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Literature Circles

Natalie Dupuis

March 2008

dupuis.natalie@gmail.com

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Topics of Discussion

Literature Circles Defined Organization – how do you get started? Modeling – daily reading Book Selection Groupings Timeline Role Sheets Assessment Questions

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Literature Circles Defined

student centered reading activity for a group of 4-6 students

Members are assigned roles for guidance and discussion

The group members determine what topics and questions will be discussed, and how they will share what they have learned.

LC provide an opportunity for students to control their own learning; to share thoughts, concerns and their understanding of the events of the novel.

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What they ARE vs. ARE NOT

Literature Circles are: Reader response centered Group formation Structured for student independence, responsibility,

and ownership Guided primarily by student insights and questions Flexible and fluid: never look the same twice Intended as a context in which to apply reading and

writing skills

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What they ARE vs. ARE NOT

Literature Circles are not: The entire reading curriculum Teacher and text centered Teacher assigned groups formed solely by ability Unstructured, uncontrolled “talk time” without

accountability Guided primarily by teacher or curriculum based

quesitons Intended as a place to do grammar skills work Tied to a prescriptive “recipe”

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Preparing for Literature Circles

1. Model good discussion behaviour2. Have students brainstorm in small groups what

they imagine good discussion to look and sound like

3. Introduce the books4. Allow students to touch and spend time with

selections before having them make ranked choices

5. Determine how to be a group leader6. Determine pace of reading. Establish time limits.7. Discuss and Assess

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Model good discussion behaviour& have students brainstorm

Through your daily reading activities

Brainstorming activity such as the one we did earlier to determine elements of a good discussion

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Elements of a good discussion

Active Listening Active Participation

(respond to ideas and share feelings)

Piggybacking off others’ ideas

Disagreeing constructively

Supporting Opinions with evidence

Encouraging others

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Group Discussion

Helps promote students’ acceptance of others’ opinions

Enables more students to take risks to actively participate

Provides opportunities for students to make meaning before reading, during reading and after reading

Develops critical literacy skills

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Introduce the books, browsing and selecting

Book introduction Picture walk

through You will like this

book if… Allow time to

handle, see print size etc.

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Small temporary groups are formed, based on book choices.

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Teach them how to be a leader

Discuss qualities of a good leader

Model a mini session with teacher as discussion director

Rotate the role of discussion director

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The teacher acts as a facilitator initiating mini-lessons where necessary.

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What does the teacher do? Models Organizes Informally assesses with

assessment sheets in hand

Moderates when necessary

Sits with each group for a few minutes

Mini lessons Jot down great

comments or questions to share with the class afterwards

Formal observation

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Modeling

Extremely important Each task needs to be modeled in

isolation Start with the easiest Artful Artist Word Wizard Super Summarizer Discussion Director

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Timeline

How many sessions/classes

How much to read each session, or each week at home

Decide who does which job – let students decide?

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Assessment

Observations Conferences Portfolios Mini – Lessons Self and group assessments Projects – To do or not to do? Rubrics

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Assessment - cont’d.Student Self-Assessment (Scoring Guide)*

Ingredient Value My Score

Do the readings 25

Listen to other people 15

Have good ideas 30

Ask people questions 15

Stick to the reading 10

Prepared 5

Total 100

* “Literature Circles, Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups by Harvey Daniels, (Second Edition, 2002)

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What supplies do I need?

Multiple copies Post-it notes Chart paper Self assessment forms Teacher assessment

forms Copies of role sheets Student folders Journals (optional)

Literature Circle Assessment

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Level One Level Two Level Three Level Four

Discussion

Does not participate in group discussionsOffers few opinions and makes no personal connections to the text

Participates reluctantly in group discussionsOffers few opinions and makes limited connections to the text

Participates competently in group discussionsOffers some insightful opinions and makes connections to the text

Participates enthusiastically in group discussionsOffers insightful and thoughtful opinions and makes pertinent connections to the text

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Role Fulfillme

nt

Rarely completes role tasks properly and not always on timeTasks are done with little or no genuine effort

Sometimes completes role tasks properly but not always on timeTasks are done with minimal effort

Completes role tasks independently and on timeTasks are thoughtfully done with genuine effort

Completes role tasks independently and on timeTasks are thoughtfully done demonstrating extension of the activity

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Reading

Rarely assigned reading completed on schedule

Sometimes has assigned reading completed on schedule

Has assigned reading completed on schedule

Has assigned reading completed on schedule

Some ideas to add a little more fun:

Have each group give themselves a name Have each group perform a totally self-

made skit of an important scene from the book

Always display the illustrator roles Do end of unit activities – group collage,

group play, group speech, sharing ‘character’ journals, movie….

Involve students in the assessment process

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Resources

http://www.literaturecircles.com/

http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/lang_lit_circles.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literature_Circles

http://www.litcircles.org/

http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-3/circles.htm