1. LITERATURE CIRCLES Literature circles bring together two potent ideas:
Independent reading
Cooperative learning

2. DISTINCTIVE FEATURES Students choose own reading materials
Small temporary groups formed based on book choice
Different groups read different books
Groups meet on regular, predictable schedule to discuss their reading
Students use written or drawn notes to guide both their reading and discussion
Discussion topics come from the students

3. DISTINCTIVE FEATURES
Group meetings are open, natural conversations about books
Students can play a rotating assortment of task roles
Teacher is a facilitator, not a group member or instructor
Evaluation is by teacher observation and student self-evaluation
A spirit of playfulness and fun pervades the room
Readers share with their classmates when books are finished, then new groups form around new reading choices

4. PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR LITERATURE CIRCLES
How long should the circle run?
Each cycle takes about three weeks, which means there’s about two books read in each literature circle.

5. How many classes can be engaged during the same term?
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR LITERATURE CIRCLES
How many classes can be engaged during the same term?
Ideally, no more than six.

6. How many titles are required?
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR LITERATURE CIRCLES
How many titles are required?
About six of each.

7. PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR LITERATURE CIRCLES
How do you go about choosing a book?
Choices are nominated and students choose the order they want to read in.

8. WHAT IS THE CLASSROOM TEACHER’S ROLE IN ALL THIS?
To work collaboratively with the Teacher Librarian.
Allocate roles to students in the group.
Enforce the information skills process which means small group presentation to the whole class group at end of the circle.

9. CENTRING THE LITERATURE CIRCLE AROUND THE INFORMATION SKILLS PROCESS
Brainstorm what questions are to be answered from the reading of the text
Keep reading logs
Locate answers through reading
Discussion often leads to new questions

10. CENTRING THE LITERATURE CIRCLE AROUND THE INFORMATION SKILLS PROCESS
Synthesis of answers (pull things together from a variety of places and put them together to make something new that is your own)
Organise and evaluate information then present to class aurally or in a written form

11. INFORMATION SKILLS PROCESS
Recognise a need for information
Be able to identify what information is required
Locate required information
Know what information you’re looking for
Evaluate the information
Organise and use information effectively

12. OUTCOMES By taking part in a literature circle you will:
Read a book of your choice with a group who have also chosen this book
Brainstorm with your group to identify questions you will answer in your reading
Discuss the book and work out a shared understanding of it
Pass on this understanding to the whole class group, therefore working through all the steps in the information skills process.

13. TO ACHIEVE THE OUTCOMES YOU WILL:
Choose a book
Play a role in discussions of the book
Keep a diary of your response to the book
Present as a group, a five minute response to the book

14. EVALUATION Teacher evaluates by observation during discussions
and marking of reading logs.
Students evaluate their own progress at the end of the literature circle.

15. SUMMARY OF ROLES Discussion Director Summariser Literary Luminary
Illustrator
Investigator
Vocabulary Enricher

16. ROLES in a LITERATURE CIRCLE
Discussion Director
Directs the discussion. Helps people talk over the big ideas in the reading and share their reactions. Could be thoughts, feelings and concerns which arise.

17. ROLES in a LITERATURE CIRCLE
Summariser
Prepares a brief summary of “today’s reading” which conveys the main highlights or the key points in the pages read.

18. ROLES in a LITERATURE CIRCLE
Literary Luminary
Locate parts of the text to read aloud to the group. Could be interesting, powerful, funny, puzzling or important.

19. ROLES in a LITERATURE CIRCLE
Illustrator
Draw some kind of picture related to the reading. Could be sketch, cartoon, diagram, flow-chart or stick-figure scene.

20. ROLES in a LITERATURE CIRCLE
Connector
Find connections between the book and the outside world. School, community, events in other times or places.

21. ROLES in a LITERATURE CIRCLE
Investigator
Dig up one piece of background information on any topic related to the book - geography, weather, culture, author, time period, history of book’s setting.

22. ROLES in a LITERATURE CIRCLE
Vocabulary Enricher
On the look out for a few especially important words in today’s reading - puzzling, unfamiliar, repeated a lot, unusual.

23. LITERARY CIRCLES
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