How to write a text response

A complete guide to writing a Text Response / Reader Response

WHAT IS A TEXT RESPONSE?

how to write a text response,text response | WHAT IS A TEXT RESPONSE | How to write a text response | literacyideas.com

In this guide, we will exist covering everything you need to know near how to write a text response. Let's start at the beginning.

A text response is a manner of writing in which y'all are sharing your reaction to something.  It is an opportunity to let the world know how you feel well-nigh something.

A text response can also exist referred to as a reader response which is accurate but you may also confuse them with a literacy narrative. This is not an authentic comparison as a literacy narrative is more an assessment of how you lot became literate whereas a text response is a specific response to a specific text.

A text response by definition is specifically a response to a book you have read just it tin can also be a response to a film you have but seen, a game you take been playing, or for more than mature students it could be a response to a determination the authorities is making that affects yous or your community that you accept read from a newspaper or website.

When writing a response it is important that you get the post-obit points beyond to your audition.

  • How practise you lot feel about what yous are reading / saw / heard?
  • What do yous concur or disagree with?
  • Tin you place with the situation?
  • What would be the best style to evaluate the story?

Some teachers get dislocated between a book review and a text response. Whilst they practise share common elements they are unique genres. Be sure to read our complete guide to writing a book review for further description.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A TEXT RESONSE?

Often when we talk most the development of linguistic communication skills it is useful to discuss things in terms of four distinct areas. These are commonly grouped into the two agile areas of speaking and writing and the two so-called passive areas of listening and reading. Learning to write a text response bridges this gap as information technology requires our students to not only develop loftier-level writing skills but besides to consider reading as much more than a mere passive activity.

Writing a text response hones the student'south critical thinking skills likewise as their power to express their thoughts in writing. It gives students an opportunity to engage in reading as an active exercise, rather than something that is analogous to watching TV!

A COMPLETE TEXT RESPONSE Package FOR STUDENTS

how to write a text response,text response | TextResponseBundle 1 | How to write a text response | literacyideas.com

2 in-depth units for students and teachers to work on every bit a class or independently. Packed with instruction resource and lesson ideas.

160 PAGES of loftier-quality teaching units for all ages and abilities. NO PREPARATION IS REQUIRED. DIGITAL and PRINT to DOWNLOAD NOW.

TEXT RESPONSE Construction

KEEP Information technology FORMAL This is a calculated and considered response to what you have read or observed.

Utilize EVIDENCE Frequently refer to the text as evidence when having an opinion. It becomes the reference point for all your insights within your text response.

Accept AN Stance This is not a recount. This is your Opinion on what the author or film producer has created. Don't shy away from that.

TENSE & STYLE Can be written in either past or present tense. Feel free to use your own style and language simply remember to go along information technology formal.

TEXT RESPONSE FEATURES

Yes or NO? Essentially y'all are making a recommendation. Ensure your audience know where you sit.

LET US INSIDE YOUR MIND How did information technology brand you feel? What did you learn from information technology? Did yous engage with the characters?

Prove SOME BALANCE Even if you passionately loved or hated the text your audience will view you equally biased if you solely focus on i angle. A trivial balance will give you credibility.

GETTING STARTED: THE PREWRITING STAGE OF A TEXT RESPONSE

As with much of the formal schoolhouse feel, students can greatly benefit from undertaking a methodical approach in their piece of work. The post-obit process outlines step-by-pace how students can all-time approach writing their text responses in the beginning.

The keyword in the phrase writing a text response is non writing but response. The whole thing starts with the reading and how the educatee considers the text they are engaging with. Whether the text they are being asked to respond to is an unseen piece in an examination situation or a slice of coursework based on something that has been studied over a semester, the structure remains the same. This is true as well regardless of age and power levels. Younger students should be taught to approach writing a text response using the same concepts simply in a simplified and more than scaffolded way.

Read for Understanding:

Students should read the text they are responding to initially for a bones comprehension of what the text is about. They should read to identify common themes and narrative devices that will serve to answer the question. Ofttimes, the question will demand that the educatee consider and explain the author'southward use of a specific literary device or how that literary device develops a key idea and the author's purpose. In preparing our students to write competent text responses they must first be familiar with the literary devices and conventions that they will exist asked to discuss.

Students may instinctively know what they like to read, only what is often not instinctive is the expressing of why they like to read it. They may acknowledge that the writing they are reading is of a high quality, or not as the case may be, but they may lack the vocabulary to express why the writing is successful or unsuccessful. Accept the opportunity in class when reading, regardless of the genre, to betoken out literary devices, techniques, and stylistic considerations that volition aid your students when it comes to writing a text response.

