Artifact # 12
Literature Circles are organized groups, based on students’ reading levels, which read the same book and actively participate in the discussions of the book. Each student is assigned a certain role to complete for each section of the book. The student roles can be changed with each new reading section.
Context
I worked with two classmates to create this Literature Circle Unit
using Netscape Composer for my Language Arts Methods course at Appalachian
State University. The Literature Circle Unit, entitled “Native Americans,”
was divided into three levels (one on grade level- fourth, one above grade
level, and one below grade level). The books were divided into eight
sections for each reading level. Each group member worked individually
on their reading level, and then we collaborated on the Launch and Closure
activities for the unit. I created the lessons for fourth grade,
which is the on grade level.
Impact
I have participated in a Literature Circle myself and have seen it
in practice. It is a very effective method to help students develop
Reading and Language Arts skills. The various, interchangeable roles
provide in-depth searches into the stories and characters. The purpose
of the Literature Circle Unit is to accommodate a range of reading, instructional,
and developmental levels, as well as learning styles. This way, students
at all levels can experience success and improve their Reading, Writing,
and Language Arts skills. This unit can be used in a classroom or
referred to by teachers as a model to follow for their own Literature Circle.
Our Literature Circle Unit focuses on the Historical Fiction genre of Literature
and Native Americans.
.
Alignment
The Literature Circle Unit provides an opportunity for students to
really dig deep into a book. The roles require students to thoroughly
engross themselves in the story. They learn to connect with characters
and sympathize or celebrate with their experiences. All of this is
accomplished as students analyze and refer back to the text to locate information.
This in-depth look into a story helps students’ understanding and comprehension,
which in turn enables them to communicate more effectively (Tech.
Competency 12.1). Literature Circle Units are group activities
that require ample space for students to gather in number. The classroom
must be organized in such a way that active, collaborative work is accommodated.
This may include tables and open spaces or the ability to move desks to
make an appropriate group friendly setting. Refer to Artifact
8 for an illustration of a classroom setting that facilitates group
work (Tech. Competency 12.4). The
Literature Circle Unit has the provisions to accommodate to students’ various
learning styles and levels. The use of Literature Circles demonstrates
that a teacher recognizes the differences in students as they create opportunities
for diverse learners to have an active part in the classroom. The
various levels that a Literature Circle covers makes it a very useful and
adaptable instructional strategy (INTASC
3). Teachers must use their knowledge of individual students
and a group’s ability to cooperate and function effectively, in order to
ensure positive interaction, active participation, and self-motivation
among all students. The various levels of Literature Circles provide
opportunities to form groups that will function well (INTASC
5). Through Literature Circles, students willl be able to benefit
more from researching information, making predictions, and drawing conclusions
on their own, rather than just assuming the teacher's opinion. It
is important for students to find information on their own to prove and
support their opinions. Literature Circles allows them to do that
as they refer back to the readings and search for the answers to their
own questions. The learning then becomes a product of their own work.
They learn by actively teaching themselves to dig into the text to find
the answers they seek, thus, making the information more meaningful and
lasting (INTASC 1).