RW/WW Atwell Chapter 8: Responding to Readers and Reading

RW/WW Atwell Chapter 8: Responding to Readers and Reading
Summary:
Atwell uses Reading Journals to promote a dialogue about reading between the reader, the reader's peers, and herself. Students write "literary letters" to each other and to their teacher about what they are reading and thinking, at a minimum required pace of once a week to be submitted on Friday. Students respond to each other within 24 hours by returning the notebook to the owner, and Atwell does her best to write back to students's literary letters addressed to her, promoting more and more developed literary conversations, giving advice and encouragement and simply reacting as a reader to another reader. In Atwell's view, journals effectively replace book reports (and worksheets and quizzes) in the classroom--the dullest genres of writing she has ever encountered--and allow students to be true readers learning to read and react for themselves.

My reaction: This case for dialogue journals is very powerful, and I want to consider using them for my own classes. Currently, my academic reading classes use Discussion Worksheets as the main channel for me to see what students thought about the assigned reading. Basically, students fill out a sheet with a basic summary of the reading, their reactions, and the discussion questions they want to discuss with their peers and instructor when they come to class. I used to use journals, but found that I could not collect them frequently enough to ensure that most students had prepared for that day's discussion. Most students crammed their entries in just before the submission deadline. In a foreign language class moving at a high pace through difficult academic readings, pressure to prepare well for each class seems very important to me. So that is why I do not currently use dialogue journals for reading. I only do fluency writing journals, which give students a month or so to write freely about a minimum number of topics.

Admittedly, with assigned reading, the reactions are quite forced, whether it is in a journal or in a worksheet. Some students have engaged and been stimulated, while others have not. It is difficult to compete with Atwell's Reading Workshop where readers are reading what they have selected on their own (usually adolescent literature, very attractive and meaningful for US middle school students), taking responsibility for their own learning and development of literacy (with support from peers and instructor, of course).

Ideally, all of my students would have an e-portfolio where they keep their reactions to what they read, think, and learn. Their peers and I would access those blog like records, leave comments, and promote frequent dialogue in that way, just like I have with a number of friends through various blogs I have had.

My favorite quotes from Chp. 8

p. 291 In response to a student's concern about slow reading speed:
"Dear Jason...."I'll never give you a test on a novel, so you should remember that you're reading just for YOU, and you should feel free to experiment with skipping parts (etc.)...As long as you're getting meaning out of the story, however you read it up to you." Love, Ms. Atwell

p.293 "In the fall you had a panic attack at the end of each book. Oh my God! What am I going to read next? Now I look at your list of books you are dying to read, and I see a reader.

p.298 "I remember suffering through piles of junior high book reports, the dullest writing I've ever read. By contrast, the letters are a constant source of surprise, pleasure, and stimulation."