Literature Circles and Response, K-12

 

Instructor:            Nancy J. Johnson, Associate Professor

                        English Department, Western Washington University

                        Campus phone: (360) 650-3227

                        Home phone: (206) 284-4590

                        e-mail: nancyj0303@aol.com

 

Credit Available:             2 quarter credits through S.P.U.

 

Course Meets:             Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, August 9th – 11th, 2000

                                    8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; Shoreline Center

 

Course Text:            Getting Started With Literature Circles (1999, Christopher-Gordon, Publ.)

 

Course Objectives:

The objectives of this course are to…

  • Establish an understanding of literature discussion groups - What are they?  Why should they exist?  How do they operate?

  • Explore the teaching and learning of reading skills and strategies within and through reading discussions;

  • Explore the teaching and learning of the elements of literature through literature circle participation;

  • Explore the diverse ways of responding to literature, extending literary understanding through written, visual, and performing arts;

  • Examine the multiple roles of the teacher in planning for discussion and response;

  • Look at ways to assess participation and reader growth through discussion, writing, the arts, and self-reflection.

 

Expected Outcomes:

Learners/Teachers will…

·        Develop a clearer understanding of literature discussion group methodology;

·        Extend understanding about literary elements;

·        Increase knowledge of the wide variety of ways to encourage response to literature;

·        Develop and implement criteria to select books rich with potential for discussion and response;

·        Plan how to adapt literature discussion groups according to teaching situation and how to weave them into an existing reading/literature/language arts program.

 

Washington State EARLs Addressed:

Reading

  1. The student understands and uses different skills and strategies to read. (1.1, 1.2, 1.4)

  2. The student understands the meaning of what is read. (2.1, 2.2, 2.3)

  3. The student reads different materials for a variety of purposes. (3.1, 3.3)

  4. The student sets goals and evaluates progress to improve reading. (4.1, 4.2, 4.3)

Communication

  1. The student uses listening and observation skills to gain understanding. (1.1, 1.2, 1.4)

  2. The student communicates ideas clearly and effectively. (2.1, 2.2)

  3. The student uses communication strategies and skills to work effectively with others. (3.1, 3.2, 3.3)

  4. The student analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of formal and informal communication. (4.1, 4.2)

 

Course Activities and Expectations:

 

1) Attendance and Participation—Your attendance and interaction all three days are mandatory for course credit.  The sharing of your experiences (as a reader, responder, and teacher), your questions, puzzlement, and active participation are encouraged.

 

2) Literature-Response-Related Activities—Since this is a course focused on successful filed-tested reading strategies, you will be invited to consider various activities and thoughtful theory-to-practice considerations.  As you listen and participate, take into account your own students, your teaching situation, your knowledge of selecting literature and availability of resources, and consider ways to adapt each procedures and activities for the literature you select to use with your own students.

 

3) Implementation Plan—Within a few weeks following our Institute, consider ways to implement/adapt/revise literature response groups for your particular teaching situation.  You may want to consider how to implement literature circles beginning next school year.  You may want to consider how to invite more diverse forms of response to extend a reader’s interpretation.  You may want to focus on reviewing children’s/adolescent literature in order to plan a theme, author, or genre study.  You may want to do some professional reading to obtain further information about a particular aspect of literature circles and/or response.  You may also want to reflect on how to share more responsibility for dialogue and response with student readers.

 

Based on your interest and professional needs, select a focus for this Implementation Plan and type up your considerations, plans, responses, reviews (the shape of your Plan will be determined by your focus—aim for 3-5 pages).  Mail this Plan to me (see address below) so that it’s postmarked no later than August 20th in order to receive credit.  If you’d like feedback on your Plan, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

 

Assessment/Evaluation:

A Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory credit system is in effect for this course.  Satisfactory is earned by:

            --Attendance and participation at all three Institute days

            --Completion of written Implementation Plan

 

Mail Implementation Plan postmarked by August 20th to:

 

Nancy J. Johnson

      3476 W. Blaine St.

      Seattle, WA  98199-3962

 

[Remember: Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope if you’d like written feedback.]

Topics to be covered:

 

Literature Circles

            --setting purpose and establishing rationale

            --building a structure for response groups

            --eliciting discussion/teaching discussion strategies

            --selecting literature with discussion potential

            --assessing, evaluating, and self-reflecting

 

Response

            --looking at response logs/journals/notebooks (response during reading)

            --considering purpose for extension projects (response after reading)

            --examining diverse forms of response (oral, written, artistic, performance)

 

            Teachers must come to trust themselves to grow in their own ability to read and talk about a book with insight and clarity—to become aware of the times when the work in a literature study group goes beyond mere sharing to an opportunity for true dialogue.  Accept approximation in yourself as you accept it in your students.  Good teaching takes time.  We must be patient with ourselves as well as with our students as we make our way.  We are all learners.

 

[R. Peterson & M. Eeds (1990). Grand Conversations: Literature Groups in Action.  New York: Scholastic, 24.]