Transcript Literacy Circles - Winston

Literacy Circles
What? Why? and How?
Cassaundra El-Amin
What?
• Literature circles are small,
temporary discussion groups
who have chosen to read the
same story, poem, article, or
book. While reading each
group-determined portion of
the text (either in or outside of
class), each member prepares
to take specific responsibilities
in the upcoming discussion,
and everyone comes to the
group with the notes needed to
help perform that job.
What?
• The circles have regular
meetings, with discussion roles
rotating each session. When
they finish a book, the circle
members plan a way to share
highlights of their reading with
the wider community; then they
trade members with other
finishing groups, select more
reading, and move into a new
cycle. Once readers can
successfully conduct their own
wide-ranging, self-sustaining
discussions, formal discussion
roles may be dropped.
What?
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In literature circles, small groups of students
gather together to discuss a piece of literature
in depth. The discussion is guided by students'
response to what they have read. You may
hear talk about events and characters in the
book, the author's craft, or personal
experiences related to the story. Literature
circles provide a way for students to engage in
critical thinking and reflection as they read,
discuss, and respond to books. Collaboration is
at the heart of this approach. Students reshape
and add onto their understanding as they
construct meaning with other readers. Finally,
literature circles guide students to deeper
understanding of what they read through
structured discussion and extended written and
artistic response.
See literature circles
What?
• 1. Students choose their own reading
materials
• 2. Small temporary groups are formed,
based upon book choice
• 3. Different groups read different
books
• 4. Groups meet on a regular,
predictable schedule to discuss their
reading
• 5. Kids use written or drawn notes to
guide both their reading and
discussion
• 6. Discussion topics come from the
students
What?
• 7. Group meetings aim to be open,
natural conversations about books, so
personal connections, digressions,
and open-ended questions are
welcome
• 8. In newly-forming groups, students
may play a rotating assortment of task
roles
• 9. The teacher serves as a facilitator,
not a group member or instructor
• 10. Evaluation is by teacher
observation and student selfevaluation
• 11. A spirit of playfulness and fun
pervades the room.
• 12. When books are finished, readers
share with their classmates, and then
new groups form around new reading
choices.
What?
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Literature Circles are
Reader response
centered
Part of a balanced
literacy program
Groups formed by
book choice
Structured for
student
independence,
responsibility, and
ownership
Guided primarily by
student insights and
questions
Intended as a
context in which to
apply reading and
writing skills
Flexible and fluid;
never look the same
twice
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Literature Circles are
not . .
Teacher and text
centered.
The entire reading
curriculum
Teacher-assigned
groups formed
solely by ability
Unstructured,
uncontrolled "talk
time" without
accountability
Guided primarily by
teacher- or
curriculum-based
questionsI
Intended as a place
to do skills work
Tied to a
prescriptive "recipe"
Rorschach Test
What is it?
Why?
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Transactional Theory
Psycholinguistic Theory
Sociolinguistic Theory
Constructivist Philosophy
Schema Theory
Why?
• Promotes a love for literature
and positive attitude towards
reading.
• Reflects a constructivist childcentered model of literacy.
• Encourages extensive and
intensive reading
• Invites natural discussions that
lead to student inquiry and
critical thinking.
• Supports diverse responses to
texts
Why?
• Fosters interaction and
collaboration
• Provides choice and
encourages responsibility
• Exposes children to
literature from multiple
perspectives
• Nurtures reflection and selfevaluation
• How?
How? Discussion
• Groups of 4 - 5 are optimal
• Having a conversation does not
come naturally
• Have signals for "too noisy", "time to
begin", etc.
• Practice getting into and out of the
circle A LOT
• Trust that they'll talk even if I'm not
hovering
• Have books worth talking about
• Always reflect after a discussion
• Rejoice in the small steps students
take
• Remember this is hard -- even for
adults
Discussion Tools
• Prompts
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I thought…
I liked…
I wonder…
I felt…
Bookmarks
Questions
Post-its
Golden Lines
Interesting Words
Discussion Logs
How? Writing
• Help students understand the purpose for
writing
• "Thinking aloud on paper": A way to
generate and shape what you're thinking
about as you read or as you prepare for
discussion; or
• Formal synthesis: A way to refine ideas
that have come up during discussion and
to mold them into something more formal
• Help students find a focus for their
writing: Show students where ideas for
writing can come from.
• Brainstorm ideas for writing;
• Model your own process of coming up
with ideas for writing and for shaping your
writing
How? Writing
•
Offer some tools for written response: Openended questions, prompts, varied forms of
written response.
• Use questions that come up during discussion
as jumping-off points for writing
• Open-ended questions: "How are you like this
character?" or "What do you think will happen
next, and why?"
• Prompts: "I wonder...", "I wish ...", "What if ....?"
• Diary entries in the voice of a character
• Cause/effect explanation
• Letters to characters (or from one character
to another)
• Sketching or drawing
•
Teach for in-depth response: Model, discuss,
and practice written response.
•
Assess and evaluate written response: Build
students' skills through ongoing feedback and
refinement.
How? Debriefing
• Keep the debriefing short and focused.
• Start simply. Ask your students a couple of
simple questions: "What worked well
today?" and "What do we still need to
work on?"
• Use debriefing to teach specific strategies
students can use in their next discussion.
References
• Daniels, H. (2002).
Literature circles: Voice
and choice in book clubs
and reading groups. York,
ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
• Elementary Themes –
Literature Circles, Retrieved
from
http://www.cdli.ca/CITE/la
ng_lit_circles.htm