Literature+Circles-Secondary+Classrooms

=Literature Circles in the Secondary Classroom = = =

Spring 2011
**__Literature Circles Overview:__** Literature circles are student led, cooperative groups, that discuss a text in depth. The purpose of literature circles is to encourage students to take ownership in their understanding of a particular text, and through making connections and discussing the text, gain a deeper understanding of the themes, characters, and conflicts presented to the reader. The students can then extend their response to the text in written or artistic formats. Other purposes of literature circles are as follows: gaining independence through choice, empowering students through responsibility, encouraging cooperative and collaborative learning, and increasing positive experiences with literacy (Burns 1998).

**__Implementation:__**

Literature circles are not intended to replace content in curriculums, nor should they deviate from the curriculum. Literature circles should be used to support a particular unit of study or thematic unit. The literature that students are given to select from should center around a common skill, theme, or unit. Texts should not be chosen at random and should help support skills and ideas that are assessed in the classroom.


 * 1) Teacher selects a number of texts that students will be allowed to choose from. The teacher can select articles, short stories, novels, or other non-fiction selections.
 * 2) Present texts to students through the use of Book Talks. Present an overview of the plot, culture, conflicts, characters, topics, length, complexity, etc. This will allow students to preview a text before making their choice.
 * 3) Allow students to choose three texts that they would like to read; then the teacher can form circles based off of these choices. Place any students with special needs or students who are gifted first. This way, a teacher can differentiate the texts that students will receive, but can also focus on the choices the students made.
 * 4) Once the groups meet, they must determine how the reading will take place. Students can choose how much reading will be due by each meeting date (given by the teacher). By giving students the opportunity to make these choices, teachers are increasing student motivation and student engagement. They also feel a sense of responsibility for getting their reading assignments finished in time.
 * 5) Students must now choose the role they will act as for their group. Teachers must provide students with a list and description of each role. Students can determine each person’s role based off of his or her own strengths and weaknesses. Student roles are listed below. These roles can vary based on the skill sets of the students.
 * 6) Literature circles meet based on a schedule determined by the teacher. Before meeting, students must complete the assigned page numbers for that particular date, and must have any written assignments completed and ready for discussion.
 * 7) The teacher’s role during meeting times should start of somewhat intensive, and then scale back with each meeting. The teacher should provide the following: student texts, job assignment descriptions, calendars for group planning, discussion rubrics, peer and self evaluation forms, and any required worksheets or outlines for each group member’s role.

**__Student Roles:__**

(Roles can vary depending upon chosen texts, student skill sets, grade level, and teacher expectations)
 * Discussion Director: Develops higher order questions to lead the group’s discussion
 * Vocabulary Enricher/Word Wizard: Identifies unknown words, locates the definitions, discusses how it is used in context, and explains the words’ impact on the text.
 * Summarizer: The summarizer starts the discussion with an overview of what was read and highlights any main ideas, conflicts, or key points that are relevant to the day’s discussion
 * Connector: Discusses how the plot or character within the text related to larger world topics. The student can make text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world connections which the other group members can then discuss.
 * Illustrator: Create a detailed image of a particular passage or the overall main idea of what was read. The illustrator should be skilled in this area. Images can include: cartoons, comic strips, flow charts, setting illustrations, or scene illustrations.
 * Travel Tracer: This role is needed for texts where the main character travels, goes on a journey, or scenes change so often that the readers may need clarification
 * Literary Luminator: Examine literary devices present in the text. Identify quotes or lines that exemplify a particular literary term (characterization, tone, mood, theme, purpose, figurative language, etc.) and explain their impacts on the text and the reader’s overall impression of the story.
 * Passage Picker: Choose at least four passages from the text that impact the reader. The student should discuss why they were interested in these passages and see which other passages their group members found to be important.
 * Researcher: Present background information regarding related topics, events, culture, or required knowledge that group members will need in order to fully connect with the text.
 * Quotation Chooser: Indentify pieces of dialogue from the text and ask their peers who was speaking. Discuss how each characters’ dialogue affects how they are viewed by other characters in the text and how they are viewed by the readers.

**__Sample Lesson Plan:__** 

**__Meeting Student Needs:__**


 * Differentiate reading selections by providing texts and multiple reading levels
 * Provide verbatim reading text recordings that are easily accessed by all students (post on teacher webpage, class wiki, or programs such as Edline.net)
 * CD’s, tapes, or MP3 Players for students who require read-aloud accommodations
 * Model proper behavior and actions for roles and discussions for students. This way required tasks and actions are clearly defined.
 * Provided alternate means of discussions such as podcasts, wiki discussion, blogs, etc.
 * Provide electronic versions of the texts with screen readers (Kurzweil)
 * Group students with peer tutors
 * Multi-skilled groups to encourage collaboration
 * Preferential role assignment for students with special needs
 * Provide teacher support to groups who require assistance and guidance
 * Allow student to create discussion supports (power point slides or photo stories) prior to the discussion
 * Name and role tags for each student so roles are clearly defined
 * Provide manipulative such as colored sticky notes, highlighters, graphic organizers, and role descriptions to help guide student analysis of the text.

**__Practical Application in the Classroom:__**

** Expository Texts: ** Literature circles can be applied to expository texts. Most state assessments require students to analyze expository texts for up to 80% of the literature on the test. Social Studies teachers can provide articles, essays, or biographies for literature circles. Students can analyze the texts in similar ways as they would analyze a novel. Students can present maps if they are the illustrator, or track battles from a war if they are the tracer, just to name a few. Discussions can focus on human error, unjust laws, cause and effect, leaders, tyrants, social issues, various cultures, impact of media, etc.

** Outside Reading Assignments: ** Encourage students to read outside of the classroom in any content area by infusing literature circles into your curriculum. Texts can be chosen based off of a unit of study or theme. For example, Earth Science classes study natural disasters. Teachers can select texts related to this unit of study. A World History teacher might be talking about WWII, and can assign texts related to nuclear disasters, the Holocaust, Communism, etc. These texts can be fiction or non-fiction.

** Examining Novels: ** English teachers may want to use literature circles as another method of examining a novel of study. If a teacher doesn’t want to spend instructional time focusing on the elements of the text, they can use literature circles once a week to discuss the text while the other days are spent focusing on an alternate skill (i.e. writer’s workshops, research, test prep, service learning projects).

** Building Social Skills: ** Many at-risk, learning disabled, and gifted/talented students struggle to communicate effectively with their peers in the classroom environment. Infusing literature circles into classroom instruction requires student to actively engage with their peers and practice cooperating and collaborating with others. Teachers can specifically design tasks that require constant student engagement, providing student with the opportunity to practice social skills that are imperative in the world outside of the classroom. Literature and texts can focus specifically on social and life skills.

**__Interesting Links and Websites:__** [] [] [] [] []

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**__References:__** Anderson, P., & Corbett, L. (2008). Literature circles for students with learning disabilities. //Intervention in School & Clinic//, //44//(1), 25-33.

Brown, B. (2002). Literature circles in action in the middle school classroom.

Burns, B. (1998). Changing the classroom climate with literature circles. //Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy//, //42//(2), 124-129.

Clark, L. W., & Holwadel, J. (2007). Help! What is wrong with these literature circles and how can we fix them? //The Reading Teacher//, //Vol. 61, No. 1// (Sept. 2007) P. 20-29

Daniels, H. (2002). Expository text in literature circles. //Voices from the Middle V. 9 No. 4 (May 2002) P. 7-14//, //9//(4), 7-14.

Ericson, B. (2001). Teaching reading in high school english classes. //Teaching Reading in High School English Classes//,.

Peterson, S., & Belizaire, M. (2006). Another look at roles in literature circles. //Middle School Journal V. 37 No. 4 (March 2006) P. 37-43//, //37//(4), 37-43.