short explanation about literature circles, a technique to use story books in the classroom

1. Literature Circle:
An alternative way to use
books in the classroom
Nurkholis Ainunnajib
n.ainunnajib@gmail.com

2. Using Books in the Classroom
Bored to use TB & WB?
Want to try
something new?
Ever tried other
kinds of books?

3. Overview
Using story books in the classroom
The benefits
Selecting the books to use
Activities using story books
Simulation & sharing

4. Story books in the Classroom
Children enjoy listening to stories in their
mother tongue and understand the
conventions of narrative.
As soon as they hear the formula “Once upon
a time…” they know what to expect next.
(Ellis & Browster, in Machias, 2008)

5. Why story books?
 They are a good resource to integrate
different communicative skills.
 They contain moral values.
 They provide an ideal introduction to a target
language presented in a context that is familiar
to the child (vocab & grammar).
 They allow cross curricular activities. Arts,
history, science, music, drama, geography, math
etc.
(Machias, 2008)

6. Selecting the books to use
Example of a book that can be used for some
lessons, e.g. Pia Merawat Ikan, Lily in the
Book Land  just the cover
leveled reading
chicken soup for teenage
Bumi Manusia

7. How can we use them?
- Treasure hunt
- Sustained Silent Reading
- Pyramid of the Story
- Listen and Sequence
- Role-playing
- Speech bubbles for a comic
- Literature Circles

8. Literature Circles…
small, peer-led discussion groups whose
members have chosen to read the same
story, poem, article, or book.
(Daniels, 2002)

9. Literature Circles…

the learners are divided into some small
groups during the sessions.

each group (or the teacher, in EFL context)
then chooses one article, book, or story that
has to be read within a period agreed.

then they will meet regularly to discuss
what they have read.

each member is assigned a temporary role,
like director, connector, summarizer,
researcher, vocabulary enricher, illustrator,
travel tracer.

they will rotate the role in every meeting

10. Some of the roles
Discussion Director
• Lead the discussion
• Make questions to make the discussion alive
Smart Summarizer
• Prepare a brief summary of today’s reading
• Start the discussion by reading the summary
Word Wizard
• Find some important, unusual, or attractive words
• Show them in the reading to the members
Artful Artist
• Draw some kinds of picture related to the reading
• It can be a sketch, cartoon, diagram, flowchart, or
stick-figure scene
Capable
Connector
• find connections between the book and you, and
between the book and the wider world

11. How to do it?
 Preparation:
- select a book/short story/poem
- form the groups
- mini-lessons about the steps and the roles (or
some techniques for giving questions, arguing
opinions, etc)
 During discussion:
- teachers just observe and/or assess.
 After discussion:
- teachers ask some groups to share
- teachers give clarification or appraisal for what
students have discussed

12. Assessments?
 daily stamps
 observation sheets
 self-assessed check-list
 book projects
 reflection journal
 student-teacher conferences
 portfolios

13. LC with textbooks
(Wilfong, 2011)
LC for early young
learners:
One role one time
(Veira, 2012)
Some adaptations
Mini LC
(Veira, 2012)

14. Mini Literature Circles

15. Any more
ideas?

16. References:
Daniels, H. (2002). Literature circles: Voice and
choice in book clubs and reading groups (2nd
ed.). Ontario: Stenhouse Publishers.
Machias, D.F. (2008). Story books.
http://www.slideshare.net/DIEGOFMACIAS/usingstory-books
USAID DBE2]. (2010). Classroom reading Program.
Veira, I. (2012). Literature circles for young
students.
http://www.pearsonclassroomlink.com/articles/09
12/0912_0102.htm
Wilfong, L. G. (2011). Textmasters: Bringing
literature circles to textbook reading across the
curriculum.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1598/JAAL.5
3.2.7/abstract