What: Personal Reading
Counts for: Junior Diploma
How: Read independently, complete personal responses and put in your folder at front of
room
When: throughout the year – aim for at least 2 responses per term
What can I read? novels, short story collections, poetry collections, biographies,
autobiographies, magazine features (see 1.10 file on bookcase)
What can’t I read? picture books, comics, graphic novels
How do I write a personal response? Head it up with:
Title
Author
Text type
Date
Then write your response. This should include a brief outline of what the story is about
followed by at least two opinions of the book supported with evidence (a quotation or
specific detail). You can also include how the text has effected your ideas or views on a
subject, explain why you think a particular writing style is (or isn’t) effective, or discuss
connections the text has with your own life/experiences, the world, or other texts.
What next: Over summer you should continue reading independently. Next year you can
use those books towards AS 1.10 which is worth 4 credits for NCEA level 1 and can be
graded Achieved, Merit or Excellence - depending on the quality of your responses. This
year is a practice year.