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Literature Circles As Support for Language Development

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Literature Circles As Support for Language Development MOHAMED ELHESS AND JOY EGBERT United States Literature Circles as Support for Language Development here are many instructional approaches for helping English language learners improve both reading comprehension and overall language Tproficiency. One such approach, the literature circle—which is somewhat like a student book club in the classroom—has drawn a great deal of attention in recent years (Schlick Noe and Johnson 1999). Many teachers champion the strategy and use it consistently in their classrooms (Daniels 2002). According to the Standards for the English focused on the chosen book. Examples of Language Arts published by the International five individual roles are Discussion Director, Reading Association and National Council Literary Luminary, Illustrator, Summarizer, of Teachers of English (1996, 32), the and Vocabulary Enricher (Daniels and instructional practices realized by literature Steineke 2004). The Discussion Director’s circles embody quality educational standards task, for example, could be to develop at and are used by teachers “who are bringing least five questions about the text and then out the best in their students day by day.” To share these questions with the group. The shed light on the many ways that literature Literary Luminary pinpoints important parts circles improve English skills, this article of the text for the group in order to stimulate defines the term, provides a brief theoretical thinking and elicit some interesting facts foundation for the use of literature circles, about the text. The Illustrator’s job might be describes their benefits, and then presents a to draw pictures related to the reading and four-lesson unit that applies the approach to share the drawings with the group; the group the teaching of a literary text. members then speculate on the meaning of the pictures and connect them to their own WHAT IS A LITERATURE CIRCLE? ideas about the text. The Summarizer’s role is to recall what happened in the reading and A literature circle is an activity in which prepare a summary for the group, and the members meet to discuss and respond to Vocabulary Enricher helps the group find a book that they are all reading (Daniels and discuss new or difficult words (Daniels 2002). As Cameron et al. (2012) explain, and Steineke 2004). These roles can rotate literature circles are led mostly by students, with each discussion so that every student while the teacher remains in the background has the opportunity to perform each role. and performs only basic control functions. Overall, the purpose of the literature circle Roles are usually assigned to members of the is to support student language improvement, literature circle to allow the group to function particularly through reading comprehension productively and to help members remain and vocabulary learning. americanenglish.state.gov/english-teaching-forum 2015 ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM 13 BENEFITS OF LITERATURE CIRCLES Enhanced responsibility and motivation Another benefit of literature circles is Recent evidence demonstrates that literature helping students feel a sense of ownership circles positively impact student learning and responsibility. Student choice and social processes and language development. Much interaction easily integrate into literature of this impact is directed towards several circles, which support student motivation important areas for language learning, and can have a very powerful effect on including the following. achievement (Burner 2007). Researchers have also found that when students work in Improved comprehension skills collaborative groups they encourage each Most important of all the benefits, other’s efforts and that this leads to increased literature circles help students develop motivation and effort (Daniels 2002; Chi comprehension skills that are essential 2008; Williams 2009). when reading a text. Literature circles support strategies such as visualizing, Expanded collaborative discussion connecting, questioning, inferring, Reading specialists highlight discussion, and analyzing that are vital to solid student response, and collaboration—all comprehension and lively conversation aspects of literature circles—as important (Daniels and Steineke 2004). Since the for providing a way for students to engage in assigned roles in literature circles require critical thinking and reflection (Schlick Noe students to draw the events, create questions, and Johnson 1999). When students learn a and summarize the text, learners are called second language, collaborative discussions upon to use a variety of strengths and skills with peers often play a vital role in reinforcing to prepare for the discussion. As students comprehension skills (Egbert 2007; Ketch perform their roles, they draw information 2005) because the active involvement that from the text, pay attention to details to takes place entails speaking and listening to support their ideas, highlight main ideas, many different perspectives, which deepens and respond critically to what they have read second language learners’ understandings by making judgments about the characters’ (Schlick Noe and Johnson 1999). intentions and actions, and about how and why things happened in the story. Developed oral proficiency Research has found that the target language is learned more effectively when Literature circles help students second language learners have a variety of opportunities to practice real communication develop comprehension skills that (Krashen 1981); working in literature groups are essential when reading a text. provides students with opportunities for social interaction and communication about issues important to them (Echevarria, Vogt, Increased student participation and Short 2008; Nagy and Townsend 2012). in a safe environment During the meaningful oral discussions that Literature circles help to provide a safe occur in literature circles, learners have more classroom environment where students can opportunities to practice oral skills, which build confidence and feel enabled to take risks eventually may help to develop their oral while interacting in their second language proficiency (Souvenir 1997). (Burns 1998; Larson 2008). Learners may feel more comfortable working with their peers Increased scaffolding opportunities than being constantly monitored or corrected Scaffolding is the support given to students by the teacher and may be more willing to during the learning process so that they share their viewpoints without feeling anxious can cope with the learning task (Sawyer about making mistakes. 2006). Almasi, McKeown, and Beck (1996), 14 ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM 201 5 americanenglish.state.gov/english-teaching-forum for example, note that the discussing and • define and provide examples of vocabulary exchanging of ideas that occur in literature from the text and identify a language circles can support a deep understanding concept (e.g., similes, metaphors, of a text. This scaffolding shapes students’ allusions) used in literature; and attitudes, helping them realize that their reading challenges are solvable, and increases • understand the idea of timelines, create their interest and involvement in the given conversations based on narratives, and use activity. transition signals to compare and contrast. Reinforced writing skills Using the text Holes for a literature circle Reading interactions may have positive effects Holes, by Louis Sachar (1998), a popular on writing skills in general; they may also young-adolescent text for intermediate-level support greater participation and involvement language students, will be the basis of several as students share and shape their opinions tasks in this four-lesson unit. In the book, on paper. Teachers can assign engaging and the author tells the tale of two young main challenging group-writing activities that characters who are cursed with bad luck, stimulate students’ critical thinking, such as Stanley Yelnats and Hector Zeroni, who is choosing a different ending to a short story, called Zero. Stanley is wrongly accused of writing a short critique, or addressing writing stealing a pair of baseball shoes, and Zero was prompts that reflect knowledge of what they abandoned by his mother and has experienced have read (Webb et al. 1998). a lot of suffering and difficulties in his lifetime. It is these misfortunes that result in the boys OVERVIEW OF FOUR-LESSON UNIT being incarcerated in a juvenile correctional facility called Camp Green Lake, which The brief overview of targets and processes has neither green plants nor a lake. At the below demonstrates how literature circles harsh desert camp (representative of actual might be used in the language classroom in a juvenile facilities in the United States but not unit consisting of four lessons. like any specific ones), all the inmates are given tools to dig holes in the hard ground in Instructional goals order to “build character”; however, the story Although instructional goals for literature reveals a different purpose for the digging: circles may vary depending on the text and the administrators of the camp are looking context, the goal of the unit is that students, for a supposed buried treasure. Through a through group activities and discussion, will series of flashbacks, the story reveals how the be able to analyze and comprehend a text. At current events that the characters take part in the end of this sample unit, students should be intertwine with events that took place in the able to: past and how these events affect their lives. Eventually, the
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