Over the course of five weeks, English 2 students will delve into literature circles, exploring their books and collaborating with fellow classmates.
“The literature circles involve groups of 4 or 5 students who choose their book by filling out a form,” English teacher Grayson Moore said. “After considering their preferences and group dynamics, I organize them into teams. Each week, they read a set portion of the book and then meet to discuss it, with each member taking on a different role. By the end of five weeks, the goal is for them to have read, understood, and discussed the book completely.”
Students are expected to complete a worksheet corresponding with their role for that week (this includes the summarizer, questioner/discussion director, connector, illustrator, and vocabulary enricher roles).
“My group chose to read Lord of the Flies by William Golding,” sophomore Stephanie Okorie said. “As the connector for my literature circle group, I was responsible for relating ideas and themes found in our book to the world around us. I think that this role helped our group’s discussions and helped me understand the book a bit better.”
Moore believes that literature circles can help students both in and out of the classroom.
“In the classroom, I think the literature circle helps students prepare for standardized tests like the STAAR test, where comprehension skills are important,” Moore said. “Outside of the classroom, the lit circle opens doors for students to explore. Reading itself is a powerful tool for personal growth, enhancing vocabulary and writing skills.”
Even though her literature circle book is out of her comfort zone, sophomore Rupal Shirpurkar has found that working with her group has helped her break down the book and understand it better.
“I’m currently reading Of Mice and Men which definitely isn’t a book I’d normally choose to read,” Shirpurkar said. “The author uses a lot of southern slang which makes it kind of difficult to read at times. However, I like my group and think the collaboration they offer helps me understand the content and helps me get different perspectives and opinions on the book.
