and its emotional impact. Literature does this to you. A story can grab hold of you. It can evoke many emotions, memories, language associations with other books and so on (see my previous series on the ' Power of Literature '). It does this to adults and little children. For the young a book can evoke fear, curiosity, hilarious laughter, silence, tears, puzzlement, anger and so on.

For the very young preschool child the response is often simple (but nonetheless significant):

"I love that book"

"Read it again"

"Why did he squash the snail Grandad?!"

"I don't like that picture"

"That's a bit scary"

"I don't know what it means"

"I like his baby sister, she's funny"

Reader response for the very young sometimes doesn't involve words and can be as simple as repetitive lifting of flaps, tracing of images with the finger, laughter, or tears. It might simply lead to the child hugging the book, carrying it around, taking it to bed etc.
Of course response doesn't just apply to literature. You might curse the IKEA instructions and rip them up when that piece of furniture just won't go together. You might want to draw a picture to make clear what you understand about volcanoes. You might feel the need to talk to someone else about your science, philosophy or geography text. Any genre can evoke response as can non-print experiences (e.g. movies, video, games, events etc). But in this post I'll stick to response that is related to literature. The content is drawn mainly from my books ' Pathways to Literacy' and ' Other World: The Endless Possibilities of Literature' and was used as part of a presentation I gave at a conference last week (see this post here).

2. Do we need to do anything with children's responses?

The simple answer to this question for the parent is, mostly no. We don't want to destroy the child's experience of the book by turning it into a lesson after the event. But a good understanding of response is helpful for parents to understand their children's reactions and to help with insights about your child, their interests etc. It can also offer you occasional teachable moments when fears, doubts, frustrations, areas of interest, language gaps etc surface. But don't try to be a teacher and create literature classes.

For the teacher, likewise we should not look to structure response after every instance of independent reading or shared reading. But there are more possibilities for the teacher than the parent, and hence the teacher should use it more deliberately. Here are a few points that I'd make about response before offering some ideas concerning how teachers (in particular) might use reader response in the classroom.

Try not to get in the way of the readers first response - as I've indicated already, first responses can be deeply personal and are best left alone. As well, we don't want to disrupt the pleasure of reading by turning positive experiences of literature into lessons (unfortunately some teachers do this all the time with poetry).

Response is a natural consequence of reading and is helpful for building common ground - While not all responses should be shared (some encounters with books are very private affairs), our shared reactions to books are an important way in which we build common ground in families, classrooms, workplaces etc. While TV, YouTube, music etc have tended to take over much of the space for sharing narratives in our lives once held by books, sharing our responses to books is part of the way we deepen relationships and get to know one another. It also has a lot more to offer than some of the alternatives pushing it off centre stage.

Reader response allows us to re-evaluate (re-live) the experience of a text - By reflecting on our responses to a book the reader elaborates the meanings in their head, tests their understanding, seeks answers etc. As well, as we seek reactions from others we inevitably reflect on their interpretations, revising and reshaping our own personal interpretations.

Readers learn as a consequence of being party to the responses of other readers - There are advantages and disadvantages here. Literary interpretation is always in some sense a 'communal act' (as David Bleich suggests drawing on Bahktin), and hence there are forces stimulating more diverse meanings and others narrowing interpretations. There are dangers here. First, the discussion might lead to an accepted reading of the book that isn't what the author had intended to communicate. Second, some voices might be silenced before legitimate interpretations have been carefully considered. Teachers need to exercise great care here.

Response permits the teacher to make judgments and predictions about the students' reading processes - The responses of our students are laden with many potential insights about them as readers. As I have suggested elsewhere (' Teaching Reading Comprehension: meaning Makers at Work ') we can learn a great deal from students' responses to their reading whether spoken, drawn, written or dramatized. Every response is laden with information about the student's meaning making. Response enables all members of a class (including the teacher) to have access to the understandings that individuals are gaining. This in turn is an invaluable means to enable group members to support each other's growth and development as readers.

