Getting Started

Collaborating with the teacher librarian is key to providing material.

Whatever the grade level, training is important. Use the following key steps:

1. Explain-let kids hear how this activity works and why it is important
2. Demonstrate-provide live or videotaped examples by kids or adults.
3. Practice-help kids try out a variety of approaches. Use poetry or short stories to model the process before beginning a novel or informational books.
4. Debrief-ask kids to notice and catalog effective procedures.
5. Refine-provide ongoing training thought mini-lessions and coaching.

When selecting books, collaborate with the school's teacher-librarian. Develop themes,and consider student reading levels and interests.

To determine if a book is of high quality Dianne Monson evaluates choice by asking the following questions:

• Does the book succeed in arousing emotions?
• Is the book well-written?
• Is the book meaningful?

Use a variety of genres.

• Traditional literature (folk talks, fables, myths and legends)
• fantasy
• realistic fiction,
• information books

Structure

Ideally, the number of students who freely choose a particular book determine the size of the group.

High School and Intermediate Age - Small functional discussion groups of 4-5 are a favourite number. If students are absent, at least 3 students are a realistic number for the discussions to continue.

Primary Age - Smaller groups are best. 2-3 students that are guided by a teacher benefit from a structure setting.

Apply brainstorming strategy so that students generate ownership and ground rules.

• In primary grades, the students answer questions such as
  • How do we act when we listen or discuss a story? i.e..
    • Listen to each other and the teacher.
    • Accept each others ideas.
    • Ask questions.
    • Don't interrupt.
• In intermediate grades, by immersion experience students learn what guidelines they need. They next write their responses on a chart.
  • What did you like about Literature Circles?
  • How can we improve?

Assist students to identify the elements of effective discussion. (See EXAMPLES for PDF Format)

Scheduling
Assignments and schedules[View in HTML]
Assignments and schedules[View in PDF]]

If scheduling is spontaneous, you can expect chaos. Planning, preparation, and readiness are essential. Students meet on a frequent and predictable schedule.

To get started approximately 2-3 hours a week are needed to read, write in journal logs, meet in small groups, and gathering for whole class to share responses and monitor the development of conversations.

In high school, initial training involves students meeting several times a week, doing much of the reading and note taking during class and stopping for frequent meetings and debriefings. Once the students have internalized the process, reading becomes a homework assignment and once-a-week meetings are scheduled.

Student Roles and Templates

Go to EXAMPLES to download Role sheets.

Harvey Daniels describes the role sheets as "training wheels". Students rotate through the tasks setting a cognitive purpose for reading and an interactive one for the group discussions.

Students can mistake the roles for worksheets in disguise, so it is important to emphasize that a literature circle is a natural friendly, spontaneous, and free-flowing conversation.

The role sheets should be a backup. Often in successful literature circles, students never refer to the sheets.

Depending on the approach to training, students should not use the roles for more than three or for weeks. Replace the roles sheets with reading logs or reading response journals.

Differentiating, Adapting, Scaffolding [View as HTML]
Guided Reading Approach in Literature Circles [View in HTML]
Communication with Parents