Reading Logs

This year in English your aim will be to read independently both for fun and to help you increase your understanding of the ideas you will be learning about in your English classes. Reading is also a great way to learn about life and boost your vocabulary.

You will be required to keep a reading log of the different types of reading you will be doing this year. You should aim to read a variety of authors, both male and female and authors who have a different cultural background to you.

At least once every term you will need to write a Reading Log which identifies which book/poetry/story/magazine article you have been reading. In this log you will also write down your thoughts and feelings about the text’s characters, ideas and language that have had an effect on you. You will need to explain what they make you think and feel and why you feel this way about them.

• This means you will be recording your experience of at least four texts this year other than just the ones we look at in class.

A good reading log/presentation for a book/story/poem/article will always:

• Record the text’s title
• Record the text’s author
• Record the text type (novel/poem/play/song lyric/magazine article etc.)
•  Record the date when the text was published
• Record the date(s) when you read the text
• Write a brief summary of the main events in NO MORE THAN 50 words
• Write at least two (2) detailed personal responses (at least 100 words each) which explain what the people, places or ideas in the text made you think about. You will need to include evidence from the text in the form of quotes or detailed description to help make your responses convincing.

There is a template on our Classroom page that you can use to get started.

You can either blog about your texts or submit a hard copy: whatever is easiest for you. You could also get creative and record a podcast, create a video or produce a poster of your thoughts and reactions to the text.