Every bit humans, we are hardwired to understand the world around united states of america in terms of the stories we tell ourselves and others. Nosotros do this by employing comparisons and drawing parallels, we play with words in our everyday use of idiom and metaphor, alliteration and rhyme. Encourage students to keep an ear out for these techniques in the music they heed to, the comics they read, and the Television receiver they watch. Even in the advertizing they are exposed to.

how to write a text response,text response | anne frank text reponse | How to write a text response | literacyideas.com
WHEN RESPONDING TO A Not-FICTION TEXT BE SURE TO INTEGRATE RELEVANT HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT.

Exist certain likewise to offer your students opportunities to exercise writing their own metaphors, similes, alliterative sentences etc. There is no better way to internalize an agreement of these literary techniques than by having a become at writing them yourself. And, information technology doesn't have to be a dry out academic exercise, information technology can be a lot of fun besides.

Didactics alliteration? Have the students come up with their own natural language twisters. Want them to grasp simile? Accept them produce Not! similes, for example, give them an adjective such as 'cuddly'. Tell them you want them to write a simile using the simile structure employing 'as'. Tell them too they must utilize the give-and-take 'cuddly' well-nigh someone who is not cuddly at all. Offer them the example He is as cuddly equally a cactus to get the ball rolling. They can practise this for any describing word and they will oft achieve hilarious results!

Read Directions Advisedly:

Information technology should go without saying to read the directions carefully, merely feel teaches us otherwise! Frequently it is non the best writers amidst our students who receive the best grades, only those who diligently answer to the directions of the task that has been fix. Students should be sure to check that they have read the directions for their text response question closely. Encourage them to underline the keywords and phrases. This will help them structure their responses and tin can likewise serve equally a checklist for them to refer to when they have completed writing their text responses.

Have students pinpoint exactly what the question is asking them. For older or stronger students, these questions will likely incorporate several parts. Take the student carve up the question into these component parts and pinpoint exactly what each office is asking them for.

A good practice to ensure a student has adequately understood what a question is looking for is to ask the educatee to paraphrase that question in their own words. This can be done either orally or as a written exercise. This helpful activeness volition inform the student's planning at the prewriting stage and, as mentioned, can provide a checklist when reviewing the answer at the end.

The Process:

  1. To ensure students fully understand the question, take them underline or highlight keywords in the sentence or question. Distribute thesauruses and accept students find synonyms for the keywords that they take highlighted.
  2. Have them rewrite the question as a series of questions in their ain words. This volition allow the instructor to assess their understanding of what they are being asked to do. It tin also serve as a structured plan for writing their response.
  3. Let some time for students to discuss the question together, either in small groups or with talking partners. After the allotted time, students must decide on a yes, no, or perchance response to the central question.
  4. Their response to Footstep iii to a higher place will formulate their contention, which will serve as the driving force behind their text response as a whole.
  5. On their ain, students begin at least three arguments or reasons to back up their contention.
  6. For each of the reasons, students should refer to the text and choose the all-time testify available in support of their contention.
  7. Students should not be overly concerned with forming a logical club to their notes gathered so far. The purpose of this activity is to let ideas flow freely and capture them on newspaper.

When completed, information technology is at this betoken that they are ready to begin the writing process in earnest.

HOW TO WRITE A TEXT RESPONSE

Every bit with writing in many other genres, it is useful to call back of the text response in terms of a three-part text response essay structure. It is a simple process of learning how to write a response paragraph and so organizing them into the ubiquitous first, middle, and end (or intro, body, conclusion) that we drill into our students will serve us well once again. Let's take a look:

The Introduction:

The get-go paragraph in our students' text responses should contain the essential information most the text that will orientate the reader to what is being discussed. Information such equally the writer, the title of the volume or excerpt, and a general statement or 2 nearly the content will provide the reader with some context for the discussion to follow.

The SOAPSTONE acronym is useful when because which information is essential to include in the intro: Speaker, Occasion, Audition, Purpose, Subject area, TONE. Students should reflect on which of these aspects should be addressed in the introductory paragraph. The genre of the text will largely make up one's mind which of these should be included and which are left out. Nevertheless, information technology is important the student does not get besides bogged downward at this stage, these orientation sentences usually require but three or four sentences in full.

Be certain to check out our own complete guide to writing perfect paragraphs hither.

