9

English
Quarter 4 - Module 4: Value
Judgment, Critical Thinking and Call
To Action
Writing a Response/Reaction Paper

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Self-Learning Module in English 9

Quarter IV – Module 4: Writing a Response/Reaction Paper

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work of
the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government
agency or office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of
such work for profit. Such agency or office may, among other things, impose as a
condition the payment of royalty.
Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names,
trademarks, etc.) included in this book are owned by their respective copyright
holders. Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these
materials from their respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not
represent nor claim ownership over them.

Development Team of the Module

Author: :Vanessa M. Alejo

Editors: :Miriam S. Eaton, EdD
:Liberty S. Casaclang
Reviewers :Elvira C. Viray, EdD
:Catherine B. Operana, EdD

Management Team
OIC, Schools Division Superintendent : Ely S. Ubaldo, CESO VI
Asst. Schools Division Superintendent : Marciano U. Soriano Jr.,CESO VI
Chief Education Supervisor, CID : Carmina C. Gutierrez, EdD
Education Program Supervisor, LRMDS : Michael E. Rame, EdD
Education Program Supervisor, English : Marilou D. Roldan, PhD
District Supervisor : Catherine B. Operana, EdD
School Head/Head Teacher in-Charge : Elvira C.Viray, EdD
: Miriam S. Eaton, EdD

Printed in the Philippines by Schools Division Office 1 Pangasinan

Department of Education – SDO Pangasinan 1
Office Address: Alvear St. East Capitol Ground, Lingayen, Pangasinan
Telefax: (075) 522-2202
E-mail Address: pangasinan1@deped.gov.ph

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What This Module is About

Anchored on the mission of leaving no learners behind amidst COVID-

19 pandemic, this learning material will help you enhance your competencies
in English through variety of purposeful concepts and activities designed for
distance learning.

Integrated with learning tasks that are contextualized and

differentiated, this module will cater to the needs of the learners and provide
them with learning opportunities despite being on a distance-learning setting.

Notes to the Teacher:

This module is designed for self-paced learning. As a facilitator of

learning however, you have an important role to play. You are the learners’
most reliable reference. It is you who knows where and when to scaffold and
provide further assistance to them. By frequently monitoring the learners’
progress, you can provide the needed intervention.

Notes to the Learner:

Be sure to honestly and independently do the activities in this module.

They are intended to help you master the competency at your own pace.
Answer keys are provided at the end to help you self-check your own
answers. Should you find that your answer is wrong, think carefully and
review. By doing so, your mistakes are not wasted because you will learn
from them. If you have other concerns, do not hesitate to ask help from your
teacher. You can also use other references to further enhance your learning.
Moreover, do not forget to have fun while learning.

Notes to Parents/Guardians:

Your main role is to make sure your child has a conducive place and
enough time to work on this module at home. To maximize learning, you can
also help your child if he/she encounters some difficulties but make sure it is
really your child who does all the required tasks. Finally, just feel free to
contact your child’s English teacher if needed.

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 What I Need to Know

This self-learning module is intended to help you understand the concept in

writing a reaction paper. The ideas presented will fortify your knowledge on
the structure and ways on how to properly give your response to a viewed
material.

This learning material caters the essential activities which can help you
master your skill in constructing an individual critical response. (EN9RC-IV-
2.22).

At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

• Get familiar with the concepts and structure of a reaction paper.
• React to lay value judgment on critical issues that demand sound
analysis.

What I Know
Word Match: Let us try to unveil the meanings behind each word.

Directions: Match the letter that gives the synonym of the following terms. Write the
letter of your choice in a separate sheet of paper.
A.

____1) reaction a) topic sentence

____2) solution b) response
____3) evidence c) outline
____4) thesis statement d) proof
____5) summary e) remedy

Think and Share: Reflect on the given situations below and share your
thoughts about it.

B. Directions: Put your shoe on the following unfortunate conditions, then try to
express your thoughts and feelings through this table. Recommend possible
solutions in each situation.

Situation My Initial Reaction My Solution

Your house is on fire

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 You lost your phone

You failed in your test

What’s New
Read the text below and indicate whether you agree or disagree to the ideas
being presented. Draw the emoticon that suits your response and explain why.

Statements My My My Evidences
Reacti Reason/s
on
1) COVID-19 vaccine has finally
arrived. Hope has been restored and
people should not fear taking the
shot for it can boost our immunity to
protect our body from the virus. The
possible side effects of a vaccine
include pain, redness, itchiness or
swelling at the injection site (which
may last a few hours); fever; feeling
of weakness or fatigue; headache;
dizziness; diarrhea; or nausea. All of
these things are normal and
shouldn’t be taken against it.

2) Quarantine may be regarded as a

desolation and a distressing
experience that shuts down many
opportunities. Amidst all the

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negativities were the unleashed truth
that quarantine opens the door for a
brand new experience. It may
brought us a lot of discomfort but it
has provided families the chance to
bond and to spend time together.
The setback has also made people
realize the value of time, family and
security. Through this experience we
have amplified our resilience and
humbled our hearts to make us
remember that life is still the most
essential gift that we have to cherish
and protect.

What is It
A response/reaction paper is a written assignment that provides a
personal opinion regarding a given piece of work. The paper should include a
short summary of the work, but the main focus is your thoughts, feelings and
rationalizations about what was discussed in the original text. This requires
analysis of the given work on your part, followed by a focused, well-thought-out
reaction supported by outside sources.
Your reaction paper should consist of four main parts:
1. Introduction

• Present the title, author, and publication of the material that you read.
• Give a brief summary of what you read (nutshell)
• Write your thesis statement and specify if you agree, disagree, identify,
or evaluate.

2. Body

• Begin this part with your topic sentence.

• Present details, examples, quotation that provide support for your
thesis statement.
Note: The final sentence of each paragraph should lead into the next
paragraph.

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3. Conclusion

• Restate what you said in your paper.

• Give your comments which focuses on your overall reaction.
Note: Your conclusion should include no new information; this is just for the
recapitulation of your response.
4. List of citations and sources
How to write a reaction paper
1. Read and analyze the work thoroughly
It's crucial when you do not fully understand why you're writing and
what you're reacting to. You may find yourself going back to reread,
depending on the medium, to make sure you understand completely what is
being presented to you. As you do so, take notes on parts that you find
important so you can easily refer back to them later.
2. Craft your thesis statement
Go back through your notes to get an idea of your overarching angle.
This will help you form the main idea you will fully develop in your reaction.
Craft a clear, concise statement as your thesis, ideally in a single sentence.
3. Create the paper's outline
Again using your notes, start building the framework for your
arguments. Fleshing out these ideas while writing your reaction will be much
easier and more organized when you're following an outline.
4. Compose a first draft
Use your outline to form the first draft of your work. This will be rough
but should give you a clear idea of what the finished product is going to look
like. Tip: write your introduction last. It's very frustrating to write your whole
paper only to realize that you deviated from your thesis pages ago. Circling
back to it after writing the rest allows you to tweak the way you stated your
thesis, if necessary.
5. Polish and repeat
There's a possibility that you'll be producing two, three or even four
drafts before the final polished piece is ready to go. For each pass through the
paper during editing, focus on one main thing that you're editing for. For
example, the first pass might be focused on spelling, grammar and
punctuation. The next pass could be looking at the organization of ideas, and
so on. You'll make as many passes as you need to create exactly what you
want to present.

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Here are some steps for writing your paper:
Part 1: The introduction and summary
The first part of your paper will include a quick, objective summary of
the work you're reacting to. It should include the author's name and the title of
the piece as well as the publication date. The summarization itself should be a
highlight reel of the main points and a condensed explanation of the key
supporting elements.
You should feel free to use direct quotes for ideas that you deem are
especially important to your reaction. At this point, it's unnecessary to go into
detail on any one point or introduce any subjective opinions that will come
later.
Part 2: Your thoughts, feelings and opinions
The second part of the paper is where you express your opinions on the
key points of the work, supported by reliable sources. For each point in your
reaction, circle back to reference the corresponding part in the original piece.
This is your analysis, the most important section of this paper. Your reactions
can answer a question relating the work to real-life situations in society, they
can respond to the emotions evoked in you when you read/watched it or they
can articulate how the original work shifted or solidified your perspective on the
subject.
Your evaluation should discuss the accuracy, organization, importance
and completeness of the work. This is where you'll take a stance on whether
you recommend this work to others and the reasons for your answer. Your
conclusions should be presented concisely and reiterate your thesis and the
main points that took shape as you write. Finally, organize the list of your
sources and cite them at the end of your reaction paper.

What’s More
Study the excerpt below and then decide whether you will be in favor or
against a particular issue being raised. Then answer the questions that follow.

BasuHero: When Help Doesn't Go To Waste

Waste collecting is often perceived as a dirty and undignified job, and
overlooked in Philippine society due to the nature of the work being
associated with trash.
“One time, someone covered their nose as I passed them. I
immediately know they think I smell bad, because they see me in my work
attire,” recounts Tony.

