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Summary of Literature Circles Research
Patricia Chase & Denise Pheifer
Literature Circles is an effective literacy strategy that combines the
principles of cooperative learning, independent reading and group
discussion. The purpose of Literature Circles is to promote reading
and to foster literary discussions. The strategy is based on the
model of an adult book discussion group.
Judith Langer in her book Effective Literacy Instruction (2002)
describes programs that effectively support student learning based
on her recent five-year study of classes in 25 urban and suburban
schools (Excellence in English project from the National Research
Center on English Learning and Achievement). The literature
circles strategy and its components are identified as effective
literacy instruction throughout the book.
Component 1: Cooperative Learning
The power of collaborative grouping on learning is well
documented. In fact, collaborative learning has been defined as a
key ingredient of “best educational practice” (Zemelman, Daniels,
and Hyde, 1993). Collaborative learning is open-ended and
student-centered. It fosters democracy, community, and shared
responsibility in the classroom. The limited size of the groups
compels each member to be an active participant and imbues each
member with responsibility and investment.
The research and theory on cooperative learning is cited as one of
nine effective strategies in Classroom Instruction That Works:
Research-based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement
(Marzano, Pickering & Pollack, 2001). The authors recommend the
use of cooperative group strategies like literature circles. Anyone
interested in the research on cooperative learning should consult
Chapter 7 of this book which outlines the powerful effect of
cooperative groups on learning.
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Component 2: Independent Reading
Research also shows that independent reading is the single factor most strongly associated with
reading achievement (Anderson, Wilson and Fielding, 1988). Students who choose books for
themselves, who read books on their own, become the strongest readers.
The Literature Circles strategy takes these two powerful ideas, collaborative learning and independent
reading, and integrates them into a powerful, interesting and open-ended classroom activity. As
defined by Harvey Daniels (1994):
Literature Circles are small, temporary discussion groups who have chosen to read the same story,
poem, article or book. While reading each group-determined portion of the text (either in or outside of
class), each member prepares to take specific responsibilities in the upcoming discussion, and
everyone comes to the group with notes needed to help perform that job. The circles have regular
meetings, with discussion roles rotating each session. When they finish a book, the circle members
plan a way to share highlights of their reading with the wider community; then they trade members
with other finishing groups, select more reading, and move into a new cycle. Once readers can
successfully conduct their own wide-ranging, self-sustaining discussions, formal discussion role
sheets may be dropped. (p.13)
Component 3: Oral Language
Literature Circles is an organizational model that gives structure to discussions about literature.
Learning is a social activity. Vygotsky (1978) theorized that social environments provide learners with
an opportunity to observe higher levels of cognitive processing. From this perspective, discussions of
literature may be viewed as social environments in which students can witness how group members
work together collaboratively to construct meaning while also participating in the process. Therefore,
in a situation like this, learning can occur as the learner observes and exchanges ideas with the other
members of the group. Literature Circles discussions give students the opportunity for structured
social interaction. It helps them feel comfortable and confident about expressing themselves in front
of others. They are given practice in defending their ideas orally while “thinking on their feet”—all of
which are skills necessary for many careers (Langer, p.97).
In order to encourage students to think critically, we need to provide opportunities for cognitive and
affective responses to literature. We want to develop discriminating readers who will turn to quality
literature for lasting, memorable and satisfying reading experiences. It is important, then, that we
teach children how to talk about literature. Literature Circles is one of the vehicles that enables us to
accomplish this goal.
References
Anderson, R., Wilson, P. & Fielding, L. (1988). Growth in reading and how children spend their time
outside of school. Reading Research Quarterly, Summer, 65-78.
Daniels, H. (1994). Literature circles: Voice and choice in the student-centered classroom. York,
ME: Stenhouse.
Langer, J. (2002). Effective literacy instruction. Urbana, IL: NCTE.
Marzano, R., Pickering, D. & Pollack, J. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based
strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Zemelman, S., Daniels, H. & Hyde, A. (1993). Best practice: New standards for teaching and
learning in America’s schools. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
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The Research
Literature Circles is an effective,
proven strategy based on the
principles of collaborative learning,
independent reading and group
discussion. This paper surveys and
synthesizes the academic research
related to Literature Circles and its
components for the purpose of
meeting the standards for researchbased
instruction as set forth in
NCLB.
Our Product
Classroom Teacher’s Resource Kits:
Literature Circles, is a
comprehensive solution to hasslefree
implementation and
management of the Literature
Circles strategy in your classroom.
