Literature Circles is a cooperative learning strategy based on the idea that students can learn how to read, discuss, and write critically about a text through independent, "self-sponsored" interactions--that is, by having some choice about what to read, what to discuss, and how to respond to each other. These characteristics may make it useful for our Online Journal Exchange, as well as for other discussions in our class and beyond.
Typically, literature circles are small groups which meet regularly to discuss a book. Individually, students read and take notes or write responses in preparation for discussion. Then, each time they meet, students in the group take on roles which involve responsibility for particular parts of the group's discussion. Here is an explanation of those roles and how they relate to our class's groupwork roles:
RELATIONSHIP OF GROUPWORK ROLES TO LIT CIRCLE ROLES (AND CONVERSATIONAL MOVES)
Our class roles (during group tasks)
Literature Circles roles (during discussion)
Conversational moves
Team Captain
--makes sure everyone contributes
--makes sure class norms are upheld
--makes sure the group reaches
necessary consensus on decisions
Discussion Director
--makes sure everyone contributes
--makes sure class norms are upheld
--makes sure that all ideas are both
supported and challenged
Managing participation in discussion
"I'd like to hear from X on this topic."
"Is that really the best way for us to x?"
"Does anyone want to agree/disagree?"
Facilitator
--asks questions that help
elaborate and deepen ideas
--makes sure time is managed successfully
Questioner
--asks follow-up questions that help
elaborate and deepen interpretations of the text
--makes sure the group sets goals for reading
and manages time during discussion activities
Managing the quality of discussion
"Can you give us an example?" ("Take it to the text!")
"How much should we read for next time?"
"Are we ready to move on to the next step?"
Recorder/Reporter
--makes sure the group's final product
is organized and complete
--makes sure relationships among
the group's ideas are made explicit
Summarizer
--keeps a record of the group's discussion
--points out connections among
group members' comments
Managing the direction of the discussion
"Like last week, today we've talked about X."
"How does what X just said relate to
what you've been saying?"
Resource Manager
--makes sure the group has
what it needs to complete the task
--is the only person who can call
the teacher over for a group question
Citation Manager
--makes sure that all members of the group
are prepared with notes/responses
--points out particular moments of the text (or
related materials to support or provoke further discussion)
Managing the possibilities for discussion
"What was one part of the text you marked
for us to talk about?"
"What did you think of this?"
Here are some examples of Literature Circles in action:
TYPICAL ROUTINE FOR LITERATURE CIRCLES: Beginning
--Individual group members have read as far in the book as the group had decided
--Individual group members have marked passages (with marginal notes or post-its), written journal responses, and noted questions
--Citation Manager makes sure that everyone is prepared to participate; calls for each group member to share one topic/quote s/he would like to discuss
--Recorder/Reporter suggests relationships among the topics, possible direction for discussion; group members vote and agree on an agenda
--Questioner makes sure time is allocated to fulfill that agenda
End
--Summarizer shares his/her representation of the group's discussion; group members sign off or make suggestions
--Discussion Director asks group to consider how discussion could be improved
--Questioner makes sure group sets goals for next week's reading
Typically, literature circles are small groups which meet regularly to discuss a book. Individually, students read and take notes or write responses in preparation for discussion. Then, each time they meet, students in the group take on roles which involve responsibility for particular parts of the group's discussion. Here is an explanation of those roles and how they relate to our class's groupwork roles:
RELATIONSHIP OF GROUPWORK ROLES TO LIT CIRCLE ROLES (AND CONVERSATIONAL MOVES)
--makes sure everyone contributes
--makes sure class norms are upheld
--makes sure the group reaches
necessary consensus on decisions
--makes sure everyone contributes
--makes sure class norms are upheld
--makes sure that all ideas are both
supported and challenged
"I'd like to hear from X on this topic."
"Is that really the best way for us to x?"
"Does anyone want to agree/disagree?"
--asks questions that help
elaborate and deepen ideas
--makes sure time is managed successfully
--asks follow-up questions that help
elaborate and deepen interpretations of the text
--makes sure the group sets goals for reading
and manages time during discussion activities
"Can you give us an example?" ("Take it to the text!")
"How much should we read for next time?"
"Are we ready to move on to the next step?"
--makes sure the group's final product
is organized and complete
--makes sure relationships among
the group's ideas are made explicit
--keeps a record of the group's discussion
--points out connections among
group members' comments
"Like last week, today we've talked about X."
"How does what X just said relate to
what you've been saying?"
--makes sure the group has
what it needs to complete the task
--is the only person who can call
the teacher over for a group question
--makes sure that all members of the group
are prepared with notes/responses
--points out particular moments of the text (or
related materials to support or provoke further discussion)
"What was one part of the text you marked
for us to talk about?"
"What did you think of this?"
Here are some examples of Literature Circles in action:
Middle schoolers discuss S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders
http://ohiorc.org/adlit/video/videoClip.aspx?clipID=3&segmentID=8
Fourth graders discuss various books
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlJJhP3frUQ
TYPICAL ROUTINE FOR LITERATURE CIRCLES:
Beginning
--Individual group members have read as far in the book as the group had decided
--Individual group members have marked passages (with marginal notes or post-its), written journal responses, and noted questions
--Citation Manager makes sure that everyone is prepared to participate; calls for each group member to share one topic/quote s/he would like to discuss
--Recorder/Reporter suggests relationships among the topics, possible direction for discussion; group members vote and agree on an agenda
--Questioner makes sure time is allocated to fulfill that agenda
Middle
--Discussion Director opens the discussion, encourages participation
--Questioner asks follow-up questions
--Citation Manager suggests quotes/topics
--Summarizer takes notes, suggests connections
End
--Summarizer shares his/her representation of the group's discussion; group members sign off or make suggestions
--Discussion Director asks group to consider how discussion could be improved
--Questioner makes sure group sets goals for next week's reading