LITERATURE CIRCLEReading Strategy

WHAT ARE LITERARY CIRCLES?

• Literature circles are smalls, temporary discussion groups of students who have chosen to read the same work of literature. Each member agrees to take specific responsibilities during discussion sessions. The circles meet regularly, and the discussion roles change at each meeting. When the circle finishes a book/story, the members decide on a way to showcase their literary work for the rest of the class (Daniels, 1994)

• Literature circles engage students in rich conversations about shared readings. Students can express their opinions, predictions, and questions about a text in a productive, structured way. The teacher may ask students to take on specific group roles, such as summarizer or director, which are designed to develop reading, speaking, and thinking abilities. As the students become more skilled in literature circle conversations, they can move beyond specific role assignments.

WHAT ARE THE DISCUSSION ROLES?

Discussion Director

Artful Artist

Capable ConnectorWord

Wizard

Passage Picker

uses some form of artwork to represent a significant scene or idea from the reading.

points out interesting or important passages within the reading.

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.

writes questions that will lead to discussion by the group.

writes questions that will lead to discussion by the group.

Literary Luminary

Literary Investigator

Vocabulary Enricher

Discussion Manager,

Leader IllustratorSummarizer

File Manager/Blogger

Creative Artist

WHAT ARE THE TEACHER’S ROLE?

The teacher must drop out from the

group The teacher must NOT drop out from the group

HOW LITERATURE CIRCLES ARE ASSESSED?

Questions:

1. Based on our literature circles, what are the most important ideas you learned about your reading selection today?

2. How well did each member of your literature circle contribute in his or her assigned role?

3. What went well in your literature circle?

4. What would you do to improve our literature circles?

WHAT ARE BENEFITS OF LITERATURE CIRCLE?

In literature circles, every student can participate in conversation. They are often less intimidated than they might be in a class discussion. The students are also actively constructing their own meanings of a text, rather than waiting for a teacher to "give" them an official meaning.

By practicing the analytic strategies of each group role, students become cannier, more resourceful readers.

The different roles in a literature circle show students that historical texts may embrace multiple perspectives, depending on who is telling the story of history. As the students bring these perspectives to the entire group, everyone benefits and learns from one another.

As students try out various roles and learn ways to talk about a text, they begin to internalize these habits and perspectives; eventually, they can discuss literature productively while guiding the conversation themselves.

MORE TEACHING STRATEGIES

• Word/Idiom/Figures of Speech Poster

• Word Gallery/Idiom Gallery/Figures of Speech Gallery

• Character Pageant/Character Costume Play

• Short Film Documentary

• Internet Blogging

• Comic Strips

• Reflective Journal

Thank you Salamat kaayo