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Literature Logs: A Tool For Dialogue and Response

Laura S. Truesdale
North Central High School

I turned to my curricular "Bible"--In the Middle (Atwell 1987). I had relied heavily on Atwell's research in my writing workshop, and now I turned to it again. The basic elements of the Writing workshop consisted of time, response, and ownership. Students were given predictable blocks of time in which to write. In my class, we wrote three to four days per week. The students depended upon this class time, and soon they rushed to class with ideas and excitement. Ownership meant that my students created their own topics; I did not choose for them. All of their work generated from their interests, ideas, and creativity. Response in the form of peer interaction and editing conferences with me were crucial. All of Atwell's concepts worked well with adolescents. Would a reading workshop operate in like manner?

On the first day of school, I announced to my students that our reading class would be a place where we would read "real" books (as opposed to the contrived and controlled stories of a basal reader), talk about books, and write about books. Three days a week would be devoted to reading books of their own choosing. Atwell's premises of time and ownership were incorporated immediately. Response would be in the form of literature logs. I stressed at the beginning that these logs would be the most important aspect of our class. Little did I realize at that time exactly how important they would become.

The requirements of the class were simple. On the days that we read, everyone was required to bring a book to class, prepared to spend time immersing him/herself in literature. If the student truly engaged with the book all period (read all period), a maximum of five points was given. These points comprised one-third of their reading grade. The students were required to write one letter to me each week about the books they were reading. I emphasized that I did not want to know the plot of the book--I wanted to know their reactions, their thinking, and their questions. The literature logs comprised another one- third of their grade. I also told my students that the reading workshop would be their favorite class. I received many dubious glances.

There are so many stories to tell, but I will focus on three students who emerged as three of the most interesting and exciting for me as a teacher-researcher. I hope their stories will demonstrate the power and potential of writing as a means of engaging with literature.

David:

David entered my class labeled as remedial due to past failures on standardized tests. His attitude and behavior displayed shyness and reluctance in terms of taking a risk with his reading. At first, he was unwilling to venture beyond brief plot retelling. His initial data showed me that he had not previously invested a personal interest in reading. David related in his pre-reading survey that in the last twelve months, he had read only two books and did not have a favorite author. In response to the question, "How do you feel about reading in general?", he wrote "Do not like reading!" His first letter to me in his literature log was short, terse, and related only the plot of the story:

8-29-90

S. E.
Hinton

The
Outsiders

This book is pretty good, it has lots of action. One of the outsiders, the littlest, got in a fight. I'm on page 11 right now.

Dear David,
I promise that you will love this book. It is filled with all different kinds of emotions. It is definitely one of my favorites. Keep reading!

Mrs. T

S. E.
Hinton

That was then
This is Know

That was a good book. I didn't like the way it end. It was a lot better than the Outsiders. Taming of the Star Runner was better than both of them. Taming of the Star Runner was the best I ever read by S. E. Hinton. Could I write to her. Could you get her address.

At the end of the first semester, I asked my students to reread their logs and write their reflections in a letter to me. I invited them to find patterns or entries which surprised them. David wrote:

1-23-91

Reading, Writing, and Spelling

I like reading as you now. Reading is fun. If you read over the things I wrote in here. You will see a lot of mistspelled words, that I should no how to spell. I need help with spelling, but I got to help myself first. So I'm going to start this week not next week. Spelling and saying words is keeping me from reading faster. I would like your help.

David

1-23-90

Dear David,
Rarely do I read an entry that is so insightful and honest and reflective! You have thought and assessed exactly what your weakness is and have sought help to accomplish your goal. I applaud you!

My advice is to keep reading as much as possible for pleasure.

Don't worry a whole lot about your spelling--some people are just poor spellers (usually the brightest) and that's why we have EDITORS!

Thanks for sharing this with me. I will continue to support and encourage you.

Love,
Mrs. T

By the end of the year, David's growth as a reader and one who constructed personal meaning through writing was phenomenal. Recorded on his final evaluation in response to the question, "What are the most important things you have learned in your literature logs?":

I liked writing in my literature logs. Evertime I wrote in it I tryed to guess what you were going to write back. It was fun writing to you. I wish we can do it next year to.

Katie:

Katie presented a very different story in that she entered my class as an exceptional student. She was labeled an "advanced" student. But Katie was similar to David in many ways. She was extremely shy and recorded on her pre-reading survey that she had read only four books in the past twelve months, had never reread a book, and seldom read at home for pleasure. Through Katie's log, many exciting and sad discoveries emerged throughout the year.

Her first log entry:

8-30-90

Mrs. T,
I really enjoy this class. It gives me a chance to clear my mind and relax, This book I'm reading is good. Well, see ya'.

Yours truly,
Katie

9-4-90

Dear Katie,
Thanks! I'm glad that you like the class. I, too, feel the same way about reading for pleasure--it's a way to relax.

Tell me next time what book and why you think it's good.

Mrs. T

Her mid-year reflection mirrored my assessment of her current behaviors:

1-23-91

Dear Mrs. T,
After reading over my journal I have noticed that over the past few months we've been in school I can really express my feelings about my reading, writing, and personal things. I think that in my overall writings in my log that my favorite authors are Duncan and Zindel. (Although I need to work on elaborating when talking about them). I think lit. logs are a great idea. Sometimes its easier to write than actually talk!

Love,
Katie

The post-reading survey stated that she had read nineteen books, she had reread a book to "see what it would be like to read it and know what happened in the end," and she read often at home. Her autobiography (telling me how she had grown and changed as a reader this year) portrayed a confident and mature reader:

My outlook on reading is very high since the beginning of the year. I've read a variety of books this year to give me a feel of different styles. Realistic books such as Judy Blume are my favorite books. Every once in a while you need to break the cycle of things so that's when I read a Zindel book.

I've grown in my reading this year because I used to look upon it as something I did every once in a while but now I read on a regular bases. Reading now relaxes me from the real world and I get captured in the characters body. Reading give me a chance to "get away" from everything. This year has been great especially this class. I wish I could be in a class like this next year but not all things are possible. I will continue reading throughout the summer and continue through the years.

Jason:

Jason was an outgoing, delightful boy; he thrived on having fun at all times. He was also highly intelligent and desperately unmotivated; the initial data was a cry for help. Jason needed a challenge and the workshop provided that and much more for him. On his pre-reading survey, Jason stated that he had read nine books last year (none during the summer), he did not read at home for pleasure, and he did not have a favorite author. One of his first letters to me read:

9-14-90

The Choose your own adventure books are good I finished one two times. I also like A light in the attic. Those poems are funny. I finished it too. Well I must go.

Jason

At the end of the year, Jason wrote on his post-reading survey that he had read fifteen books, that he read frequently at home, and that his favorite authors were Ursula LeGuin and Lloyd Alexander. He revealed in his autobiography:

This year, the 8th grade. I have had the bad books along with the good. I first started out reading Choose your own adventure books. That was the bad. Those books had no real characters or adventure. It didn't have intellectual "meat"! I thought I liked them, but now I wonder how I could have. I then read a "classic," The Call of the Wild. I grew, in a sense, intellectually. I started to hate choose your own adventure books. I then got into poetry and wrote a play-off of The Raven. I then slipped into the fantasy world of Earthsea. I was now engulfed fully by fantasy. I had now fully went from cheap old choose books to intellectually "fat" fantasy books. I have grown from the bad to the ugly and finally to the good!

Implications for the Middle School Classroom:

New Beginning:

Work Cited

Atwell, Nancie. In the Middle. Portsmouth: Heineman, 1987.