Introduction:*

A Literature Circle is a student centered reading activity for a group of 4-6 students at any grade level. Each member of a circle is assigned a role which helps guide the group in a discussion of the title they are all reading. Literature Circles provide an opportunity for students to control their own learning; to share thoughts, concerns and their understanding of the events of the novel. These Web sites explain literature circles, identify the role of each member of the group and guide the teacher in how to implement the technique in the classroom.

1. Literature Circles.com
   Welcome to LiteratureCircles.com, a web resource for educators using or interested in student-led book discussion groups. Our goal is to support conversation and idea-sharing among people who are exploring this important "best practice" strategy.
    

2. Literature Circles Resource Center
   The Literature Circles Resource Center is designed to support teachers as they plan and use literature circles in their elementary and middle school classrooms.
    

3. Discussion Groups and Literature Circles
   What is a discussion group or literature circle?
   During literature circles, students meet in small groups to discuss, respond, and reflect on their reading. The teacher or students facilitate the discussion, and as students progress through the primary grades, they will become able to take on parts of this facilitator role.
    

4. Teaching Resources: Literature Circles
   "Over the years I've experimented with many different models for implementing Literature Circles. I've had success with all the models below, but all models haven't been successful with all groups of students. Read through the various descriptions and find something that feels right to you."
    

5. Literature Circles Build Excitement for Books!
   Literature circles are one of the hottest trends in language arts teaching. Two experts in the field offer insights and advice about using this instructional strategy. Included: Valuable resources for teachers who want to learn more about using literature circles in their classrooms.
    

6. abcTeach: Lietarture Circles
   Literature Circles are different in every classroom. These pages can help students organize their groups.
    

7. Literature Circles: Roles and Responsibilities
   "In Literature Circles, small groups of students read the same book. After reading a chapter or two, each student completes a different task. After completing the tasks, the group gets together and discusses what was read and shares what they did."
    

8. Literature Circles
   During my first couple of years of teaching, I was required to teach reading the "SFA" way. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, count your blessings! "SFA" stands for Success for All. It's a reading program that promises "success" for every student. I taught the this rigid, scripted program for two years until I could no longer be a part of it. But that's another article.
    

9. Literature Circles Role Sheets
   Literature Circles" - small groups of students gathered together to discuss a piece of literature in depth - is a teaching method that allows students to become critical thinkers as they engage in ongoing dialogue with a book, in this case Wish You Well. Literature circles provide a way for students to engage in critical thinking and reflection as they read, discuss, and respond to the book. Through structured discussion and extended written and artistic response, this strategy guides the students to a deeper understanding of what they read. The key aspect of this strategy is the structured use of role sheets (see below) as the students learn to discuss and contribute to the group. These sheets can also be used as evaluation tools.
    

10. Themes and Literature Circles
    "Traditionally, we've used literature in English, language arts, and reading, but teachers are increasingly integrating books and other reading resources into math, science, social studies and other content areas. By drawing on the natural relationships among subjects, students can see how the curriculum connects to the world around them. Literature-rich units can also assist students in addressing essential questions associated with required educational standards as well as life-long learning concerns."
     

11. Theory to Practice: Literature Circles
    "Literature Circles involve a small group of students exploring a piece of literature in depth. Although you'll find lots of books and articles on the Literature Circles, there are many ways to implement the strategies across grade levels and subject areas. Think of literature circles as one element of a balanced literacy program rather than "the solution." In most cases, the application of literature circles evolves over time as students and teachers become more experienced readers."
     

12. Reading and Literature Lessons
    There are explanations of the roles and responsibilities of students in literature circles.
     

13. Writing in the Round
    Literature Circles work well ANY time of the year. Honestly, though, I use them the last six weeks of school. The students feel confident of the "safety" of the classroom environment as a place for writing and reading analysis by then. Students and teachers are ready for a change of pace at that point in the school year.
     

14. How to Lead a Literature Circle
     

15. Literature Circles
    "Literature circles are a topic of interest to various literacy educators, and their use has been discussed in a variety of academic journals, conference papers, and workshops. Teachers at all grade levels utilize literature circles as a vehicle through which students learn to: think critically about literature, express their ideas in oral and written forms, and better enjoy their literacy experiences. The purpose of this Digest is to introduce some procedures for implementing literature circles and to review some recent findings regarding the benefits of literature circles on students' learning."
     

16. Literature Circles Reading Groups
    They can be used effectively with students of all ages from Early Childhood to tertiary level and are usually structured with each student in the circle allocated a role such as discussion director, word wizard, connector and reporter.