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 “(But) why would I be ashamed of what I do when that’s the reality?
My work is honorable, so why would I be. I work to provide for my family.”
For 20 years, Tony, a 67-year-old grandfather of eight, has worked
11-hour days gleaning recyclable waste from dumpsites and landfills, starting
at dawn and reaching home in the evening. Materials such as plastic, metal
and used copper are prized items that find their way into his sack. Later in
the afternoon, he brings his collection for the day to a junk shop, where they
weigh the items and pay Tony his daily wage. On good days, he earns about
300 pesos.
“I read an article about how waste collectors disinfected with
Emperador [brandy], and learnt through further research that they did not
have enough PPE (personal protective equipment),” shares 21-year-old
Samantha Eala, co-founder of Baon Para sa Basuhero.
While “Basuhero” is a play of the word “basurero” which means waste
collector in Tagalog, “Baon Para sa Basuhero” is the literal translation of
‘provision for waste collectors.’
In the Philippines, there are door-to-door waste collectors, and
informal waste collectors, like Tony, who live in or near landfills and
dumpsites segregating the junk.
Together with her friends, Samantha started Baon Para sa Basuhero,
an online fundraising initiative to provide food aid and PPE to this high-risk
group.
Source: https://www.ourbetterworld.org/series/humankind/story/basuhero

1) “Tatay Tony has a dignified work.” What is your stand? (Agree or disagree)
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

2) What help you decide? (Give your reasons)

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

3) What did you use as a basis in decision-making? (Cite specific lines from the
text)
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

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 What I Have Learned
Share your thoughts about this lesson. Complete the statements below by
pointing out your most valued takeaways. Write your answer in a separate paper.
1) Response/Reaction Paper is
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

2) The different parts of a reaction paper are

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

What I Can Do
Read and analyze the text below. Write a short response about it
using the different parts of a reaction paper.

Online gaming is one of the major trends today. An individual can

play as long as there is an available internet connection. One can get in
touch with friends and also gets an opportunity to compete with people
they previously did not know but have met online. With virtual gaming,
one has access to any games and there is no need to rent games at
cyber. Through this, it is very possible to develop talent and also
compete a lot with other players. Online gaming is awesome because
one has a variety games to select from. One can also earn money from
this experience after winning a battle. Online gaming can be very
enjoyable for many but may also have negative repercussions and
consequences.

Online gaming can be an experience that has more harmful

effects than good. It may cause addiction and time meant for other
activities like school works and household chores will only be consumed
in playing. Online harassment may also occur especially with children
who get involved in virtual gaming and if done without the supervision of
an adult this may lead to online abuse. Children may also download
applications from sites that may infect computers with a virus.

Source:https://www.seeconference2013.net/advantages-disadvantages-
of-online-gaming-essay-sample/
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 I. Introduction
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
II. Body
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
III. Conclusion
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

IV. References
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

Assessment
I. Directions: Identify what is being referred to in the following statements.
Write the letter of your choice in a separate sheet of paper.

____1) The part of the paper where you express your opinions on the key
points of the work, supported by reliable sources.
A) first paragraph B) second paragraph
C) third paragraph D) fourth paragraph
____2) The part of your paper which includes a quick, objective summary
of the work you're reacting to.
A) first paragraph B) second paragraph
C) third paragraph D) fourth paragraph
____3) This part should be the reiteration of your thesis and the main
points that took shape as you wrote.
A) Introduction B) body C) conclusion D) references
____4) This part requires the presentation of details, examples, quotation
that provide support for your thesis statement.

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 A) introduction B) body C) conclusion D) references
____5) It is a written assignment that provides a personal opinion
regarding a given piece of work.
A) summary B) explanation C) conclusion D) reaction paper

II Directions: Read each statement below carefully. Write T if you think that the statement
gives factual information and F if it is false. Write your answer in a separate sheet of
paper.
____6) Your evaluation should discuss the accuracy, organization,
importance and completeness of the work.
____7) The introduction should include the author's name and the title of
the piece as well as the publication date.
____8) The body should contain the summary, details, examples and
quotations.
____9) Craft a clear, long statement as your thesis, ideally in a single
sentence.
____10) The summarization itself should be a highlight reel of the main
points and a condensed explanation of the key supporting elements.
____11) Fleshing out ideas while writing your reaction will be easier and
more organized when you're following an outline.
____12) You should avoid the use of direct quotations when writing the
body.
____13) Your conclusion should include new information about the viewed
material.
____14) In the last paragraph you have to write your thesis statement and
specify if you agree, disagree with the author.
____15) You can always go back to your notes to get an idea of your
overarching angle and to help you develop your reaction paper.

Additional Activity
To help you better remember the concepts about the structure of a
reaction paper, create a simple diagram showcasing what should be included
in each paragraph. You may make use of art materials in making your
diagram.

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