Each kit includes field-tested
components specially designed to be
user-friendly and enjoyable for both
students and teachers.
Our Authors
Denise Pheifer and Patricia Chase
have provided professional
development in English Language
Arts to Wisconsin schools for more
than twenty years. Both are Adjunct
Associate Professors of
Reading/Language Arts at Cardinal
Stritch University and bring years of
classroom experience at all levels to
their presentations.
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Recent Research on Literature Circles
from Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups
by Harvey Daniels (Stenhouse Publishers, Portland, ME: 2002)
www.literaturecircles.com
Research has linked Literature Circles to improving student achievement scores. Between 1995 and
1998, the Center for City Schools received a grant from the Chicago Annenberg Challenge to support
the development of instruction in a group of struggling Chicago schools. The intervention focused on
helping teachers to implement literature circles, as part of a reading-writing workshop approach.
Training involved summer institutes and school-year support, delivered by peer consultants, veteran
Chicago teachers who had used these strategies in their own classrooms. School-wide results were
encouraging. In reading, schools outstripped citywide test score gains by 14% in 3rd grade, 9% in 6th
grade, and 10% in 8th grade. In writing, they topped citywide gains by 25% in grade 3, 8% in grade 6,
and 27% in grade 8. Teachers were convinced: their literature circles were working, not just to help
kids become readers, but also to prove they are readers on the mandated measures of proficiency.
A 1998 study of fourth graders by Klinger, Vaugn, and Schumm found that students in peer-led
groups made greater gains than controls in reading comprehension and equal gains in content
knowledge after reading and discussing social studies material in peer-led groups. This effect was
confirmed through a standardized reading test, a social studies unit test, and audiotapes of group
work. Interestingly, the researchers found that students small-group talk was 65% academic and
content-related, 25% procedural, 8% feedback, with only 2% off-task.
Martinez-Roldan and Lopez-Robertson looked at the effect of literature circles in a first-grade bilingual
classroom. They found that "young bilingual children, no matter what their linguistic background, are
able to have rich discussions if they have regular opportunities to engage with books." Interestingly,
they found that many of the Spanish-dominant children were more eager and ready to make personal
connections with stories than the English speakers, who tended to stick closer to the text on the page.
The Hispanic children manifested their connections through the telling of extended stories, a style of
response which the English speaking kids rarely utilized.
Dana Grisham of San Diego State University has been an indefatigable recorder of emerging
Literature Circle research. Her 1999 bibliography was a major contribution to the field, and can be
found in its entirety on the Literature Circles website at www.literaturecircles.com. She also organized
the first panel at the American Educational Research Association to focus on literature circles.
Grisham has catalogued literature circle research documenting benefits for inner-city students (Pardo,
1992); incarcerated adolescents (Hill and Van Horn, 1995); "resistant" learners (Hauschildt &
McMahon, 1996); homeless children and children living in poverty (Hanning, 1998); second-language
learners (MacGillivray, 1995); and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners (Dupuy, 1997).
Various versions of book clubs and literature study circles have been found to increase student
enjoyment of and engagement in reading (Fox and Wilkinson, 1997); to expand children’s discourse
opportunities (Kaufmann, et al, 1997; Scharer, 1996); to increase multicultural awareness (Hansen-
Krening, 1997); to promote other perspectives on social issues (Noll, 1994); to provide social outlets
for students (Alvermann et al, 1977); and to promote gender equity (Evans, Alverman, and Anders,
1998).
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Benefits of Literature Circles on Student Learning
Title: Literature Circles. ERIC Digest.
Note: Digest number 173.
Document Type: Information Analyses---ERIC Information Analysis Products (IAPs) (071); Information
Analyses---ERIC Digests (Selected) in Full Text (073);
Available From: ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communication, 2805 E. 10th St., #140,
Bloomington, IN 47408-2698. Web site: http://http://www.eric.ed.gov/. Family Learning Association, 3925 Hagan St.,
#101, Bloomington, IN 47401. Tel: 800-759-4723 (Toll Free); Web site: http://www.kidscanlearn.com.
This Digest will focus on benefits of literature circles which some studies have identified. These
include: (1) stronger reader-text relationships, (2) improved classroom climates, (3) enhanced
degrees of gender equity and understanding, and (4) a learning environment more conducive to the
needs and abilities of English language learners.
