Literature Circles

1. Literature Circles • Small, temporary discussion groups who have read the same text. • Have regular timed meetings with notes that are needed to help the student fully participate during the discussion. • Discussions are a way to extend comprehension, see other perspectives/ opinions and critique a selection.

2. Rationale • Encourages a positive attitude towards reading. • Requires active engagement with the text. • Encourages intensive and extensive thinking about the reading selection. • Way to provide choices with structure. • Supports natural discussions that foster interaction between students concerning text. • Provides a format the for nurturing of self evaluation of ideas and thinking.

3. Comparison of Guided Reading and Literature Circles Guided Reading Students – Strategic readers Grouped homogeneously as to reading needs Texts – Challenging, where there is an opportunity to build problem solving strategies Chosen by the teacher Literature Circles Students- Critical readers/thinkers Grouped heterogeneous by interest Texts- Challenging, where there is an opportunity to think deeply and critically about the text, their lives and the world Chosen by the students based on interest

4. Guided Reading Teacher- Supports development of reading strategies Evaluates student's strategies and level Running records and miscue analysis Introduces text Selects 1 or 2 teaching points Major instructional role and teaches strategies Literature Circles Teacher- Supports deep and critical thinking of text through dialogue to help students to construct new understandings Participates as a reader to demonstrate ways of thinking and responding to text Facilitates discuss among the group of students

5. Rules • Sit together at the same level; not some on floor and some in chairs. • Come to the group prepared. • Use quiet voices. • Listen to each other. • See other points of view even if you don’t agree.

6. Literature Circle RolesBy Paula Wall These are jobs that you complete to help with the discussion on the literature circle reading. You will use post-it notes to help you quickly find these so that you may complete your literature circle journal when you arrive to class.

7. Life Connector • Your job is to find connections between the book that your group is reading. These connections can be with you, another book or media source, world events, or between characters and events in the story. • Be sure to post-it note each of these for sharing or to start a discussion.

8. Discussion Director • Your job is to write questions that your group can use a springboard for the literature discussion. You want to write questions that concern the big ideas of the selection, not the small details. • The best discussion questions are from your thoughts, feelings, reactions, and concerns that you had while during and after reading.

9. Passage Master • Your job is to locate special or important passages for your group to read aloud. • Decide on 2 or 3 passages. • Plan how they should be shared. • Lead discussion on reason why they were chosen. • Some reasons you might chose a passage- Turning Point Controversial Confusing Funny Well written Mood invoking Insightful to character or plot

10. Summarizer • Your job is to brief tell the summary of the passage that was read. Post it note main or key points that you need to include in the summary. • What is a Summary? It is a quick, short paragraph that helps the group focus on the main ideas or events. It is not a complete retell, just the key points.

11. Mapper of Meaning • Your job is to help your group understand the reading passage by using a thinking map or graphic organizer. • Choose a map and complete it. • Be prepared to share with group. • Explain what important element of the selection it helps you understand or clarify.

12. Vocabulary Enricher • Your job is to be looking for a few good words or expressions that stand out in the reading. • These should be post-it noted so you can share with the group. • Explain why you chose them. • Some reasons you might chose a word- Unfamiliar (jot down the definition) Used in an unusual way Repeated a lot- Why did the author do this? Interesting sounding word Key to meaning of text

13. Giver 0f Quotes • Find important quotes in the selection that you read. • Post-it note each of these for sharing with the group. • Do not tell who said them; see if your group can recognize the character by their words. • Be ready to explain why you chose these.

14. Resources Moving Forward With Literature Circles by Day, Spiegel, McLellan, and Brown ISBN 0439176689 Literature Circles and Responses by Hill, Johnson, and Schlick Noe ISBN 092684248x Literature Circles, Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups by Harvey Daniels ISBN 1571103333 Critical Literacy by McLaughlin and DeVoogd ISBN 0439628040