literature circles · introducing literature circles term one: first ½ of term spent experiencing...
TRANSCRIPT
Alice
Vigors
2017
Literature
Circles-An Introduction
What is a Literature Circle?
Small groups of learners gather to discuss a piece of literature (text) in depth.
The discussion is guided by the learners response to what they have read.
It provides a way for learners to engage in critical thinking and reflection as
they read, discuss, and respond to books.
Collaboration is at the heart of this approach.
Learners reshape and add onto their understanding as they construct
meaning with other readers.
Literature circles guide learners to deeper understanding of what they read
though structured discussion and extended written and artistic responses.
Alice
Vigors
2017
Introducing Literature Circles
Term One:
First ½ of term spent experiencing a whole class literature circle using a shared book and introduction to the roles. This allows the teacher to guide students through an initial experience and set boundaries and expectations for completed work and behaviour during sessions.
5 Weeks duration
2 sessions per week
1. Beginning of the Week: Read agreed section of the text set chapter numbers; and assign the role focus for the week, e.g. Questioner
2. End of the Week: Group collaboration (meeting) to discuss designated chapter(s) and contribute role.
NB: a session of independent reading could also be used to read through agreed sections of text as well as an independent novel of choice. Alice
Vigors
2017
The roles of a Literature Circle
Focusing on the roles:
Week 1: Questioner
Comprehension focus: Questioning
Week 2: Observer
Comprehension focus: Visualising
Week 3: Connector
Comprehension focus: Making Connections
Week 4: Explainer
Comprehension focus: Summarising
Week 5: Perspective Taker
Comprehension focus: Inferring
Week 6: The Heart of the Matter
Focus: Theme
Visit my Thinking
Pathways website
for the role cards!
http://thinkingpathw
ayz.weebly.com/rea
dingresources.html
NB: all grey text on this slide is hyperlinked.
Alice
Vigors
2017
Week 1: Questioner
Job:
Involve others in conversation about the text by getting them to think and talk about the
section they have just read.
Use sentence stems to formulate questions about the text, for example:
Why…
What are the reasons…
What if…
Write a detailed response for each question
Reflect on the new ideas you have about the text after the discussion with your group
NB: the comprehension focus tag in the right-hand corner is hyperlinked
Alice
Vigors
2017
Comprehension Focus: Questioning
Good readers ask questions before, during and after they have read a text.
Sometimes the question is answered in the text Here
Sometimes you have to hunt through the text looking for clues to give you information that may
be ‘hidden’ Hidden
Sometimes you have to use your own prior knowledge and what’s in the text to help you come
up with the answer Head
Sometimes the question may not be answered by the text at all and you will have to find
another source of information to help you Head
Sometimes the question may ask us about our opinions or emotions related to a component of
the text Heart
Asking and answering questions helps you look for information, which builds understanding.
Week 2: Observer
Job:
Examine how the author helps us to create visual images in a reader’s mind based on the
words, pictures and inferences they make in the text.
What do you see, observe or notice?
What does it make you think?
What questions does this raise?
Illustrate a key section
NB: the comprehension focus tag in the right-hand corner is hyperlinked
Alice
Vigors
2017
Comprehension Focus: Visualising
When authors write, they use words to describe things.
The words make a picture in your mind.
Creating a picture in your mind or drawing the picture on paper can help you understand what
you are reading.
This strategy is called visualising.
Alice
Vigors
2017
Week 3: Connector
Job:
Make connections with what you have read in the text to your life experiences, other texts or
the world around you. Try to connect to:
Something in your own life Text to Self
Another text, movie, show, advertisement Text to Text
Something happening in the world Text to World
Explore how the text extended your thinking about the character, big idea or theme of the text
Explain the challenges or puzzles you still have about text.
NB: the comprehension focus tag in the right-hand corner is hyperlinked
Alice
Vigors
2017
Comprehension Focus: Making
Connections
Making connections is when we make links between what we already know (our prior knowledge)
and the text. There are three kinds of connections we can make. The first is called:
Text to Self:
This is when we connect the text to our own experiences.,
Text to Text:
Text to text connections are when we compare the text we are reading to other similar texts.
These texts could be books or visual texts such as a movie or a TV programme.
Text to World:
This is when we connect what we are reading to things that really happen in the outside world.
Alice
Vigors
2017
Week 4: Explainer
Job:
Identify the most important ideas (BIG IDEAS) and important themes in the text.
Write a headline that summarises and captures a key idea of the text.
Explain in detail why this headline highlights an important part or theme of text.
NB: the comprehension focus tag in the right-hand corner is hyperlinked
Alice
Vigors
2017
Comprehension Focus: Summarising
A summary is a shortened version of a text that contains all the main points.
Summarising is an important skill that helps us when we are researching, gathering and presenting information.
Finding key words and phrases helps us to summarise the text.
A key is something that unlocks things.
A key word is a word that unlocks the meaning of a sentence. It helps you to understand the sentence.
Here is an example.
The whale is a mammal. The key words are whale and mammal.
Good readers notice key words
Here are some clues to help you find key words:
• Key words are directly connected to the topic
• Key words are often repeated in the title and the text
• A key word helps you to remember an important ideaAlice
Vigors
2017
Week 5: Perspective Taker
Job:
Examine part of the text from the perspective of another character
Explore what this character sees, observes or notices.
Examine what this character understand about what is happening?
Identify what the character cares about? Why? – use clues from the text
Imagine what the character wonders about, questions they ask?
NB: the comprehension focus tag in the right-hand corner is hyperlinked
Alice
Vigors
2017
Comprehension Focus: Inferring
Inferring is being able to ‘read between the lines’, when the author implies something but
doesn’t exactly state it.
You need to use clues in the text and your own prior knowledge to help you understand.
In the text it says…..
From what I already know I think it means…
I think…..because…..
Alice
Vigors
2017
Week 6: The Heart of the Matter
Whole Group’s Job:
Determine the central idea or message the author is trying to portray
Examine the central idea or message
Identify the key themes, e.g. friendship
Explore the implications of these on our lives
NB: the comprehension focus tag in the right-hand corner is hyperlinked
Alice
Vigors
2017
Comprehension Focus: Theme
The message or lesson that the author wants you to learn from the story.
Some examples of themes are:
Ask yourself:
What did the character learn?
How did the characters grow or change?
Why did the characters act this way?
Support it with evidence:
What passage or sentence supports your thinking?
Can you find evidence in the orientation, complication and resolution of the text?
I know the theme is….because the text says….Alice
Vigors
2017
Courage Friendship Jealousy Hard work