|Exploring Reading Strategies Through Literature Circles|
We will begin by introducing how Literature Circles can help to make reading more meaningful for students and deepen the understanding and comprehension of books and stories.
Structure of Lit Circles
Read Aloud Modeling
Marty will the introduce the process through a read aloud with the whole group, using the following steps: listening, reading, developing questions, looking at vocabulary and character representation, followed by a written response.
Group Modeling Activity
Reading and Developing Questions:
(For more ways to explore writing responses see tab called Responding Through Writing and Sharing)Roles of Students
By assigning roles to students - every group member has a task. This is designed to support collaborative learning where all students have a role so that they can be interactive and feel a responsibility toward the learning that will happen within their lit circle groups.
We will look at student role sheets and how to use them. These are great ways to get your students jumpstarted into the structure of Lit Circles. But these sheets are set up to be transitional, temporary devices. The goal of all role sheets is to make them obsolete.
Refer to the handout in workshop packet excerpted from Harvey Daniels book, Literuature Circles: Voice and Choice in the Student-Centered Classroom. There are many more resources on the web - here are a few:
Theory to Practice: Literature Circles
Literature Circle Roles Reframed: Reading as a Film Crew
Meeting the Standards Through Lit Circle Activities
Any of the follow California State Content Grade Level Standards for Language Arts could be met through using Literature Circles strategies.