Post on 07-Jan-2016
description
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Literature Circles
Natalie Dupuis
March 2008
dupuis.natalie@gmail.com
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Topics of Discussion
Literature Circles Defined Organization – how do you get started? Modeling – daily reading Book Selection Groupings Timeline Role Sheets Assessment Questions
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Literature Circles Defined
student centered reading activity for a group of 4-6 students
Members are assigned roles for guidance and discussion
The group members determine what topics and questions will be discussed, and how they will share what they have learned.
LC provide an opportunity for students to control their own learning; to share thoughts, concerns and their understanding of the events of the novel.
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What they ARE vs. ARE NOT
Literature Circles are: Reader response centered Group formation Structured for student independence, responsibility,
and ownership Guided primarily by student insights and questions Flexible and fluid: never look the same twice Intended as a context in which to apply reading and
writing skills
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What they ARE vs. ARE NOT
Literature Circles are not: The entire reading curriculum Teacher and text centered Teacher assigned groups formed solely by ability Unstructured, uncontrolled “talk time” without
accountability Guided primarily by teacher or curriculum based
quesitons Intended as a place to do grammar skills work Tied to a prescriptive “recipe”
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Preparing for Literature Circles
1. Model good discussion behaviour2. Have students brainstorm in small groups what
they imagine good discussion to look and sound like
3. Introduce the books4. Allow students to touch and spend time with
selections before having them make ranked choices
5. Determine how to be a group leader6. Determine pace of reading. Establish time limits.7. Discuss and Assess
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Model good discussion behaviour& have students brainstorm
Through your daily reading activities
Brainstorming activity such as the one we did earlier to determine elements of a good discussion
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Elements of a good discussion
Active Listening Active Participation
(respond to ideas and share feelings)
Piggybacking off others’ ideas
Disagreeing constructively
Supporting Opinions with evidence
Encouraging others
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Group Discussion
Helps promote students’ acceptance of others’ opinions
Enables more students to take risks to actively participate
Provides opportunities for students to make meaning before reading, during reading and after reading
Develops critical literacy skills
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Introduce the books, browsing and selecting
Book introduction Picture walk
through You will like this
book if… Allow time to
handle, see print size etc.
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Small temporary groups are formed, based on book choices.
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Teach them how to be a leader
Discuss qualities of a good leader
Model a mini session with teacher as discussion director
Rotate the role of discussion director
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The teacher acts as a facilitator initiating mini-lessons where necessary.
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What does the teacher do? Models Organizes Informally assesses with
assessment sheets in hand
Moderates when necessary
Sits with each group for a few minutes
Mini lessons Jot down great
comments or questions to share with the class afterwards
Formal observation
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Modeling
Extremely important Each task needs to be modeled in
isolation Start with the easiest Artful Artist Word Wizard Super Summarizer Discussion Director
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Timeline
How many sessions/classes
How much to read each session, or each week at home
Decide who does which job – let students decide?
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Assessment
Observations Conferences Portfolios Mini – Lessons Self and group assessments Projects – To do or not to do? Rubrics
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Assessment - cont’d.Student Self-Assessment (Scoring Guide)*
Ingredient Value My Score
Do the readings 25
Listen to other people 15
Have good ideas 30
Ask people questions 15
Stick to the reading 10
Prepared 5
Total 100
* “Literature Circles, Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups by Harvey Daniels, (Second Edition, 2002)
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What supplies do I need?
Multiple copies Post-it notes Chart paper Self assessment forms Teacher assessment
forms Copies of role sheets Student folders Journals (optional)
Literature Circle Assessment
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Level One Level Two Level Three Level Four
Discussion
Does not participate in group discussionsOffers few opinions and makes no personal connections to the text
Participates reluctantly in group discussionsOffers few opinions and makes limited connections to the text
Participates competently in group discussionsOffers some insightful opinions and makes connections to the text
Participates enthusiastically in group discussionsOffers insightful and thoughtful opinions and makes pertinent connections to the text
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Role Fulfillme
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Rarely completes role tasks properly and not always on timeTasks are done with little or no genuine effort
Sometimes completes role tasks properly but not always on timeTasks are done with minimal effort
Completes role tasks independently and on timeTasks are thoughtfully done with genuine effort
Completes role tasks independently and on timeTasks are thoughtfully done demonstrating extension of the activity
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Reading
Rarely assigned reading completed on schedule
Sometimes has assigned reading completed on schedule
Has assigned reading completed on schedule
Has assigned reading completed on schedule
Some ideas to add a little more fun:
Have each group give themselves a name Have each group perform a totally self-
made skit of an important scene from the book
Always display the illustrator roles Do end of unit activities – group collage,
group play, group speech, sharing ‘character’ journals, movie….
Involve students in the assessment process
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Resources
http://www.literaturecircles.com/
http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/lang_lit_circles.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literature_Circles
http://www.litcircles.org/
http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-3/circles.htm