How to Launch Literature Circles in your Classroom
Something that has become kind of a buzz word around my school lately is Literature Circles.
I think it's common this time of year for teachers to start to feel a little 'over' their standard guided reading routines. I know I always feel a little antsy in the spring, and look for ways to jazz things up!
For our struggling readers, it's hard to step too far away from the structure routine of small groups, because there is still so much that they need your guidance for. For some of those babies, you could just be one solid guided reading lesson away from a breakthrough, and we know we can't loosen the reigns just yet!
But, we can recognize those kiddos who can stray from our nest a little bit and are ready to apply those reading skills on their own! And that's where many of us decide that it's time to introduce novel studies, book clubs, or literature circles.
Literature circles look like the perfect solution to our problem from a distance, but once we get into them, many of us get overwhelmed and just let them fall apart. OR we take over and turn them in to guided reading lessons with novels, which isn't the purpose of a literature circle. If the kids aren’t leading the charge, then we’ve missed the point a bit.
So, the million dollar question is...how can we actually work literature circles into our classrooms in a way that facilitates growth in our students, promotes independence, but does not disrupt the classroom routines we have worked so hard to set up??
Friends, I have some ideas for you. I am certainly NOT an expert, but I have years of trial and error on my side. Literature circles have eluded me over and over again, and I have had an embarrassing number of groups of students that should have been able to handle the work of a lit circle on their own, but instead had no success because my teaching fell short. I let them run off with a book with not enough structure or not enough guidance. Scroll to see some of my top tips!
1.) Let the students be a part of setting expectations for meeting times
You can set the expectations for the kids, but it’s going to really make a lasting impression if they are involved in the rule-setting process. Designating a meeting spot, and give the kids time to come up with their own list of rules for how they want to behave and respond to each other during their meeting times. I like to have the final approve of this list, but ultimately I want them to be the ones to say things to each other like, “It’s important that we don’t interrupt each other when we’re speaking”, or “It’s important that we arrive on time with all of our work done”…the kids are WAY more likely to oblige when a peer is saying it.
2.) Group your students wisely, and break the groups apart if needed
When you are planning to send your kiddos off to work on something independently from you, you probably consider both the behavioral aspects of the group as well as the academic. That's no different here. Your students may be automatically grouped together if you are trying literature circles for the first time, because you may want to pilot one with your "four highest" kiddos according to a particular piece of data. If you have 4-6 high-achieving kiddos whom you are wanting to put into a literature circle, but you have some behavior issues in there, as well, don't be shy to break the group into two small groups to start out with. You can have them complete the same assignments at the same pace, but it will allow you to all get your feet wet before you dive into a group of six fifth graders all trying to discuss a chapter of a book at the same time! If you need to baby step them, do it! You can join them all together after a few weeks, when the routines have been established. But nothing will interrupt your guided reading groups faster than a bunch of silliness happening in the back corner of your room. The purpose of this is for your students to grow, not to get a break from working, so make sure they understand that by putting them in purposeful peer groups. :)
3.) Know what you want them to do, and make it clear
I recommend having the same routine for every meeting. Something like this goes well:
The kids read the assigned text selection once independently. Then they skim back over it to find evidence to fill out the journal page for their job. This can be done during center time in the days leading up to their meeting. (I had the kids meet two days a week, and read/respond on the alternate days that they weren’t meeting).
When the kids show up for the meeting, they first review their contracts so they know how they need to act during this meeting time.
They flip their workbooks open to the page for that reading.
The discussion director gets everyone started, and they go from there sharing what they wrote, but also listening and responding to what they liked or would add on to what others are saying.
The time keeper makes sure everyone is getting an equal amount of time to share.
The discussion director keeps the group moving smoothly, and all kids have accountable talk stems in their workbooks to give them language for when they want to interject.
4.) Check in with the kids to make sure this is all working
As the kids have their meetings (2 times a week, or however often you decide), make a plan on your own to sit in and listen once a week or so. This is where you can give them feedback, guidance, and help keep their conversation on pace. The point of this entire thing is for the kids to be able to facilitate a way to deepen their own comprehension, so if that’s not happening, you may need to jump in and help!
In the end, Literature Circles/Book Clubs/whatever you want to call them, are a great way to review lots of reading standards you did this year with your kids, but in a way that will be brand new and exciting for them!
If you want to simplify the planning and prep for yourself, I have a Literature Circle Kit in my TPT store that is perfect as we near the end of the year! Check it out, and get your kids going with this great activity!
