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Literature Circles. Characteristics. Key features of literature circles include (Daniels, 1994; 2002; Gambrell & Almasi, 1996; Roser & Martinez, 1995): children have choices in their reading material; small temporary groups are formed that read different books;
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Characteristics Key features of literature circles include (Daniels, 1994; 2002; Gambrell & Almasi, 1996; Roser & Martinez, 1995): • children have choices in their reading material; • small temporary groups are formed that read different books; • students meet in discussion groups to collaboratively negotiate the meaning of the text; • skills and strategies are addressed using the book as a reference point; and • assessment consists of teacher observation, group evaluation, and self-evaluation.
Role of the Teacher • To facilitate • To observe • To create an environment conducive to supporting literature circles Role of the Student • To read the designated text • To respond in the reading journal-either open-ended or using role sheets • To talk about what was read with other group members • To ask questions • To make connections • To make meaning
Using Roles to Scaffold Dialogue and Response • Artful artist uses some form of artwork to represent a significant scene or idea from the reading. • Literary luminary points out interesting or important passages within the reading. • Discussion director writes questions that will lead to discussion by the group. • Capable connector finds connections between the reading material and something outside the text, such as a personal experience, a topic studied in another class, or a different work of literature. • Word wizard discusses words in the text that are unusual, interesting, or difficult to understand.
Literature Response Journal The literature response journal is designed to move students beyond basic summary and recall of information. Instead, students can use this format to: • Respond to an open-ended question. • Reflect on personal reactions while reading. • Choose several unknown vocabulary words and investigate meaning. • Illustrate a part of the text. • Examine the author’s style and motives. • Freewrite to describe what they like best about the book. • Imagine another point of view. • Make up a question or questions for discussion.. • Respond to a final question when they have finished reading the book.
Extension Projects Ending literature circles with an extension project helps readers to revisit what they've read, continue the conversations, and create even more meaning. • Suggestions for extension projects include a foldable, character bookmark, accordion book, or story hat. • More complex projects can range from a story quilt to ABC book. • Other types of extension projects could include a scrapbook, comic strip, book cover, newspaper, or panel debate, or a Readers Theater. The extension projects can sometimes be time-consuming and take time away from the reading, writing, talking, and reflecting that is the focus of literature circles. Instead of doing extension projects with every book that is read during Literature circles, students might do one project every six to nine weeks instead.
Annotating: Reading and Marking a Text • Mortimer J. Adler-How To Mark a Book • Encourages a conversation/dialogue between the reader and the author • Ways to annotate or mark up a text: • Underlining or highlighting • Vertical lines in margin to emphasize points • Numbers in the margin to emphasize key statements • Circling of key text • Writing in the margin or top/bottom of the page • Resources • #1: http://hindiakoto.wordpress.com/2009/05/21/how-to-mark-a-book-by-mortimer-adler/ • #2: http://www.maebrussell.com/Articles%20and%20Notes/How%20To%20Mark%20A%20Book.html
How to Mark Up a Text • Numbers of other pages in the margin: to indicate where else in the book the author made points relevant to the point marked; to tie up the ideas in a book, which, though they may be separated by many pages, belong together. • Circling or highlighting of key words or phrases. • Writing in the margin, or at the top or bottom of the page, for the sake of: recording questions (and perhaps answers) which a passage raised in your mind; reducing a complicated discussion to a simple statement; recording the sequence of major points right through the books.
Continued • Underlining (or highlighting): of major points, of important or forceful statements. • Vertical lines at the margin: to emphasize a statement already underlined. • Star, asterisk, or other doo-dad at the margin: to be used sparingly, to emphasize the ten or twenty most important statements in the book. • Numbers in the margin: to indicate the sequence of points the author makes in developing a single argument. • From http://hindiakoto.wordpress.com/2009/05/21/how-to-mark-a-book-by-mortimer-adler/
Literature Circles in EDCI 424 • Select a book • Form groups of 4-6 students • Decide how to break the text into four parts, so that you have finished reading by the date shown on the calendar. • Discuss the options for roles: • Discussion Director • Literary Luminary • Connector • Character Captain • Artistic Adventurer • Vocabulary • Link for the roles… http://www.litsite.org/index.cfm?section=Teaching-and-Learning&page=Reading-Workbooks&cat=Middle-School&viewpost=2&contentid=1015&pg=175&crt=4 • Select role for this week-switch roles every week, so that you experience at least 4 different roles. • Read book, annotate first three chapters, and also respond using the role you selected. • Be prepared to meet next week to discuss the book with your group. • Time will be given in class for you to meet with your group.
