Technology Expert: Julie Wood
Traditional Boundaries: Taking Literature Circles Online
see literacy as a powerful tool, they seek to use literacy abilities
beyond the confines of the classroom and curriculum.
Raphael, Florio-Ruane, & George, p. 159.
past decade literature circles have become part of the educational
landscape in classrooms across the nation. Tens of thousands of
teachers have enthusiastically embraced this method of "getting
at" literature in ways that help students interpret the books they
read. In contrast to the old understanding of literacy, in which
the meaning resided in the book (with one "right" interpretation),
in the literature circle model meaning is more fluid. Drawing on
Rosenblatt's (1978) Reader Response Theory, the interpretation of
a book is a transaction that takes place between the reader
and the text. Everything a reader brings to the experience, such
as purpose and context, becomes an important part of the transaction.
And in the literature circle format, the teacher places students
on center stage; their responses to a book its themes, its
use of language are central to making meaning.
But even the
powerful effects of engaging students in the interpretation of texts
doesn't explain the cult-like following of devotees to the literature
circle model. After all, "book groups," in one form or another,
have been around ever since our early ancestors learned to read
and could get their hands on compelling works.
of Literature Circles
Why do literature
circles work so well? I agree with my former graduate student, Bonnie
Nishihara, who remarked that the underlying philosophy of these
book talks calls to mind In the Middle, by Nancie Atwell,
a ground-breaking book we read in class. In her book, Atwell describes
her longing to transform her middle-grade classroom into a literary
dining room table. She paints a picture of lively evenings with
her husband and friends spent in conversation about books. Their
discussions managed to be in-depth, yet informal. Atwell (1987)
notes, ". . . our talk isn't sterile or grudging or perfunctory.
It's filled with jokes, arguments, exchanges of information, descriptions
of what we loved and hated and why" (p. 19).
How can classroom
environments become conducive to such spirited exchanges? Daniels
(2001) offers teachers several detailed guidelines, or "ingredients"
for creating vibrant, pedagogically-sound literature circles. The
most striking ones, to my thinking, are those that emphasize:
integration of reading and writing;
The deep processing of texts;
Students' active engagement in their own learning by taking
on roles such as being the one who finds the connections, the one
who develops questions, the one who takes note of literary sections,
or the one who responds to a text through art; and
The fact that students' identities and interests are taken
into account in selecting books (along with teacher guidance).
students with individual needs? Can they benefit from literature
circles? Absolutely. According to Professor Katherine S. Noe of
Seattle University, who has researched the effects of literature
circles, "the power of working together to make meaning cannot be
underestimated for challenged readers, whether their challenges
are related to language, learning or motivation" (quoted in Brown,
2001). As with many other literacy activities, heterogeneous grouping
can be an effective strategy
for less-skilled readers. Through collaboration with more advanced
peers, at-risk students can demonstrate their talents and abilities
as well as meet the challenges posed by their classmates.
Circles and the Standards
today's emphasis on aligning curriculum to national standards, teachers
need to take a hard look at how they spend every instructional minute.
In fact, the literature circle model does dovetail with the standards
movement. Specifically, one of the major goals for our students,
according to the National Council of Teachers of English and the
International Reading Association Standards
for the Reading Language Arts is for students to develop depth
and breadth in their reading, as well as to read for their own personal
gratification. Further, literature circles have received recognition
from both of these professional organizations for exemplifying "best
classroom practices" (cited in Daniels, 2001).
if we were to take literature circles one step further via telecommunications?
What if students were able to transcend school walls and communicate
with peers across the country about books? Such virtual conversations
could add an important dimension to students' literary explorations
without replacing face-to-face conversations. Email would allow
them to meet online and participate in virtual "dining room tables."
While some children I've taught are uncomfortable corresponding
with people they don't know, most welcome the opportunity to talk
to children in a different geographic area. And in navigating these
new worlds, I have seen children's writing become more sophisticated
than when they compose traditional assignments. For example, many
learn to develop voice, a sense of audience, and the ability to
take on the correspondent's perspective.
Beck, Instructional Technology Specialist in Cumming, Georgia,
is a strong advocate for using new technologies in ways that connect
students with the larger world. "Simple activities can get you started,"
Sandy remarked in a recent conversation. "Even young children
first or second graders can get involved if teachers first
lay the groundwork for online exchanges." Where to begin, though?
"One great way to get started," Sandy suggests, "is to exchange
email messages about books with children in the classroom across
the hall. Before moving into the more elaborate methods described
by Daniels (2001), you can have kids first get their feet wet by
exchanging a few responses to a book or sharing an original cover
your online literature circle experence in a professional discussion
board about this topic. You'll be able to tell us what worked well
in your classroom and help other educators brainstorm ways to meet
the challenges they encounter.
N. (1981). In the middle: Writing, reading, and learning with
adolescents. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Brown, M. D.
circles build excitement for books!
(2002). Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs &
Reading Groups. Stenhouse Publishers.
Classroom as a Literate Environment. In 28 takes on 21st
century literacy development.
Novick, R. (1998).
Learning to read and write: A place to start. Portland, OR:
Northwest Regional Educational Lab.
E., Florio-Ruane, S. & George, M. (2001). Book club plus:
A conceptual framework to organize literacy instruction. Language
Arts, Vol. 79, No. 2, pp. 159-168.
L. (1978). The reader, the text, the poem: The transactional
theory of the literary work. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois