Literature Circles Essay

325 Words2 Pages
Response #2 Literature Circles Literature Circles may also be referred to as Book Talks, Literature Discussion Groups, Book Clubs, or . Whatever the terminology used may be, they are all referring to the same concept, involving students in discussing literature in a reader response format. They are a part of a Blanaced Literacy Program, however, they are not the entire reading curriculum. Small groups are formed to get children talking about high quality literature in a meaningful way. Traditionally, they are formed by book choice as opposed to teacher assignment based on reading ability. They foster student independence, responsibility and ownership because the students are required to do the reading and responding without the teacher being involved in the group. Instead, the teacher circulates throughout the role and listens to each group during the discussion phase. The discussions which take place, are guided by student insights and questions rather than being guided by the teacher. In order to get started using Literature Circles in the classroom , books must be choosen. Books are chosen for Literature Circles (LC) based on whether they are thought provoking and interesting. During the time period dedicated to LC students work in small heterogenous groups which are organized according to the books the students have choosen. The teacher may preview the books with the students prior to the students selecting their book choice. This choice may be indicated on a ballot using a voting format. The students typically indicate their first, second, and third choice, and every effort is made to ensure that students receive their first or second choice. The student role in LC is to be an active participant, prepared for their group discussion, ask thought-provoking questions, and evaluate how the group discussion evolve. The teacher’s role is a
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