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Lit circles, collaboration and student interest.

Article Excerpt
Abstract

Classroom teachers often seek instructional methods that will engage young people in collaborative learning experiences. Literature circles (lit circles) have been identified as one means of providing a collaborative educational experience. But what does this process look like in a classroom and how do students respond to this method? This article explores the implementation of literature circles in a middle level classroom and the impact on student interest in reading and student interaction.

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Teachers often find student interest in reading wanes during the middle school years. Even students who seem to enjoy reading find that other interests interfere with their desire to pick up a book. Yet the ability to comprehend what one is reading and to go beyond the surface text to make inferences are skills that are crucial for continued success in school and ongoing learning. Helping middle level students learn to analyze and think critically about what they read is essential to their success. Students who do not read for pleasure but only do so when they are completing school assignments is a problem that can affect students' future learning and academic success (Sullivan, 2002). It is important prevent this growing tide of aliteracy, the condition where one has the ability to read but chooses not to (Sullivan, 2002). Because of this concern, the goals of secondary language arts education are to get students interested in reading and to help them find enjoyment in reading and talking about books. Working collaboratively is another skill that young people need to develop. Most individuals like to get together and talk about what they are interested in and what they find enjoyable. This is also true with books. Book clubs are surfacing everywhere because people who enjoy reading are finding ways to talk about what they read. Lit circles have been identified as a means of developing this collaborative process in the classroom.

This focus on student engagement in discussions of readings as well as higher-level thinking should be strong components in language arts classes. Indeed, the "literature centered reading-as-thinking mentality is ... reflected in some state standards and assessments. Some progressive states like Michigan have mandated that (students) be able to 'connect what they read to their own lives' and other goals harmonious not just with skill development but true lifelong reading" (Daniels (2002, p. 5). Students who develop these skills also do better on standardized reading tests. While much of the research has been in elementary classrooms or focused on other outcomes, Daniels' research did have positive results. In his study, eighth grade students in Chicago who were in classrooms where literature circles strategies were used scored 10 percent higher than students in other city schools on the city-wide reading test (Daniels, 2002, p. 8). However, none of these positive results can be accomplished if students are unwilling to read. During a literature circles exploration in a college methods course, pre-service teachers raised questions about the benefits of literature circles for early adolescents. These future teachers wondered if providing choice and peer-lead discussions via literature circle methodology would 'hook' middle level students--getting them to read more and enabling them to discuss what they read at a higher level. They wondered if pre-adolescents could truly collaborate and critically discuss literature without the daily guidance and direction of the teacher. In response to these questions, an investigation was begun. Two teachers from a small, suburban middle school agreed to collaborate in this process. The students in their three sections of eighth grade were predominantly from middle class families. Many of the students were struggling to find success in the language arts class--with grades consistently falling in the low C and D range. According to their teachers, this was often because these students did not complete the reading assignments.

There was very little cultural diversity among these students, (the classes enrolled one African American student and one Latino student) although there was a wide range of academic ability. The teachers for these classes had never used literature circles, preferring to utilize a teacher-directed, whole class approach to the study of literature. These teachers voiced concerns about their students' disinterest in reading and lack of involvement in class discussions. They wanted to find 'a better way' to engage all of their students in reading. We decided...

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