Literature Circles

Lin, Cua-Hui. "Literature Circles." ERIC Digest. (2002).

This article was compiled for ERIC, the Educational Resources Information Center regarding how to put literature circles into practice, and to condense research for educators looking to study the process. Also included are the proven benefits of literature circles on student learning. It reads like a literature review, with in-text citations scattered throughout. According to this article, the three basic elements of literature circles are diversity, self-choice, and student initiative – which comes from Harvey Daniels, the creator of this method. The article then details the method of choosing books, grouping students, and how literature circles help build community in the classroom. According to the writing, "lit circles promote classroom climates which are cooperative, responsible, and enjoyable" and they also promote self-directed learning. As an added bonus, girls who would ordinarily be silenced by male-dominated conversation are given the chance to speak up in reading groups.

The author seems to be more of a compiler than a writer, including information from a variety of well-known sources. The writer quotes from Daniels and Vygotsky, who are renowned experts in their area, and includes a well-done list of references.

I’ve seen the theme in a few of these articles regarding small group discussion being less threatening to students than the traditional teaching method that utilizes large group discussion. I don’t have an issue with students who seem to be threatened by large group discussion, but this could be an interesting side note to examine in my research.

Social Issues and Literature Circles with Adolescents

Noll, Elizabeth. "Social Issues and Literature Circles with Adolescents." Journal of Reading. 38.2 (1994): 88-93.

This teacher followed a group of seventh graders and their social progress in her classroom while using literature circles. The small group process enabled students to carry on sustained academic dialogue, and increased their confidence in responding to texts. As they met, groups began to form questions and using deep inquiry skills to find their answers. Notably, one group interviewed a social worker in order to gain insight into one of the characters in their book and to uncover information about abuse. Following the interview, the group began to look at the larger picture: individual and social responsibility for abused children. Proud of their findings, they created a 20-minute presentation for their classmates. Other literature circles examined censorship, war, and aging. This is all important because students were directing their own learning, which is an important aspect of literature circles.

The author of this piece was a doctoral student in a college of education at the time of the writing, and the article was copyrighted by the International Reading Association, so I think this is a credible source. I will definitely be using this article in my research because the book I am having my students read in small groups covers a variety of social issues and is intended to get readers motivated to make a change. Her writing was inspirational, and her project was something I would like to someday model.

A New Approach to Reading Brings Students Together.

Estante, Sophia. "A New Approach to Reading Brings Students Together." Madison Capital Times. Madison, WI: Feb 10, 2005. Pg. 1B

Sophia Estante reported this story in the Madison Capital Times in 2005, chronicling the success one middle school classroom had with the use of literature circles in their classroom. The teacher is quoted several times in the article, mentioning what the students discuss in their groups (characterization, plot, action, and reading strategies) and how the circles enable students to direct their own learning. A district coordinator is quoted as saying, “Students become independent learners. They learn how to self manage.” The teacher of the classroom enthuses that her students are taking ownership and teaching each other, and special education students are working alongside gifted ones. There are no more students pulled out for special services because this method of teaching addresses children of all abilities.

The reporter of this story is a correspondent, and there is nothing in the article that suggests she has a bias. That being said, she is an unknown. She is a third party, and she leaves herself entirely out of the article. Readers can’t assume she has any background knowledge; she’s just reporting on other people. The people she reports on are probably credible, they are teachers that are using this method in their classrooms, and they are supported by a district learning support coordinator. The role of a learning support coordinator is to assist the teachers in choosing methods of effective instruction.

This article focuses on the middle school experience, but I can use some of the information about students becoming independent learners and taking charge of their own education.