Facilitators discussed book discussion methods used in adult literacy programs. Methods included using photos from books to sequence events, connecting themes to personal experiences, incorporating related art activities, and using discussion questions to explore illustrations and differences in experiences. Facilitators emphasized building rapport, reviewing past discussions, and maintaining a flexible structure responsive to the group.

1. Conversations About
Books
Facilitators present sample books and discussion methods
they offer in the New Hampshire Humanities Council‟s Adult
Literacy Program, Connections.

2. Pumpkins by Ken Robbins
photo essay presented in beginning level ESOL class
Themes: Food, New England, Planting the Earth, Seasons
A great book for a mixed level ESOL
class as well as beginners, Pumpkins
gives beautiful, seasonal images
inviting identification, conversation,
and interpretation.
- Susan Bartlett

3. Pumpkins
Sequencing a Narrative: with Beginning Level Readers
and Speakers
After reading the book, we divided the class into three
groups. Each group received a series of photographs
from the 2010 Connecticut River “Pumpkin Flood” when
rising waters swept 100,000 pumpkins off several fields.
The photos show volunteers fishing pumpkins out of the
river. The class groups are asked to sequence the photos
so that they tell a story and then explain their reasoning
to the whole class. When we did this exercise in Laconia,
we had three different stories! After we discussed all the
possibilities, we looked at the article in the Valley News
to find out what really happened. We also talked about
what pictures were missing from the selection that
would have helped to better tell the true story. A similar
exercise could be used with many books, and there are
endless possibilities for writing practice. - Susan Bartlett

4. Deepak’s Diwali by Divya Karwal, illus. by
Doreen Lang
a picture book about the celebration of the Hindu
Festival of Lights, presented with a beginning level ESOL class.
Themes: Holidays, Family, Religions, Food.

5. Deepak’s Diwali
We created a festive atmosphere for the discussion of Deepak’s
Diwali. We dressed in traditional clothes for Diwali. I prepared
halwa, a traditional dessert, for the participants. It is one of the
traditional Diwali sweet dishes. I brought in the prayer book of
devotional songs sung on the Diwali day while worshipping
Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity and sang the songs
with the participants. I brought the traditional Diyas or oil lamps
used to light up homes on the Diwali day and the Pooja thaali or
the prayer plate used to worship the idol of Goddess Laxmi on
Diwali day.
I handed out a list of vocabulary words to the participants to
build their vocabulary and explained the meaning of each word
and enacted some of the words for them to give them a better
understanding of the text.
. - Appy Manchanda

6. Ferdinand by Munro Leaf
picture book presented at the NH State Prison for Women at
Goffstown
This children‟s book is an easy read that supports the
power of remaining true to oneself. There may be many
interpretations of the short book, but using it at the NH
State Prison for Women, the emphasis I used was on the art
of the illustration and the strength of the individual.
Since the illustrations are black and white and have
remained powerfully imaginative, I taught the women to
make Zentangles. This is an art form which can become
quite elaborate but allows all levels to participate, even
those who think they cannot draw a line. It is done in black
and white. – Linda Graham

7. Teammates by
Peter Golenbock, illus. by Paul Bacon
illustrated biography presented at NH State Prison for Men, Berlin
Themes: Justice, Race and friendship
On the theme of race and friendship:
Think of 5 activities that you do on a
regular basis (not necessarily daily).
Imagine that tomorrow you woke up
and your race had changed. How
would doing those activities be
different? How do you think
strangers would react to you?
If you were “Pee Wee” Reese‟s father,
how would you help him handle the
harassment? Do you think your
children would do what he did?
- Courtney Marshall

8. A Chair for My Mother by Vera Williams
a picture book presented with a mixed level ESOL class. Themes:
Saving, Overcoming hardships, Community, Family, Mothers &
daughters
A Chair for My Mother is designed with borders to each
page that echo the emotions of the characters in the story
and key events. Pivotal moments include a fire in the
family‟s apartment and later, a line of caring neighbors
walking over with household items to help them get
settled in their new home . As the visual experience of
reading this book is so rich I chose to copy in color the
boarders of some pages and share these with the
participants. We discussed how we might draw or sketch
difficulties we had experienced and happier times in our
lives. Brushes and watercolor paints and small glass jars
were available for people to use. We ended up with a
small „gallery‟ of paintings and discussed what we had
made and why. – Hetty Startup

10. Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
a novel in verse presented at the NH State Prison for Women
Themes: Historical fiction, U.S. history, Family, Jazz music, Planting the
Earth, Stamina, Endurance

11. Out of the Dust
One of the things that helped participants to feel comfortable both
with the book and with us as facilitators was the sharing of
photographs from the historical period of the dust bowl. Most
successful was the photography of Dorothea Lange, and most
useful of all was The Migrant Mother. After ample discussion,
and because the photo is so evocative, it led beautifully to a
writing exercise that can be individualized. Start by having
students list single words that the photo brings to mind when
they look at it. From that word list, an additional writing of
poetry, prose or memoir can .
I would love to go back and do a session with the women on Steinbeck's
work as they were ready and interested in it, but had never heard of his
novels. - Tammi Truax

12. My People by Langston Hughes
photos by Charles R. Smith, Jr.
photo essay with poem, presented with beginning/mixed level ESOL class .
Themes: the humanities
We began sessions by serving each
student a cup of hot tea. It was a good ice
breaker and places both facilitator and
student on a more level playing field. The
poem is short and succinct and written for
adults. Each phrase presents opportunities to
make leaps between the speaker‟s recent
culture and the new culture he or she has
entered. For example, when Hughes
compares his people to the stars, we used the
opportunity to talk about the North Star, and
its name in the various cultures. We moved
outside and investigated where the Polaris
would be that night in Concord.
Johanna Young, the teacher, is exploring
the possibility of a follow-up trip to the
Christa McAuliffe Planetarium.
– Rodger Martin

13. “We spoke the lines of the poem again and again to emphasize
the words, the rhythms, and the sounds. Once the poem was
familiar, students created individual poems in the style of
Langston Hughes's poem.” - Rodger Martin
For our final activity of the summer, we
held a poetry reading with different
students taking turns reading lines of
the poem. The rest of the class joined in
a chorus shouting, “my people” after each My mother is beautiful
line. Several students read their poems
as part of the performance. Most of the Like Bhutan is beautiful,
students were adults from age 20 up to
age 75. Family members, friends, staff, Like stars look beautiful at night.
and volunteers all came to watch the
performance. Students also brought - Hema Khanal
food to share. They decorated the dining
hall at First Congregational Church with
drawings of faces, trees, flowers and
words they had learned.
- Johanna Young

14. Ox Cart Man by Donald Hall
a picture book presented with developmentally disabled adults
“Each of the participants birthdays were a part of a particular season, a part of the
original story, and a part of the story about our own lives. “ Maren Tirabassi

15. Ox Cart Man
The community building activity at our session for Ox Cart Man was extremely
energizing for this non-reading group, and I can extrapolate that it would work very
well in an ESOL setting as well. A long sheet of table-covering white paper was divided
into blocks for the twelve months of the year. The participants brainstormed what
weather, what activities, what work and what fun they experience in each of these
months. We then noted everyone‟s birthdays so that individuals could identify with a
particular month.
Ox Cart Man begins in October when the father of the family packs his wagon for
Portsmouth market. The story of the family continues through a full year. We slowly
read the pages contrasting life in the two eras. The importance of contributions from
each family member in Donald Hall‟s story was compared to the importance of
contributions from different members of the contemporary family unit and other forms
of community, such as Community Partners. - Maren Tirabassi

16. Good Poems compiled by Garrison Keillor
thematic anthology presented at the NH State Prison for Men, Concord
Themes include: Work, Triumphs, Yellow
“Used”
I am alone
In a large quiet room.
It's peaceful.
The occasional passerby reaches out to greet me.
I'm worried they will only glance.
Then forget me without 2nd thoughts.
One day I'll touch someone that will seek
to use my words
one day. - Justin Hileman

17. Good Poems
I introduced two components of poems for the men to find in each poem we
would read: a “moment of surprise” and a “turning point”. I started with
the anonymous rhymed quatrains "The Village Burglar.” They quickly got
the idea of "the moment of surprise" saying you don't expect a burglar to go
to church, and identified the “turning point” as stealing from the collection
plate.
Richard Jones‟s poem "After Work” was the most popular poem, and one I
suggested as one they might want to record for their kids. We practiced
reading aloud to show how you say the words affects how you hear the
meaning. - Sara Backer

18. Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner
short novel read in Adult Basic Education group of tutors and students
Theme: Courage
What is courage?
Close your eyes and think of a time you have had courage. We
won‟t share these experiences, we will just remember them
silently – the situation, the feelings, what you saw, heard. Silence
(give your students time). Now say one word connected with
that experience. For example, my word would be “doorway.”
(Write the words on the board and ask someone else to record
them for you.) From these words, we‟ll keep in our minds these
experiences of courage. - Maggie Moore

19. The use of the theme of courage
So often, when beginning readers start a book, they perhaps
approach the book with trepidation: Will I understand the words,
the story? Will I get to the end? Will I “get it”? They think of the
book as an object separate from themselves; the reading is
“bookcentric.”
Talking about courage brings them - who they are - to the book.
They know about courage. Talking together about the theme
gives readers confidence in their own knowledge and shows
respect for their intelligence and experience. The discussion also
helps them access the book in an individual and personal way.
They see another reason for reading. - Maggie Moore

20. One Green Apple by Eve Bunting
a picture book presented in a mixed intermediate ESOL class
Theme: acclimating to a new life or situation

21. Provide discussion questions during the reading that focus on differences,
difficulties, methods of communication, feelings, belonging, predictions, fitting
in, and details in the illustrations:
How does each page‟s illustration prepare you for what might happen next?
What differences does Farah notice?
What difficulties does Farah name?
What do people do to try to communicate?
How has Farah changed by the end of the story?
How have individuals in the class changed?
- Carolyn Cicciu

22. Reading Art
At the beginning of the program
with display the painting on chalkboard or
window ledge.
The Midnight
During the last 15-20 minutes, gather
Ride of Paul everyone around the picture. Let
them look at it for a moment before
Revere posing questions. Ask responders to
Illustrated poem and image from point out in the picture support for
Picturing America presented with their statements:
mixed ESOL/ABE group
Painting: The Midnight Ride of Paul How is the story of the title being told?
Revere by Grant Wood
Is it a pleasant story? A frightening
story?
Could this be a photo? (A way to
address the slight surrealism of the
painting: the point of view, lighting,
trees in background, etc.)
Could this painting have a different title?
- Jennifer Lee

23. The Most Beautiful Place in The World
By Ann Cameron
Very short novella with illustrations read with mixed level ESOL class
Themes: Family, Grandmothers, Education, Learning to Read, Child labor
What I picked up from the students in
class was that students love to and
want to reminisce. The Most Beautiful
Place in The World transports readers to
their past world of
siblings, friends, uncles, grandmothers,
and little towns. When I started going
around collecting those short stories
from students, they became engaged
and wanted to discuss some family
events and routines. Many students
remembered all their favorite places
and celebrated those settings where
they were most alive and felt that they
belonged.
- Maria Cristina Rojas

24. Facilitators’ Tips for Successful Book
Discussions
It seems that the most successful group discussions were the ones in which I
took a risk in suggesting a meaning that was unexpected.
- Linda Graham
Build a rapport with the participants, invite them to relate to the text with their
own life experiences, and summarize the story at the end of each discussion.
- Appy Manchanda
By introducing different ways of telling (painting and drawing) there are
affirmations for different kinds of talents. Make sure to say that the art work is
not being graded in any way.
- Hetty Startup

25. Food is both a big draw, and a good ice breaker and equalizer, and can
always be somehow connected to every reading. Participants at the
Goffstown Prison wished that we could have incorporated food into the
program at least once.
- Tammi Truax
In Community Partners and in ESOL classes as well, offering a personal
connection with the story creates the atmosphere for good discussion and
counterbalances any drawbacks of a particular book.
- Maren Tirabassi
At the start of each week, I briefly review highlights of the discussion from
the week before.
- Maggie Moore
Bring joyful energy into the room and express gratitude for everyone‟s
willingness to “play with books.”
- Courtney Marshall

26. Maintain a basic structure, but be flexible and responsive to the group,
allowing for small (fun) variations throughout the series.
- Jennifer Lee
Begin class with an activity that involves every student saying
something. It might be something simple like naming a fruit they like to
eat or that is native to their country. Having spoken once before the
class begins gives the students courage to participate later. This could
be done as a whole class activity or in small groups.
- Carolyn Cicciu
ESOL students are motivated learners. Articulate every sound. Do not
rush your language.
- Rodger Martin