3. Talk and discussion, one key form of response

Response to literature can take may forms. I have already written on this blog about the place of drawing ( here), mapping ( here) and craft ( here) and I might well talk in future about drama, music, movement etc. But the most readily available, and in many senses the most powerful way to respond, is through discussion. This might be in small reading groups (3-4 students), large group/table discussion groups or even as a class (less effective). If using small groups you will need to train your class to take part in such groups and you might want to provide some known rules and procedures to moderate discussion, for example this set might be appropriate for a Grades 3-6:

Rule 1 - Everyone has the right to speak or remain silent
Rule 2 - Try to let everyone have a turn speaking before you speak again
Rule 3 - Respect all views but you can disagree politely or suggest other interpretations
Rule 4 - Listen to the group leader and each other
Rule 5 - Be ready if you are the recorder to report back to the class about your thoughts

If you as teacher are involved in any discussion it can be more free ranging but there is benefit in placing a structure around a discussion by having thought through possible avenues or angles for response. You should think through (almost systematically) the types of issues that you try to focus discussion on. The following are just some of the options and direction might take for a broad range of literature. While you won't want to talk to the average 5 year old about ideology, many of the questions below can be modified and used at varying grade levels.

A FIRST REACTION - What was your first reaction to this book? Explain it briefly. do you think you reacted that way?

FEELINGS - What feelings or emotions were you aware of while reading (or listening to) the book?

PLOT - What were the major events in the story? What was the complication in the story? The climax?

IMAGES - What images came to mind during the reading of the book? If it's a picture book you might read it again. If so you might ask: Were the images the same the second time? How did they change? What new things were seen?

ASSOCIATED MEMORIES - What memories did the book stimulate - people, places, events, sights, smells, feelings, attitudes....?

TEXTUAL ELEMENTS - Were there any features in the book that caught your attention - words, phrases, images, devices, ideas....?

JUDGEMENTS OF IMPORTANCE - What was the most important aspect (best thing) or feature of the book for your?

PROBLEMS - Was there anything in the reading of the book that caused you problems (this might relate to content, language, form etc)

AUTHOR - Do you have any feelings concerning the kind of person that the author is?

INVOLVEMENT - Did you feel involved with this book or distant from it? Did it have an impact on you? Why?

OTHER RESPONSES - How did your reading of the book (and response) differ from other group members? Did any difference really surprise you? Why?

EVOLUTION OF UNDERSTANDING - Did your understanding of the book change while you were reading it?

EVALUATION - Did you like this book? Why or why not? Would you classify it as a good book?

ASSOCIATIONS - Did this book remind you of other literature (poetry, play, story)? What about films, videos, events in your life? What was the nature of the connection (e.g. image, word, event, personal experience, style)?

IDEOLOGY - Does the author appear to hold a particular point of view concerning ...? What is his/view? Why do you say this? Do you agree with it?

* The above list is based on a list in my book ' Pathways to Literacy'

Tolkien once said that one of the teacher's most significant functions is to stir the "cauldron of stories" that make up the collective textual history of our classrooms. That is, we need to create classrooms that are rich in textual meanings. Reader response is one of the ways that teachers and parents can do this. Use it with care and it will be a valuable way to encourage your children to grow in understanding of literature, language and the world.

5. Other resources and posts

'Teaching and Supporting Children's Reading Comprehension' ( HERE)
'Improving Comprehension: Sketch to Stretch' ( HERE)
'Improving Comprehension: Map Making' ( HERE)
'Improving Comprehension: Advance Organisers' ( HERE)
All posts on 'Children's Literature' ( HERE)
'The Power of Literature' series ( HERE)
Cairney, T.H. (1991). Other Worlds: The Endless Possibilities of Literature . Portsmouth (NH): Heinemann.
Cairney, T.H. (1995). Pathways to Literacy , London: Cassell.

