What: Literature Circles are small groups of readers, often formed by book choice, who meet to discuss a piece of literature in depth. Students collaborate and talk about the events/characters in the book, author’s craft, personal experiences related to the book, and other topics, depending on their selected role. The skills and strategies are addressed using the book as a reference point. Students reshape and add to their understandings as they co-construct meaning. Assessment is immediate and via observation and group dynamics. The strategy varies by teacher, by classroom, from year to year. It is a flexible and fluid strategy.

Who: Literature Circles can be used in any grade level, as long as the text selected is grade-level appropriate.

When: As students participate in their literature circle, they will read the selected text using a certain role. Since students read the text using a specific role, literature circles are used BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER reading. Students think about their role BEFORE reading, read the text using the role DURING reading, and discuss the text as a group AFTER reading.

Why: While participating in literature circles, students read the designated text, respond in their reading journal, talk about what was read with other group members, ask questions, make connections, and make meaning. Students become involved in the text in different aspects, depending on the role that they take.

How: To begin using literature circles, the teacher will select a book that students will read while participating in literature circles. The teacher will place students in groups for literature circles. Sometimes, students in each group are allowed to select the book that they will read during their literature circle. The teacher breaks apart the reading and students select their roles for the literature circle. The roles (see below) will change during each literature circle meeting. The students will read the text for the literature circle meeting. Each literature circle will meet during class time. The meetings should only last for about 10-15 minutes. During each literature circle meeting, the student roles will change. The process will continue until students complete the novel. Usually, literature circles are concluded with an extension project that helps readers revisit what they’ve read, continue the conversations, and create even more meaning. Possible extension projects include a foldable, character bookmarks, accordion book, story hat, story quilt, ABC book, scrapbook, comic strip, book cover, newspaper, debate panel, or a reader’s theatre.

Examples of Literature Circle Roles:

Discussion Director writes questions that will lead to discussion by the group.

Literary Luminary-points out interesting or important passages within the reading.

Capable Connector-finds connections between the reading material and something outside the text, such as a personal experience, a topic studied in another class, or a different work of literature.

Character captain-finds adjectives that describe one or more of the characters.

Artistic Adventurer- uses some form of artwork to represent a significant scene or idea from the reading.

Vocabulary Enricher- discusses words in the text that are unusual, interesting, or difficult to understand.

***Roles vary by teacher, by classroom, and from year-to-year.