1. INTERACT WITH YOUR NOVEL
DIALECTICAL JOURNAL
INTERACT WITH YOUR NOVEL

2. WHEN YOU ARE READING A BOOK, YOU ARE NEVER ALONE?
You are interacting with:
characters
author
yourself

3. A dialectical journal…
is just a way to record
your interactions with
the text!
Sometimes you will:
Predict
Analyze
Connect
Evaluate
Interpret
Question
Reflect

4. How do you record your interactions with the text?
How do I record the information?
  How do you record your interactions with the text?
A dialectical journal is formatted as a double column journal entry.
On the left hand side, you will refer to a part of the passage or a quote.
On the right hand side, you will record your observations, questions and/or reflections.

5. FORMAT TEXT REFERENCE YOUR RESPONSE TO THE TEXT
This would be a paraphrase or a quote from the text …be sure to note the page number.
This will be your interaction with the text whether it be in response to the author, characters, or yourself. Make sure you address the question for the passage.

6. Sample Prompt: Describe the tone in your reading.
TEXT REFERENCE
YOUR RESPONSE
TO THE TEXT
When the Big Bad Wolf tries to get to the third pig through the chimney since he couldn’t blow down the brick house.
The author really made me anxious because I could feel the desperation of the wolf. The author’s word choice built a sense of urgency and panic (ex: “you can’t escape”, “I smell bacon”, “crazed eyes”). I was literally frightened for the poor third pig whose brothers had already become ham dinners!

7. Sample Prompt: How does the author develop your character in your reading?
TEXT REFERENCE
YOUR RESPONSE
TO THE TEXT
“Not by the hair of my chinny, chin, chin – I won’t let you in.”
I knew that the third pig was smarter than his stupid brothers since he built his house out of bricks, but when Piggy Three started talking standing up to the big and bad wolf, I knew how brave he really was. That was just the start. When he had that pot of boiling water waiting at the bottom of the chimney, I almost cheered for him!

8. Sample Prompt: How does the author develop your character in your reading?
TEXT REFERENCE
YOUR RESPONSE
TO THE TEXT
“Not by the hair of my chinny, chin, chin – I won’t let you in.”
I knew that the third pig was smarter than his stupid brothers since he built his house out of bricks, but when piggy three started talking smack to the big and bad wolf, I knew how brave he really was. That was just the start. When he had that pot of boiling water waiting at the bottom of the chimney, I almost cheered for him!

9. INTERACT WITH YOUR NOVEL
YOUR TURN!
INTERACT WITH YOUR NOVEL

10. Choose a part you read today
Choose a part you read today. Why do you think the author included that specific part. or
Choose a part you read today.
What is one inference you can make or conclusion you can draw?
Entry 1: Respond to ONE of the prompts above in your dialectical journal.

11. Choose a part you read today that made you feel a certain way
Choose a part you read today that made you feel a certain way. What did the author do to accomplish that? or
Choose a part you read today that reminded you of something else. Explain the connection you made.
Entry 2: Respond to ONE of the prompts above in your dialectical journal.

12. Choose a part of your reading that was a little confusing to you
Choose a part of your reading that was a little confusing to you. Explain your confusion and what questions you have. or
What did the author want you to remember most about what you read today?
Entry 3: Respond to ONE of the prompts above in your dialectical journal.

13. Describe the internal and external conflicts in your reading to this point. or
Choose a part you read today. How did the author organize his writing and what was his purpose for that?
Entry 4: Respond to ONE of the prompts above in your dialectical journal.

14. How did the author develop characters in your reading today? or
Choose a part you read today and explain any examples of figurative language the author used.
Entry 5: Respond to ONE of the prompts above in your dialectical journal.

15. Give some examples of cause/effect from your reading today. or
Make a prediction from your reading today. Explain how your prediction is reasonable.
Entry 6: Respond to ONE of the prompts above in your dialectical journal.

16. Think about your main character
Think about your main character. How has your character changed over time? Explain. or
Explain how you determined the meaning of a word you were unsure of today.
Entry 7: Respond to ONE of the prompts above in your dialectical journal.

17. Choose a part of today’s reading
Choose a part of today’s reading. What would be a good summary of that part? or
Describe how the author uses symbolism in your novel.
Entry 8: Respond to ONE of the prompts above in your dialectical journal.

18. Choose a part you read today that made you feel a certain way
Choose a part you read today that made you feel a certain way. What did the author do to accomplish that? or
Choose a part you read today that reminded you of something else. Explain the connection you made.
Entry 9: Respond to ONE of the prompts above in your dialectical journal.

19. Describe the tone/mood in today’s reading. or
Have any minor conflicts been resolved? Describe one of those conflicts and its resolution.
Entry 10: Respond to ONE of the prompts above in your dialectical journal.

20. Choose a part you read today that made you feel a certain way
Choose a part you read today that made you feel a certain way. What did the author do to accomplish that? or
Choose a part you read today that reminded you of something else. Explain the connection you made.
Optional Entry: Respond to ONE of the prompts above in your dialectical journal.