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1. Understanding reader response Several years ago on an international flight from London to Sydney I recall after finishing the reading of a novel (I think it was Louis de Bernieres' ' Captain Corelli's Mandolin') becoming aware some 5-10 minutes after closing the book, that I was sitting head down, book in both hands, with it clamped between my knees.

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Jared Thornton/A Comparative Study of Dialogue and Response Journals

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Jared Thornton/A Comparative Study of Dialogue and Response Journals

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A similar study that is also in the action research model for research. This abstract focuses on the comprehension of students as well. An excellent resource.

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Jared Thornton/Journal of Language and Literacy Education

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Jared Thornton/Journal of Language and Literacy Education

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This article details the implementation process of response journals by a novice teacher in Georgia. The articles states the importance of response journals, as well as the intentions for including this as part of their instruction.

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Jared Thornton/Reading Journal: Its Benefits for Extensive Reading 

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Jared Thornton/Reading Journal: Its Benefits for Extensive Reading 

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This study, similar to the online journal I am referencing, was done to research the benefits of students using reading response journals in the classroom. The research was done in a similar manner as my own action research project, but it it from Japan! I never thought to examine the same circumstances with students that primarily use English as their second language.

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Jared Thornton/Networks- An Online Journal for Teacher Research

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Jared Thornton/Networks- An Online Journal for Teacher Research

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This is an excellent resource for my action research project. This particular online journal entry follows a very similar format to my own action research project. The focus is on memory and comprehension as it relates to the use of student reading response journals.

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action research; teacher research; teacher inquiry; educator inquiry; qualitative research; classroom research

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Networks: An On-Line Journal for Teacher Research

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This journal offers a place for sharing reports of action research, in which teachers at all levels, kindergarten to postgraduate, are reflecting on classroom practice through research ventures

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This article lists advantages and disadvantages of using Reading Response Journals.

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Reader Response allows readers to interpret the text in various ways. Allows readers to bring: personality traits, memories of the past and present experiences to the text. Forces the readers to look...

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Jared Thornton/The Importance of Student Journals and How to Respond Effectively

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Jared Thornton/The Importance of Student Journals and How to Respond Effectively

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This is an entry from an educational blog that discusses the use of response journals and also details the many positive effects that this type of response can have on students.<br>

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Classroom Journaling Is Essential

The benefits of students integrating journal writing across the curriculum are amply documented. From a teacher's perspective, there are few activities that can trump journal writing for understanding and supporting the development of student thinking. Journaling turbo-charges curiosity. The legendary Toby Fulwiler, author of The Journal Book, writes, "Without an understanding of who we are, we are not likely to understand fully why we study biology rather than forestry, literature rather than philosophy. In the end, all knowledge is related; the journal helps clarify the relationship."

Vary Student Journal Formats to Enhance Content-Specific Thinking

Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson's 42explore presents implementation advice and describes different journal formats. Introducing a range of reflective genres can encourage students to generalize about their content attitudes. Every subject area "pot" has its own reflective "lid," allowing teachers a peak into the metacognitive soup of students' misconceptions and insight. For example, here is a format that supports scientific reflection: "Today I observed... I predict that... I also measured... I concluded that..."

One of my favorites, the microtheme, supports comprehension, extends thinking, improves confidence, and bolsters writing across the content areas. I've run into different versions. In one, students write a summary to a reading, lecture, demonstration, or experiment on the back of an index card. Teachers collect the note cards and write responses to the students on the other side. Microthemes quickly activate thinking before whole-class discussions.

But, while essentially all reflective writing formats yield benefits, there is a problem...

Who Has Time to Grade Journals?

For years, I've taken home crates of journals on the weekend and responded with a Theseusian intensity that has crushed classroom preparation time and personal leisure, and has exasperated friends and family. To lessen the time costs, I tried skimming journals. My token analysis, however, signaled students to submit journals that were equivalently weak ("If he doesn't care, why should we?").

So, how do you implement journals, make them a priority, and reduce responding time?