The tone of a text response should be such that it assumes the reader does not accept the understanding of the text that the writer does. It is useful to tell them here to motion picture 1 person in their life they are writing to. Someone that would not exist familiar with the text, perhaps a family fellow member that they are explaining what they read to. Remind them though, the language should be formal too.

In one case the student has established some context in the reader's heed, they will and then demand to address the key idea that volition form the 'heart of the storm' of their statement.

how to write a text response,text response | How to write a text response | literacyideas.com
SOME TEXTS ARE VERY POLARIZING. THESE Make FOR Not bad Discussion AND INSIGHTS IN THE CLASSROOM

The Body:

When learning how to write a text response body paragraph one of the almost mutual pitfalls that students fall into is that they engage in a straightforward retelling of the text. Discussion of the text is the name of the game here. Students must get into the text and express their opinions on what they find at that place. It is quickly apparent when reading a pupil's response when they are only engaging in a retelling and when they are delivering a thoughtful response. Be certain students are aware of the fact that this fools nobody!

The notes students accept made in the prewriting stages volition exist extremely useful here. Each of the arguments or reasons they accept produced to back up their contention will form the basis for a body paragraph. The TEEL acronym is useful here:

Topic Sentence: Students should brainstorm each of their paragraphs with a topic judgement. This sentence introduces the point that will serve equally the main idea of the paragraph – the fundamental riff if you like. It will appoint direct with an attribute of the question or writing prompt.

Expand / Explicate: The purpose of the next few sentences will be to narrow the focus of the topic sentence, oftentimes past referring to a specific character or event in the text and offering further explanation of the central indicate beingness developed in the paragraph.

Prove / Example: At this signal in the paragraph it is essential that the student makes close reference to the text to support the point they have been making. Having an opinion is great, but information technology must be based, and be shown to be based, on the actual text itself. Evidence will virtually often take the form of a quotation from the text – so make certain your students are comfortable with the mechanics of weaving quotations into their writing!

Link: The end of each body paragraph should link back to the student'south central contention. It restates the argument or reason outlined in the topic sentence, only in the wider context of the primal contention which usually is the aye, no, or peradventure uncovered at the prewriting stage.

As the student moves through their essay, information technology is important that they reference the master theme of the text in each and every paragraph. The structure of the essay should illustrate an evolution of the student's understanding of that theme.

References should exist fabricated to how the author employs the diverse literary techniques to construct meaning in his or her text. Withal, reference to literary techniques should non be fabricated merely in passing but should be integrated into a discussion of the themes being explored in the essay.

Writing a text response determination:

how to write a text response,text response | Social INFLUENCERS are frequently paid TO provide their opinions on books films and products as people value THEIR opinion 1 | How to write a text response | literacyideas.com
SOCIAL INFLUENCERS ARE Frequently PAID TO PROVIDE THEIR OPINIONS ON BOOKS, FILMS AND PRODUCTS Every bit PEOPLE VALUE THEIR Opinion.

Writing the decision involves essentially restating the contentions made already, also as summarizing the principal points that were discussed. Though the conclusion volition inevitably take much in mutual with the introduction, and some repetition is unavoidable, make certain students utilise different wording in their conclusion. The paraphrasing exercise in the prewriting stages may be helpful here.

Encourage students likewise to link back to their reasons and arguments developed to support their contention in the body paragraphs. The conclusion is no identify to innovate new ideas or to inquire rhetorical questions. It is the identify for gathering upward the strands of statement and making a statement almost the relevance of the text in relation to the wider earth.

TIPS FOR WRITING A GREAT TEXT RESPONSE

●     In essays of this type, students should mostly write in the present tense.

●     Encourage students to vary the length of their sentences to maintain the reader'due south interest. But be conscientious besides, students should avert using overly long sentences as longer sentences can exist more difficult to command. A good dominion of pollex is that when expressing complex thoughts use several short sentences. Simpler thoughts can be expressed through longer, more complex sentences.

●     Tie everything back to the question. The dissection of the question during the prewriting stage of the text response should remain at the forefront of the student'due south mind at all times. If what the student writes doesn't link back to the original question then information technology is deadwood and should be discarded.

●     Writing a text response requires the student to clarify the text and responds personally with their ain thoughts and opinions. They should not be afraid to make bold statements as long equally they tin brand references to the text to back up those statements.

●     The prewriting stage is essential and should not be skipped. Just, even with a well idea out prewriting session, where time allows, opportunities should exist given for students to draft, redraft, and edit their writing.

