Deepening Literature Response Deepening Literature Response Through Engagement in Online Through Engagement in Online

Activities Activities

Denise JohnsonDenise Johnson

The College of William & MaryThe College of William & Mary

What is What is youryour favorite book favorite book or author and why?or author and why?

“The Giver changed the way I think. It changed who I am.”

Reading ResponseReading Response

““The central premise of the reading process is The central premise of the reading process is that the literary work exists in the that the literary work exists in the transactiontransaction between the reader and the text. The active between the reader and the text. The active participatory role of readers encompasses—in participatory role of readers encompasses—in conjunction with comprehension—discovering conjunction with comprehension—discovering meaning, responding emotionally, developing meaning, responding emotionally, developing interpretation. Readers are not passive interpretation. Readers are not passive spectators spectators ofof the text but are active performers the text but are active performers withwith the text.” the text.” (Karolides, 1997, p. 8)(Karolides, 1997, p. 8)

What Factors Influence Reading What Factors Influence Reading Response?Response?

Background knowledge and experiences including Background knowledge and experiences including cultural factorscultural factors

InterestsInterests

GenreGenre

Self-selected or assignedSelf-selected or assigned

What can teachers do to ensure meaningful transactions What can teachers do to ensure meaningful transactions with text?with text?

Integration of Content & PedagogyIntegration of Content & Pedagogy

Start with a Start with a knowledge of subject knowledge of subject matter, thenmatter, then

Integrate your Integrate your knowledge of the best knowledge of the best methods for teaching methods for teaching and learning the and learning the subjectsubject

An important aspect underlying pedagogy is the teacher’s philosophy of how children learn.

Who has the biggest book club Who has the biggest book club on Earth?on Earth?

Oprah!Oprah!

Why?Why?

Live chat with Newbery author Shannon Hale, May 22.

http://inkrethink.blogspot.com/

Teaching Dilemmas: Blogs or Journals?Teaching Dilemmas: Blogs or Journals?

““Journals are bedrocks in my teaching practice. Journals are bedrocks in my teaching practice. On the first day of school I give each child a On the first day of school I give each child a composition book …Every week or so after this composition book …Every week or so after this the children write to me in their journals and I the children write to me in their journals and I write back. These letters are about personal write back. These letters are about personal stuff, thoughts that arise out of our literature stuff, thoughts that arise out of our literature discussions (e.g. “Who is heroic in discussions (e.g. “Who is heroic in Charlotte’s Charlotte’s WebWeb?”), responses to prompts related to the ?”), responses to prompts related to the curriculum, suggestions on how to resolve curriculum, suggestions on how to resolve classroom problems, and about their classroom problems, and about their independent reading.” * independent reading.” * ((Monica EdingerMonica Edinger, 12/6, 2006), 12/6, 2006)

Blogs or Journals, cont’dBlogs or Journals, cont’d

““Last week, instead of writing me, they wrote to Last week, instead of writing me, they wrote to the class. And now, instead of my writing back to the class. And now, instead of my writing back to them, they are all writing back to each other. them, they are all writing back to each other. And — duh — I realized that I’d just had them do And — duh — I realized that I’d just had them do paper blogging. Those responses they are paper blogging. Those responses they are writing to each other — a form of commenting, of writing to each other — a form of commenting, of course! And so I began thinking about having course! And so I began thinking about having them move from their composition books to the them move from their composition books to the computer — to start them on blogs.” computer — to start them on blogs.” ((Monica EdingerMonica Edinger, ,

12/6/2006)12/6/2006)

Podcasting Literary SalonsPodcasting Literary Salons

A favorite weekly event in my classroom is A favorite weekly event in my classroom is Literary Salon. A couple of kids bring in baked Literary Salon. A couple of kids bring in baked treats, I provide juice, and a bunch of the kids do treats, I provide juice, and a bunch of the kids do prepared readings from books they are reading prepared readings from books they are reading or have recently finished. *or have recently finished. *One lovely result is that children become One lovely result is that children become intrigued by the readings and eagerly go off to intrigued by the readings and eagerly go off to find the books in question to read. The cross-find the books in question to read. The cross-pollination is delightful! With the introduction of pollination is delightful! With the introduction of our blogs we’ve been able to podcast these our blogs we’ve been able to podcast these events. events. (Monica Edinger, April 14, 2007)(Monica Edinger, April 14, 2007)

Podcasting Literary SalonsPodcasting Literary Salons

“ “I returned to the book’s wikipedia entry and I returned to the book’s wikipedia entry and replaced the old plot summary with replaced the old plot summary with ours. When I . When I showed the children that it was on the wikipedia showed the children that it was on the wikipedia page for all to see, the result was applause and page for all to see, the result was applause and “Awesome!” ”“Awesome!” ”

One of my students came in today and said, "I Googled that book trailer that you showed us about Greetings From Nowhere and showed my mom. Now she wants to read it!"

Alabama Moon by Watt Key

Mrs. Newingham’s Third Grade

http://comsewogue.k12.ny.us/~ssilverman/butterflies

Integration of Technology with Integration of Technology with Pedagogy and ContentPedagogy and Content

Understanding the manner in Understanding the manner in which reading response can be which reading response can be changed by the application of changed by the application of different technologies, alone different technologies, alone and in combination;and in combination;Knowing the affordances and Knowing the affordances and constraints of a range of constraints of a range of technological tools as they technological tools as they relate to reading response and relate to reading response and DAP designs and strategies;DAP designs and strategies;Develop flexibility with available Develop flexibility with available tools in order to repurpose them tools in order to repurpose them for specific pedagogical for specific pedagogical purposes.purposes.

When we teach well and deeply, students When we teach well and deeply, students engage more and are more likely to become engage more and are more likely to become

lifelong learners. lifelong learners.

Thank You!Thank You!

cdjohn@wm.edu

http://thejoyofchildrensliterature.http://thejoyofchildrensliterature.blogspot.comblogspot.com

Internet Sites

Monica Edinger’s blog: http://blogs.dalton.org/edingerMrs. Cassidy’s Class: http://staff.prairiesouth.ca/~cassidy.kathy/index.htmlLois Lowry’s blog: http://www.loislowry.typepad.comShelfari: http://www.shelfari.comGood Reads: http://www.goodreads.comGreetings From Nowhere book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKj4y_-U2UEThe Turnursttimes: http://theturnursttimes.googlepages.com/theturnursttimesSara Holmes’ blog: http://saralewisholmes.blogspot.comGoogle for Educators: http://www.google.com/educators/index.htmlMrs. Newingham’s website: http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3The Yggyssey: http://www.theyggyssey.comJohn Green’s Nerd Fighters Ning: http://nerdfighters.ning.com/?page_id=63Reader Girlz: http://www.readergirlz.com

For More Information

Reader Response: http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/Virtualit/poetry/critical_define/crit_reader.htmlTechnology tools for teachers: http://webtools4u2use.wikispaces.com/Webtools4U2Use