Textbook Circles in Developmental Reading Classrooms and Learning CommunitiesKATHRYN KLOPFLEISCH, INVER HILLS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

CELESTE MAZUR, SAINT PAUL COLLEGE

LISA HANES GOODLANDER, SAINT PAUL COLLEGE

Textbook Circle Success in a Learning Community

Reading & Interpersonal Communication

With Textbook Circle LCOM n=14 Without Textbook Circle/LCOM n=130.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

60.00

70.00

80.00

90.00

100.00

Transfer Course Successful CompletionWith and without Textbook Circle LCOM

Textbook Circle Success in Stand-Alone Read Class

Total Students in Stand Alone Reading Class

25 100%

Improved a grade letter or more on exams in at least one other class

11 44%

No report available, not in another class, evaluated without exams.

9 36%

Failed 3 12%

Dropped or stopped attending class

2 8%

History of Textbook Circles

K-12 Beginnings Originally developed in K-12 as literature circles

(Daniels, 1994) Adapted later for expository text and textbook

reading (Stien & Beed, 2004; Wilfong, 2009)

Community College Application Developmental reading and writing (Levy, 2011)

Textbook Circle Process

1. Instructor introduces and models strategy roles

2. Students form small groups and each choose a role

3. Students read independently, applying the strategy

4. Students re-group to discuss content of text and reflect on roles’ effectiveness

Textbook Circle Strategy Roles

Planner Foundation Builder Notetaker Illustrator Key Terms Investigator

Connector Summarizer Test Predictor

Illustrator – Whole Chapter Notes

Notetaker – Whole Chapter Notes

Scenario 1: Stand-Alone Reading Course

Monday: Introduce a new reading strategy and practice it in class Homework: Try the new strategy at home on “real reading.”

Wednesday: Report to group on the strategy Turn in notes they took related to roles Begin a new cycle of reading–

Facilitate discussions with groups to help them select the most appropriate roles

Assign group members new roles to perform for the following Wednesday

Friday: Evaluate strategy Fill out an evaluation form on the helpfulness of the strategy Journal on their performance in their other classes

Scenario 2: Reading & Interpersonal Communication (SPCH) Learning Community

Follow & support the weekly SPCH reading assignments using textbook circles

Wednesday nights: SPCH class meets with weekly chapter quiz

Thursday nights: READ class meets with weekly quiz reflection, strategy demos and discussion

Try out 5 strategy roles; then apply the most effective for 3 additional chapters

Outcomes

Content mastery

Self-regulation skills

Get to know their personal preferences

Select strategies based on text structure and assignment goals

Find what’s most effective for them

Discussion skills

Regular practice

Talk over content and strategies

Evaluate

Outcomes – Transfer Course Faculty Perspective

Increased participation in class discussions

Increased ability to relate and integrate course concepts across chapters

Increased confidence and preparedness for course activities

Deeper connections of course content to life experiences

Similar experience with the content prior to class--creating a common, solid foundation

More successful course completions than my other SPCH courses

Application for your situation

Learning center Content instructor Reading instructor– stand alone or

learning community

Turn and talk with a neighbor