We often teach our students that writing is nearly expressing our thoughts and ideas, only information technology is also nigh discovering what we think too.

TEXT RESPONSE Job FOR STUDENTS

In a response newspaper, you lot are writing a formal assessment of what you have read or observed (this could be a picture show, a piece of work of fine art, or a volume), just you add your own personal reaction and impressions to the written report.

The steps for completing a reaction or response paper are:

  • Observe or read the piece for an initial understanding
  • Tape your thoughts and impressions in notes
  • Develop a collection of thoughts and insights from
  • Write an outline
  • Construct your essay

Once you have established an outline for your paper, you'll need to respond using the basic elements of every strong essay, a strong introductory statement.

In the case of a reaction paper, the first judgement should contain the title of the object to which you are responding and the name of the author/creator/publisher

The concluding judgement of your introductory paragraph should incorporate your opinion or position on the subject you are writing virtually.

There'due south no need to feel shy most expressing your ain opinion in a response, even though information technology may seem strange to write "I feel" or "I believe" in an essay.

USEFUL STATEMENTS TO INCLUDE IN A TEXT RESPONSE

how to write a text response,text response | How to write a text response | literacyideas.com
  • I felt that
  • In my opinion
  • The reader can conclude that
  • The writer seems to
  • I did not like
  • The images seemed to
  • The author was [was not] successful in making me feel
  • I was especially moved past
  • I didn't get the connection betwixt
  • It was clear that the artist was trying to
  • The audio rails seemed besides
  • My favorite part was…considering

Teaching Resources

Employ the resources and tools below with your students to improve their writing skills through proven education strategies.

TEXT RESPONSE GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS TEMPLATE
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS TEMPLATE

TEXT RESPONSE WRITING CHECKLIST & RUBRIC BUNDLE

how to write a text response,text response | WRITINGCHECKLISTS | How to write a text response | literacyideas.com

VIDEO TUTORIALS FOR TEXT RESPONSE WRITING

OTHER Dandy ARTICLES RELATED TO TEXT RESPONSE WRITING

how to write a text response,text response | 10 How to write a book review | How to Write a Book Review: The Ultimate Guide | literacyideas.com

How to Write a Volume Review: The Ultimate Guide

How to write a book review: A consummate guide for students and teachers WHAT IS A BOOK REVIEW? Traditionally, volume reviews are written evaluations of a recently published book in any genre. Normally, around the 500 to 700-discussion marking, they offer a brief description of a text's principal elements while appraising the work's overall strengths…

how to write a text response,text response | transactional writing guide | Transactional Writing | literacyideas.com

Transactional Writing

WHAT IS TRANSACTIONAL WRITING? Transactional writing is an umbrella term that covers many different nonfiction writing genres. The purpose of each transactional writing text type is to communicate ideas and information to others. The purpose of a text can be defined as: To persuade To argue To propose To inform. Sometimes 2 or more of…

how to write a text response,text response | discussion argumentative essay guide 1 | How to write an Argumentative Essay | literacyideas.com

How to write an Argumentative Essay

How to write an Argumentative Essay In this article, we are going to explore the procedure of constructing a high-quality discussion, or belligerent essay. After reading this guide be sure to accept a look at our top five essay writing tips, our peak v persuasive writing techniques. DEVELOPING DISCUSSION SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM The ability…

how to write a text response,text response | 1 reading and writing persuasive advertisements | How to write an advertisement: A Complete Guide for Students and Teachers | literacyideas.com

How to write an advertisement: A Complete Guide for Students and Teachers

As with persuasive texts in general, advertisements can take many forms – from billboards and radio jingles to motion picture trailers and pop-ups on your computer. In this guide, we'll work towards writing a standard magazine format advertisement known as the print ad. Impress ads are text-heavy enough to provide something meaty for our students to…

how to write a text response,text response | how to write a 5 paragraph essay | How to write a perfect 5 Paragraph Essay | literacyideas.com

How to write a perfect five Paragraph Essay

 How to Write a 5 Paragraph Essay: A Complete Guide Essay writing can be the bane of many a pupil's life. Gone are the days when many students tried writing in big letters to quickly fill up the allotted number of pages with the minimum of effort. Now, it's all constant word count checks and taking…


Content for this page has been written past Shane Mac Donnchaidh.  A onetime principal of an international school and university English language lecturer with 15 years of teaching and administration experience. Shane's latest Book the Consummate Guide to Nonfiction Writing can be establish here.  Editing and support for this article have been provided by the literacyideas team.