Explanation
This reading blog has been set up as an exemplar for level 2 English students. The purpose is to show students how they might set out their own blog to meet the criteria for AS91106 - form developed personal responses to independently read texts supported by evidence. It is worth 4 credits and counts towards UE literacy reading.
The requirements of the standard are:
The requirements of the standard are:
- independently select and read 6 texts
- four texts must be written, two of these must be extended texts (like novels or biographies)
- the other texts may be written, oral or visual
- each text must be at curriculum level 7
- you may not use texts that you have already studied in class, or read last year.
- for each text, make a developed personal response that shows how you reacted to it, providing evidence to support your opinion
Task Instructions
1. Create a blog* to showcase your reading. The purpose of your blog is to share your thoughts about your reading with other teenagers and your teacher.
2. Choose your texts. They must be complex enough for Level 2 English. Show your teacher what you are reading. If you are viewing a visual text, it needs to have an appropriate rating.
3. As you read, think about the big ideas in the text. Note page numbers of particular comments or turning points or reflections or summary statements or character actions that could provide possible evidence for your response. You could commence your response with thoughts and reactions on how the text is developing.
4. After reading, place your response onto your blog.
* If creating a blog is a barrier for you, you can write your responses on a single google doc. Add each new response to the same document after you finish reading each text. Insert subheadings to show the date, title, author and type of text.
A chart to help you write your response is below, or you may find these questions and starters helpful:
You could start your paragraphs with:
2. Choose your texts. They must be complex enough for Level 2 English. Show your teacher what you are reading. If you are viewing a visual text, it needs to have an appropriate rating.
3. As you read, think about the big ideas in the text. Note page numbers of particular comments or turning points or reflections or summary statements or character actions that could provide possible evidence for your response. You could commence your response with thoughts and reactions on how the text is developing.
4. After reading, place your response onto your blog.
- Use a separate page for each text.
- You could record your response orally and insert a link, or type it directly onto the page.
- You could add links to sites with relevant ideas and issues
- You could insert images
- You could add links to news websites or other blogs that relate to your response
- You could insert quotations from movie reviews
* If creating a blog is a barrier for you, you can write your responses on a single google doc. Add each new response to the same document after you finish reading each text. Insert subheadings to show the date, title, author and type of text.
A chart to help you write your response is below, or you may find these questions and starters helpful:
- What was your response to the text (enjoyment, amusement, thoughtfulness, horror, disgust, etc.)? What made you feel that way?
- Why did the beginning and/or the end of the text interest you?
- Why did a character interest you?
- Why did the setting interest you?
- What did you learn? How did an event or character help you learn this?
- How did you react to a scene or idea?
- Was the title a good one? Why/why not?
You could start your paragraphs with:
- I agreed/disagreed strongly with the way the author …
- The conclusion I came to from reading this book was …
- This article really made me think about …
- The way the author presented this character bothered me because …
- This film showed me that …
- This book made me question …
- I felt a strong sense of … for this character …
- I have learned that …
- At first I felt … for this character but this changed when …
level_2_personal_reading_response.docx | |
File Size: | 14 kb |
File Type: | docx |
NCEA exemplars are available here.
Each due date is an assessment point. You will carry out practice tasks prior to the first submission to guide you and you will receive feedback on your first submission to help you maintain or improve your skill. Internal assessment rules apply to each response.
Each due date is an assessment point. You will carry out practice tasks prior to the first submission to guide you and you will receive feedback on your first submission to help you maintain or improve your skill. Internal assessment rules apply to each response.
What to read?
Part of the expectations of the standard is that students select texts for themselves. However, the book covers below start to give you some idea of what other level 2 students have found rewarding to read. Remember that your texts need to be at curriculum level 7, and they cannot be texts you have studied as a class. (The examples in this blog tend to break this rule simply so that you can relate to the response.)
It is important that you bring your book to class to show your teacher what you are reading on a regular basis. This is to meet the authenticity expectations that you did indeed read the text. This is especially important if you are reading a book that has been turned into a film.
Another factor to help you choose what to read may depend on the topic you select for your Connections Assessment. The level two assessment is very similar to what you did at level one, but the depth of your discussion will show analysis of how the significant connections are made. This website has a list of senior texts listed under themes or topics for connections and there are more topics and suitable texts here.
Finally, the TES people created a top 100 list of books to read before you leave secondary school. The list is available below.
It is important that you bring your book to class to show your teacher what you are reading on a regular basis. This is to meet the authenticity expectations that you did indeed read the text. This is especially important if you are reading a book that has been turned into a film.
Another factor to help you choose what to read may depend on the topic you select for your Connections Assessment. The level two assessment is very similar to what you did at level one, but the depth of your discussion will show analysis of how the significant connections are made. This website has a list of senior texts listed under themes or topics for connections and there are more topics and suitable texts here.
Finally, the TES people created a top 100 list of books to read before you leave secondary school. The list is available below.