Assessing the Effectiveness of an Ask the Teacher Section in Reading Circles: Pedagogical Strategies for Reading Response Logs

In response to criticisms of traditional Reading Circle structures, an alternative method employing reading response logs has been proposed to enhance student autonomy and deepen textual engagement.Drawing from previous action research, this article presents findings from a study in which Japanese university students utilized reading response logs featuring an innovative Ask the Teacher segment.The study examines students' log entries, the teacher's handling of Ask the Teacher queries, and incorporates student feedback.Results show that participants who used the Ask the Teacher feature valued the feedback received, resulting in enriching learning experiences during class.However, the adoption of this new feature was limited, highlighting the need for further investigation into methods for encouraging greater student engagement.