An Efficient Journal Response Strategy

Premised on the notion that students should assess their own writing, Terri Van Sickle, a virtuoso instructor and writer for Crystal Coast Parent Magazine, teaches her classes to use a rich and organic process of open-ended reflection that works well as a culminating journal activity.

Whether your students write in daybooks, two entry notebooks, or academic journals, you can use the following instruction sheet to help students self-reflect.

Journal Coding

Assignment Introduction: The following questions will help you to deeply examine the thinking, interactions, exercises, and writing you have experienced over the course of the semester.

1. Reading and Marking: Read through your entire journal. Identify and star (*) 10 passages that seem most significant to you as a learner of the subject matter in this course. You might choose an entry that was written when you were thinking on all cylinders, discovering something revelatory, engaging in higher order thinking, struggling with an idea that was only partially formed, or experiencing confusion. Maybe you were able to transcend the classroom conversations and texts to come up with an original idea. These ten passages should be as varied as possible and make generalizations that provide a full portrait of you as a learner of this course's content. Next, double star (**) five of the passages most significant to you. Why did you choose these five sections? What generalizations can you make about you as a writer and learner?

2. Letter to Reader: Write a letter to your reader, describing the items you starred and explaining how and why you chose them. Also, reflect on the following:

a. What was the most persuasive or convincing argument introduced in this class?

b. What could you relate to the most in class or in the readings? Why?

c. Was there an argument or position taken in class or in the readings with which you strongly disagreed? Explain your reaction.

d. What do you think was the most important point or central concept communicated this semester?

e. If you could do this semester over again more successfully, what would you do differently? Why?

3. Final Check: Is your name, class, and date written on the cover? Make sure your journal has a complete table of contents, page numbers on every page, and that each entry is dated. If you were absent on a day when we used journals in class, enter "absent" next to the date.

I allow a full class period or more for students to follow these instructions. Many adolescents wrestle with critical reflection and therefore may need more individual help or modeling.

By primarily focusing my commentary on students' starred passages and reflective letters, I acquire a snapshot of the students' understanding of course content and save 3-4 hours on every set of 30 semester-length journals. Even though I only collect journals one time per semester, I can meet students' eyes, knowing that I haven't neglected journal segments that they wanted me to read.

Coda: The three best albums to write reflections to:

1. "Kind of Blue" by Miles Davis
2. "The Last Temptation of Christ" (Soundtrack) by Peter Gabriel
3. "Unleft" by Helios

-- Todd Finley's Twitter address is @finleyt.

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The Importance of Student Journals and How to Respond Efficiently | Edutopia

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The benefits of students integrating journal writing across the curriculum are amply documented. From a teacher's perspective, there are few activities that can trump journal writing for understanding and supporting the development of student thinking. Journaling turbo-charges curiosity.

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Jared Thornton/What is a Response Journal?

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Jared Thornton/What is a Response Journal?

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This article provides teachers with the basic definition of response journals as well as ideas on how to effectively implement the strategy in the classroom.

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- I want to try and incorporate an element of student choice, a strategy I think will aid in student motivation.

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1) With a wide-range of assessment tools that measure reading comprehension, how will I decide which method best fits the needs of my research?

2) How can I make sure the research I am conducting and the data I am collecting is valid?

3) Are there any other ethical considerations that I am forgetting about? (Consent, validity, reporting methods, best interest of students)

4) How can I consistently foster student interest in the activities?

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"Reading response journals provide a teacher with a means of looking inside students' minds to view their understanding of what was read. In addition, these journals foster students' ability to connect literature with their own lives and therefore increase comprehension." (Fulps and Young, 1991).

Fulps, Julia Shinneman and Young, Terrell A. (1991). The what, why, when and how of reading response journals. Reading Horizons: Vol. 32: Iss. 2, Article 3.

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Jared Thornton/Reader's Response to Literature

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Jared Thornton/Reader's Response to Literature

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This is another site that defines reading response journals and include specific strategies to be used with the response writing.

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This site describes the details and possible strategies involved with response journals.

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I will be researching the impact that reading response journals can have on student comprehension.