Reading Journal
Good readers can benefit from regularly reading independently. A reading journal can help hold readers accountable for daily reading by keeping track of what was read. All you need in order to track daily reading is a paper where the reader can write the date and title for each day. Or you could make a simple calendar in a program such as Microsoft Word, and write the title of what was read in each day's square. These reading logs are basic and easy to do.
Some reading journals also encourage focus and comprehension when reading by requiring some sort of reading response. This is helpful if you have a reader who rushes through reading or struggles to focus on comprehension when reading. Sometimes my readers say they read a book, but cannot answer the most basic questions about the book, leading me to conclude that either the book was not read, or the reader did not understand the text. By asking for the reader to respond to the text, the reader is encouraged to actually read and even read with focus.
Some reading journals or reading response activities are so involved, they diminish the joy of reading for some readers. Some students love responding about their reading, and would enjoy spending just as much time, or even more, on responding to the reading as they did actually reading. It is important to know your readers and their individual needs in order to provide the best type of independent reading accountability.
Some reading journals or reading response activities are so involved, they diminish the joy of reading for some readers. Some students love responding about their reading, and would enjoy spending just as much time, or even more, on responding to the reading as they did actually reading. It is important to know your readers and their individual needs in order to provide the best type of independent reading accountability.
A Reading Journal for Differentiation
There are many great reading journals readily available in almost any educational market. You can also easily make your own. I recently made a new one that allows for individual differentiation and self-selected choices, while limiting the amount of time required to respond to the reading. Plainly, the kids can choose what response they want to do each day, and it doesn't take very long to respond. It requires a little bit of work to assemble, but you can modify it to meet your needs and hopefully your readers will enjoy it.
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This is the title page. (I put a plastic cover on mine to make it more durable, then the title page.)
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Next, print the reading journal response pages, double-sided front to back. Print as many copies as you want to have in our journal. Fold the pages in half with the title page and bind however you desire.
The next three sections are optional. The only other thing you need for this reading journal is the reading response prompts, which is the the last file listed.
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I included a list of the Sweet 16 components of writing for my readers to reference. Learn more about the Sweet 16:
GiftedGuru.com https://youtu.be/xZAlwpdO5Wg
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Next I included a Wonder Words section, where readers record words that are wonderful and words they wonder about.
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This file has 2 pages foe each letter of the alphabet. You can include this in the reading journal, or bind it separately to have a separate Wonder Words book. Print it double-sided, front to back, 1 complete set for each reader.
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This file has the Wonder Words entry pages with no letter designations, so readers can keep a running list of Wonder Words. This file uses less paper and is ideal for adding at the back of a reading journal. Make as many double-sided copies as you want for each reader.
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The last optional section is A Phrase to Remember, which are extra pages where readers can write down phrases, clauses, and sentences they really like in order to refer to them later. They can use them as inspiration and even models to do similar things in their own writing.
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Make as many double-sided copies as you want for each reader.
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In order to allow readers to choose what they want to respond to each day, the reading response prompts are designed to be printed on mailing labels. Print one set per reader. Each day the reader selects the desired prompt and sticks it on that day's section in the reading journal, directly under the author's name. Then the reader responds to the prompt, relating it to that day's reading. Depending on the type of labels you have, you might need to adjust the margins of the document. Or use this as inspiration to make your ow, and include prompts your readers enjoy.
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This version is generic and appropriate for typical good readers.
This version has a few prompts related to the Bible or living for Christ, so it is appropriate for Believers.
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After you have printed everything, bind it as you desire. Here are some ideas:
- Fold the pages in half and staple them in the middle. - Cut the pages in half, hole-punch them, and put them in a mini 3-ring binder. - Cut the pages in half and comb or spiral bind them. - Cut the pages in half, hole punch, and use clasping rings or animal leg markers (from a feed store) to bind them. *Make a designated place for the journals and labels to stay so they don't get lost. (I cut some used dividers I already had at home as covers to add durability.) |
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