The Write to Read: Response Journals That Increase Comprehension

Use reader response strategies to achieve Common Core goals in reading and in writing! Response journals—brief, personal writing in response to reading—can significantly improve reading comprehension. What′s more, when scaffolded over the year, reader response strategies promote engagement, build understanding of complex literary and informational text, and even help students provide supporting evidence in their writing—all goals of the Common Core. For educators eager to use reader response strategies, veteran teacher Lesley Roessing presents a unique, step-by-step approach that inspires thoughtful reading and skillful writing in Grades 5–12. Based on research and her own classroom experience, Roessing′s innovative writing exercises encourage students to read more deeply, develop questions, and participate actively in class. Beginning with simple response tasks and moving toward more complex assignments, the book provides a scaffolded curriculum for the full academic year. Developed for language arts and content area teachers, as well as literacy specialists, this resource includes: Examples of response journals for a wide range of genres, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and students′ personal reading Strategies for using reader response to guide classroom discussions, group work, book clubs, and journal writing at home Adaptations for students with diverse abilities Numerous classroom-ready templates and samples of student work Discover a well-structured writing curriculum that promotes confident learning and the joy of reading.

Table of Contents:
List of Figures List of Photographs Foreword Preface Acknowledgments About the Author 1. The Three Rs: Rationale for Reader Response Part I Before-Reading Response 2. The Pre-Reading Response How to Choose a Book The Anticipation Response Adaptations PART II During-Reading Response 3. Journaling: Setup for Success Reading Experiences in My Classroom The Reading Journal Teaching During-Reading Response Avoiding Retelling: Response Starters Independent Reading Response Abandonment Response Adaptations 4. Double-Entry Journaling and Sticky Notes Double-Entry Journaling Strategy Response Putting It All Together Going Deeper: Using Sticky Notes Adaptations 5. Poetic Response Found Poetry Narrative Poetry Poems in Two Voices I Am...Poetry The Advantages of Poetry 6. Interactive Response Note Passing Family Letters Letters to Friends Co-Reading Letters Talking About Texts Collaborative Response 7. Literature Circles and Book Clubs: Discussion Response Literature Circles as Training Book Clubs Book Club Response Adaptations 8. Individual Reading: Relinquishing Control and Giving Choice Reading Like a Writer: Writer′s Craft Responses Choice Reading - Choice Response Multigenre Response Drawing as Response Reaching the Goal: Unique, Varied, Personal, Individual Response A Sample Journal for One Novel Adaptations The Case of Julio, ELL Student Part III After-Reading Response 9. Post-Reading Response Text Reformulations The Post-Reading Evaluative Responses Book Reviews and Book Talks Book Reviews Book Talks Literary Critiques Adaptations Part IV Content Area Response Adaptations 10. Responding Across the Curriculum Nonfiction Texts Text Features Marginal Notes Electronic Media - Web Site Response Content Area Reading Pre-Reading Response During-Reading Response Journaling Double-Entry Journals Poetic Response Note Passing After-Reading Response The Rationale Part V Response Evaluation 11. Teacher and Student Evaluation Formative Assessments Assessment of Independent Reading The Assessment Process Evaluative Assessments: Grading Assessment of Shared Reading Rationale "What′s in It for Me?" Student Metacognition and Musings First Marking Period Self-Analysis After a Semester of Response End-of-Year Reflection 12. Coming to a Conclusion Resource A: Literary References Resource B: Forms and Examples 1. Independent Reading Requirements (Chapter 3) 2. Daily Reading Log (Chapter 3) 3. Literature Response Starters (Chapter 3) 4. Reading Interests/Books Pass Charts (Chapter 3) 5. Double-Entry Journal - Questioning (Chapter 4) 6. Question-Answer Chart (Chapter 4) 7. Strategies Used by Successful Readers (Chapter 4) 8. Double-Entry Journal - Making Connections (Chapter 4) 9. Double-Entry Journal - Literary Elements (Chapter 4) 10. Double-Entry Journal - Identifying Strategies Used (Chapter 4) 11. Sticky-Note Response Journal (Chapter 4) 12. Sticky-Note Question-Anwer-Response Journal (Chapter 4) 13. Book Club Meeting Agenda (Chapter 7) 14. Book Club Double-Entry Response Journal (Chapter 7) 15. Reading Strategies - Author′s Craft Journal (Chapter 8) 16. Author′s Craft Response Journal (Chapter 8) 17. News Article Formats (Chapter 9) 18. Content Area Double-Entry Response Journal (Chapter 10) References Credits Index

About the Author :
Lesley Roessing has spent twenty years teaching eighth-grade language arts and humanities in suburban Philadelphia. Prior to discovering her interest in teaching middle school students, she taught high school English. Over the past six years, she published articles in NCTE’s English Journal and Voices from the Middle; The Quarterly, a NWP publication; and NMSA’s Middle School Journal and Middle Ground. In addition, Roessing has presented her articles and ideas widely in a variety of formats, from lecturing at annual conferences of teachers’ associations to teaching workshops for local organizations and schools. In 2002, Roessing became a writing teacher-consultant and in 2004 a literature teacher-consultant for the Pennsylvania Writing & Literature Project, where she began her metamorphosis from a literature teacher into a reading teacher who opens adolescents’ eyes to the wonder of literature and from a composition teacher to a writer who shares the gift of writing with her students, both for its own value and to enhance their reading experiences.

Review :
"A transactional approach to understanding literature will come alive for intermediate and middle school teachers and students who avail themselves of Roessing′s advice and examples in this book. What a practical resource for teachers! Facilitating a balanced reading and writing program is at the heart of The Write to Read." "This is such an easy answer: a curriculum that builds to strong reader response. This is a gem." "A comprehensive, well-reasoned text devoted to reader response at middle elementary and secondary levels. Such authenticity is appealing to the field." "The major strengths of the book are the explicit instructions for set-up, multiple examples of student responses, examples of varieties of texts used for modeling, and materials for teacher use in appendices." "The author provides very engaging and helpful examples throughout the book. One can really ′see′ how these ideas work."