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LITERATURE CIRCLES: READ, THINK, DISCUSS, COLLABORATE
Copyright Mary Anne Peters and Julianne Burgess, 2010. This work is the intellectual property of the authors. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the authors. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the authors.
Mary Anne Peters, Mohawk College
Julianne Burgess, Mohawk College
Outcomes
Understand the value of Literature Circles in ESL classes: extensive reading critical thinking group work
Identify strategies for making Literature Circles succeed in your teaching environment
Overview
What are Literature Circles? Why are they effective? (theory and evidence)
Benefits of extensive reading Choice Independence Group work
How can they work? What we’ve done at Mohawk Other models Your context
Questions and answers
What are Literature Circles?
Students: choose a book make a group with others who chose the same book
meet regularly and talk about the book
Key Ingredients
Choice choice of book (which determines groups)
Voice discussion topics come from the students open, natural discussions personal connections
and digressions are fine!
Independence teacher is a facilitator
Fun like adult book clubs (without the wine)
How do students benefit?
read extensively→ read better→ improve all language skills→ learn to enjoy reading
think about ideas in books practice speaking collaborate
Extensive Reading
= quickly reading book after book for ordinary, real-world purposes of pleasure and information
Characteristics of Extensive Reading
Students read lots of material that is easy (not many unknown words)
Students choose what they want to read from a wide variety of material
Reading is its own reward: no exercises or follow-up activities
(Day and Bamford, 1998)
Cognitive Basis for Extensive Reading
builds reading speed and comprehension builds “sight vocabulary” fast,
automatic recognition of words so the brain can do the other processes of reading
builds a wide general vocabulary builds knowledge of the target
language, the world and text types(Day and Bamford, 1998)
Affective Basis for Extensive Reading
How to overcome fear and dislike of reading and build a positive attitude and motivation?
easy books success book choice more interest choice of when and where to read
control emphasis on personal reaction to
reading less fear of judgment(Day and Bamford, 1998)
Evidence that Extensive Reading Works
Day and Bamford (1998) cite 11 studies showing significant gains
Bell (2001) compared two groups of learners:1. intensive reading program2. extensive reading program approximately same number of hours
Extensive reading group did significantly better on reading speed and comprehension.
Extensive Reading and Literature Circles
extensive reading: LARGE volume needed for benefit
(Horst 2005)
Literature Circles alone are not enough
BUT can open the door to reading in English
Think “reader response” literary criticism proficient readers respond in many
ways BUT many of our students need training in how to respond modelling: teacher-led discussions of
short stories or class novels discussing ways of responding role sheets or “quote, question,
comment”
Critical Thinking
reading a lot helps build critical thinking: builds information base can make non-obvious connections speculative thinking
(Day and Bamford, 1998)
Discuss regular meetings establish guidelines self-evaluate group process whole class debrief after
discussion: start with the books then talk about process
Collaborate
characteristics of collaborative learning: “student-initiated inquiry, choice, self-direction, mutual interdependence, face-to-face interaction, and self- and group assessment”
(Daniels, 2002, p. 35)
students need training, practice, reflection
Strategies tried at Mohawk
LINC 3-7 classes do Literature/Reading Circles on the same day
Building library of graded readers choice
Role sheets versus other ways of responding and preparing for discussion
Successes and Challenges
most students love them: reading and sharing interested by all the different
interpretations BUT some problems with:
irregular attendance poor preparation lack of buy-in
In other contexts
Literature Circles are widely used in elementary and secondary schools
How much, how often?
Daniels (2002) advocates that Lit Circles run continuously throughout the year can build on learning “Lit circles hit their stride when
everyone has internalized the norms and warmed up as readers.” (p. 21)
Responding and Preparing for Discussions
debate over Role Sheets can feel like busywork mechanical approach should treat them like “training wheels”
other options: open-ended reading response logs (loose paper
or notebooks) sticky notes
discussion topics come from students should feel free to discuss any kind of response
(Daniels, 2002)
In class or homework?
public schools: DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) or SSR (Sustained Silent Reading) message that reading is valuable
start with more time in class, move towards more as homework
Conclusions
worth doing many different approaches key elements:
choice in books student-led discussion keep it natural
Resources
sample role sheets in Daniels 2002 many different styles available on the
internet (e.g. www.superteacherworksheets.com/reading.html)
References
Bell, T. (2001). Extensive Reading: Speed and comprehension. The Reading Matrix (April 2001): 1(1). Retrieved September 6, 2010 from http://www.readingmatrix.com/articles/bell/
Daniels, H. (2002). Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups. Markham: Pembroke Publishers.
Day, R. and J. Bamford. (1998). Extensive Reading in the Second Language Classroom. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Horst, M. (2005). Learning L2 Vocabulary through Extensive Reading: A Measurement Study. The Canadian Modern Language Review (March 2005), 61 (3), pg. 355-382
Contact Us
Mary Anne PetersMohawk College905-575-1212 [email protected]
Julianne BurgessMohawk College905-575-1212 [email protected]