Reader and Text Relationship
Some studies identified skillful readers as those who not only recognize words while reading, but for
whom the text resonates through association with related life experiences or literary experiences
which are familiar to other members of the same learning community (Brabham & Villaume, 2000;
Peralta-Nash & Dutch, 2000). Vygotsky (1978) theorized that effective learning takes place when
learners recognize their own needs and are in charge of their own learning through collaboration with
more competent peers and adults. According to these studies and theory, in literature circles students
have opportunities to create connections between texts and personal experiences, to listen to various
interpretations presented by others, as well as to monitor and take ownership of their own learning
through discussion and sharing with each other, thereby deepening their understanding and
heightening their enjoyment of the texts.
Classroom Climates
Literature circles promote classroom climates which are cooperative, responsible, and enjoyable
because students are given the responsibility for working with each other to make decisions in
accordance with their needs and interests (Burns, 1998). In addition, as students learn to work
cooperatively with each other, to be responsible for their own learning, and to respect multiple
perspectives on topics and issues, they also learn to be better listeners and more honest with peers
(Burns, 1998; Farinacci, 1998; King, 2001). According to these views, the classroom then becomes a
place that is conducive to democracy and diversity.
Gender Equity
Gendered issues, especially the "silenced" adolescent girls in language arts classrooms, have been a
concern among some literacy educators (Benjamin & Irwin, 1998). Johnson (2000) studied the "girls
only" literature circles in the middle school level and found that adolescent girls in such discussion
groups are more likely to sustain their voices and maintain their sense of self compared to traditional
ones, in which boys often dominate the discussion as well as draw more attention from the teacher
(Orenstein, 1994). Johnson's study also indicated that girls in such literature circles are more likely to
critically examine gender issues and to question extant female stereotypes in the society (Johnson,
2000).
English Language Learners
According to Peralt-Nash & Dutch (2000), literature circles provide a low-risk learning environment for
children who are learning English as a second language. When the teacher selects both English and
non-English texts to reflect the needs and abilities of the learners in the same circle, students from
both English speaking and linguistic minority background benefit. Some authors believe that these
students are able to make use of the linguistic resources and knowledge they possess in order to
make sense of the text, to relate it to their life experience, and to participate in the group discussion in
meaningful and functional ways (Peralta-Nash & Dutch, 2000).
Conclusion
Students' insights and reflections, rather than ready-to-use questions from the teacher, drive the
learning in literature circles. Students and teacher work together to break away from the traditional
literature teaching methods. These learners also generate their own ideas and contribute to thoughtful
conversation about what they read. This kind of practice helps to develop thoughtful, competent, and
critical readers (Brabham & Villaume, 2000).
References
Benjamin, B. & Irwin, D.L. (1998). Censoring Girls' Choices: Continued Gender Bias in English
Language Arts Classrooms. English Journal, 87 (2), 64-71. [EJ 562 364]
Brabham, E.G., & Villaume, S.K. (2000). Questions and answers: Continuing conversations about
literature circles. The Reading Teacher, 54(3), 278-280. [EJ 617 769]
Burns, B. (1998). Changing the classroom climate with literature circles. Journal of Adolescent & Adult
Literacy, 42(2), 124-129. [EJ 573 341]
Daniels, H. (2002). Literature circles: Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups. (2nd ed.).
Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Farinacci, M. (1998). "We have so much to talk about": Implementing literature circles as an actionresearch
project. The Ohio Reading Teacher, 32(2), 4-11. [EJ 600 987]
Gilbert, L. (2000). Getting started: Using literature circles in the classroom. Primary Voices K-6, 9(1),
9-16. [EJ 617 693]
Johnson, H. (2000). "To stand up and say something": 'Girls only' literature circles at the middle level".
The New Advocate, 13(4), 375-389.
King, C. (2001). "I like group reading because we can share ideas: The role of talk within the literature
circle". Reading, 35(1), 32-36. [EJ 634 509]
Orenstein, P. (1994). Schoolgirls: Young women, self-esteem, and the confidence gap. New York:
Doubleday.
Peralta-Nash, C., & Dutch, J.A. (2000). Literature circles: Creating an environment for choice. Primary
Voices K-6, 8(4), 29-37. [EJ 604 621]
Whitin, P. (2002). Leading into literature circles through the sketch-to-stretch strategy. The Reading
Teacher, 55(5), 444-50. [EJ 640 663]
Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in Society: The development of higher psychological process. Cambridge,
MA: Harvard University Press.
Website:
Research on the importance of oral language development in the curriculum:
http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/
resources/effective_communication.html
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