--Literature Discussion Groups 101
Britt Humphries
Literacy Specialist
Fort Smith Public Schools
http://brittsliteracyworkshops.pbwiki.com
Objective
• Participants will learn
about literature discussion
groups -what they are and
how to start them in your
classroom.
• Learn some does and
don'ts from someone that
been there, done that,
and helped others.
So what is a literature discussion
group?
• Literature discussion
groups are students and a
teacher gathering
together to have
conversations about a
book at more than a
superficial level.
Simply put,
they are small-group
conversations about
books.
-Teaching for Deep
Comprehension
p.81
The conversations consist of
meaningful conversational
chains that build
comprehension and new
understandings.
So what does that mean?
What are conversational
chains?
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
• What do you think about
the boy Josef?
• What type of a character is
Josef?
• Do we see a change in
Josef or is he a stagnant
character?
Conversational Chains
• What are they?
• Students develop literate language
through these conversations that are
centered around texts.
• Children must hold
extended chains of
discourse in their memories
as they contemplate how
to add their own ideas into
the meaning making
chains.
-TFDC
What is it not?
• It is not students left to their
own devices
• It is not a hands off affair
Literate discourse is most effective
when the teacher is available to
monitor and guide
The teacher is an active participant,
leading from behind
The teacher must understand
how to use language as an
instructional tool for activating
thinking.
-p.81
What is it not?
• It is not a stagnant group
• It is not about “jobs”
. . . readers who approach text with a
clear-cut, conscious purpose will
comprehend more. (Keene &
Zimmerman, 1997)
. . . role sheets had two purposes: to
help kids read and discuss better.
Literature Circle p.13
How do I get started?
• Find some good resources
to read about literature
discussion groups
• Teaching for Deep
Comprehension by Dorn &
Soffos
– CHAPTER SEVEN
• Literature Circles by Harvey
Daniels
Getting started continued
• Have a model to show
students
– Show a video
– Have a fishbowl group
– Start whole class with
something you have
read to the kids
Getting started continued
• Start planting the
language you want to
hear in discussion groups
when you are teaching,
modeling, and sharing
• This starts BEFORE you start
literature discussion groups
Getting started continued
• Use picture books rather than
chapter books
• Well-written short text gives
kids an opportunity to read
a piece quickly, dig into the
themes and respond to
them.
-Strategies that Work,
2nd ed.
p. 62
Getting started continued
• Read, read, read
– You have to know what’s out
there to pick from
– You have to have read the
book to participate and
anticipate
• Set standards with students
• Create anchor charts to use as
scaffolds for the conversations
• PLAN!
Framework from TFDC
• Component 1: Introduction and
Selection of a Book
• Component 2: Silent Reading
• Component 3: Teacher Conference
• Component 4: Group Discussion
• Component 5: Peer Discussions
• Component 6: Text Mapping and Focus
Groups
• Component 7: Literature Extensions
Framework from TFDC
• Component 1: Introduction and
Selection of a Book
– Book talk
– Allow kids to make selection or rank
their top 3 choices
– Brief meeting with teacher
• Very teacher directed
• May look similar to guided reading
• Component 2: Silent Reading
Framework from TFDC
• Component 3: Teacher
Conference
– One to one conference
– Check on reading and
understanding
– Lift thinking to higher level
• Component 4: Group Discussion
Framework from TFDC
• Component 4: Group Discussion
– Students come ready to discuss
– They have places flagged they want
to talk about or refer to
– Degree of teacher support depends
on needs of the group
– Teacher uses language to scaffold,
prompt, and redirect if necessary
The goal is to support text discussion
and offer assistance as needed
while promoting independent
thinking.
-p.86
Framework from TFDC
• Component 5: Peer Discussions
– Extension of literature discussion with
the teacher
– Students discuss after the group
meets
– Teacher drops by
• Component 6: Text Mapping and
Focus Groups
• Component 7: Literature
Extensions (alone or in teams)
Do
• Plan ahead
• Allow students choice in
reading
• Have high expectations for
discussion, participation,
and work
• Realize that realize that all
students can participates
Don’ts
• Don’t limit the group
memberships to certain
reading levels
• Don’t get hung up on roles
• Don’t leave students to
their own devices
• Don’t be afraid to move
between direct instruction
and facilitation
Questions
• What do you still want/need to know?
• bhumphri@fortsmithschools.org
• http://brittsliteracyworkshops.pbwiki.com