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English Department


Lit Circles / Reader Response Journals

G. P. Vanier Secondary School
Text Box: Reader Response Journal Analysis—Grades 8 / 9 For each of the following groupings, choose the statement which most closely matches the responses you made in your journal. Remember that you must be able to point to evidence in your journal to support that you did indeed make the kind of responses you indicate below. a) I explained the general topic of the reading I had done b) I carefully explained what had happened and what was behind it c) I outlined the topic of the novel and expanded on it with some ideas of my own a) I did not talk about how the author chose to handle the subject b) I wondered if the author could have handled the subject in another way c) I suggested that the author could have handled the subject in another way a) I did not show that I thought there could be any ideas about the book other than the ones I had b) I showed that there was the possibility that someone else might have a different idea about the book than I had c) I suggested that another reader might have a different response than I had a) I did not find much to ask someone else’s opinion about it b) I did not find much that made me think c) I asked questions to clarify or to ask for another’s opinion a) I read the book without really reflecting on it b) I showed that I was reflecting on some of the things I was reading about c) I showed how I was reflecting on what I was reading so that some times my ideas about what I was reading changed a) I explained how the characters acted without giving reasons why they acted that way b) I suggested that the character might not be the kind of person they appeared to be by their actions c) I suggested more than one reason for why a character acted the way he/she did. a) I criticized the novel by stating I liked it b) I criticized the novel by outlining its good points c) I criticized the novel by outlining and elaborating on some of its good points 8. a) I criticized the novel by stating my feelings about it b) I criticized the novel by starting with my feelings about it and then explaining why I felt the way I did c) I criticized the novel by suggesting why I thought that it was in some ways not very good rather than just stating my feelings about it a) I either did not say whether I liked the novel or not, or said I did or did not like it without explaining my reasons b) I explained my criteria for judging the way the novel was written but other people would probably not have the same feelings about it that I did c) I explained my criteria for judging the way the novel was written using characteristics that other readers could accept a) I described the events or people in the novel b) I began to describe an underlying theme or message in the novel c) I wrote about what I was thinking about the underlying theme or message of the novel a) I did not talk about anything outside what was happening b) I talked a little bit about how the novel was or was not like other novels I read c) I compared the ideas in the novel with other novels I have read a) I did not really express how the novel matched with ideas or knowledge I already had b) I talked a little bit about how the novel fit with ideas of knowledge I already had about things c) I compared the ideas in the novel with some things I knew ahead of time—ie. the idea of war, or racial prejudice a) I did not write much about the novel because I did not like it b) I stated that I did not like the novel but did not go into too much detail beyond reasons that would apply to me only c) I found that even if the novel was not the kind I usually chose to read, I was still able to state something of value I found in it. a) I wrote more about what was happening in my life than about what I read b) I wrote about what was happening in my life but primarily I wrote about what I had read. c) When I wrote about what was happening in my life, it was because it was connected with what was happening in what I was reading a) Looking back over what I wrote, it is hard to remember what I was talking about from what I wrote. b) I have changed in my ideas or feelings compared with what I wrote in my journal. c) I can remember what I was thinking about when I wrote and understand why my thinking might be different now. Text Box: A reader who says “Nothing happened in what I just read” shows he/she is focused on plot. Instead, comment on characterization or background information or the writing style. A reader who constantly summarizes plot is not actively engaged with the reading material. Speculate: what might happen next and why. Explain what the plot indicates about the characters. Comment on whether the events been feasible? What alternative events might the author have included? Actively engage with the characters. Do you agree with what they have done? What do their actions reveal about who they are inside. Has anything they’ve said, done surprised you? Why? What motivates the characters? Bring in what you know of psychology or human behaviour to commenting on the characters. Evaluate the characters and their actions. Has the author done a good job of creating a realistic character? Is this important or not? Actively engaged readers make connections between what they are reading and their own lives. Has anything similar happened to you? Does what you read make you remember anything? Would you respond similarly to a situation. Why or why not? Is there anything you’ve read previously or that is going on in current events that is connected to what you have read? How so? Explain the criteria you are using for any judgments you make. If you don’t like a certain character or a particular writing style. Why not?