From Kindergarten to Year 6, small-group instructional reading plays a critical role in developing reading skills. Children are grouped according to needs, based on reliable classroom-based assessment procedures. Guided reading is a popular choice but Readers’ Circle is an excellent alternative for developing higher-level skills in those children already reading.
Readers’ Circle involves a group of students selecting a text from several offered by the teacher. The text can be a picture book or novel suited to the interests and reading ability of the group members. Students must have their own copy of the text. Students individually read an agreed part of the text (one or two chapters) and come together to explore their understandings and interpretations. As they read they keep notes about their likes, dislikes, patterns and puzzles - a process which assists them to participate in the group discussion.
The initial discussion should focus on the cover, author and blurb as you lead the group to make predictions on content. Benefits include the students taking responsibility for reading independently between sessions, the development of strategies for making meaning, the development of understanding that there are different interpretations of the same text, and the involvement of students in deeply reading a variety of text types.
The aim is to have complex discussions about aspects of the text. In the early stages student notes related to likes, dislikes, patterns and puzzles will form a basis for discussion. Later on teacher and student questions will guide discussion. Here we feature a few sample questions to guide discussion.
- Tell me…when you first saw this book, what kind of a book did you think it was going to be?
- Can you tell me what made you think this? Now you have read the text is it as you expected?
- Did anything particularly catch your attention?
- What will you tell your friends about it?
- Tell me about the parts you like most.
- Tell me about the parts you didn’t like.
- Did you notice things in the story that made a pattern?
- We’ve listened to each others thoughts, and heard all sorts of things about what we’ve each noticed. Are you surprised by anything someone else said?
Like to know more?
Chambers, Aidan (1994) Tell Me: Children, Reading and Talk. PETA, Sydney.
This book describes the background to the Readers’ Circle strategy, its development and practical applications. The questions above are adapted from this book.
Nicoll, Vivienne and Roberts, Victoria (1993) Taking a Closer Look at Literature-Based Programs. PETA, Sydney.
Chapter 12, ‘Exploring the Language of Literature’, is good background reading for any teacher using literature in the classroom.
PEN 122: Gross, Miraca U M and Sleap, Bronwyn (2000) Responding to Gifted and Talented Students. PETA, Sydney.
With thoughtful choice of text and expert questioning, Readers’ Circle provides an excellent means of meeting the needs of your gifted and talented students.
This information is available as a PDF Teaching Tip Sheet. Download Readers' Circle
© Primary English Teaching Association 2006. PO Box 3106 Marrickville NSW 2204 Tel 61 2 9565 1277. This page may be photocopied for the purposes of professional development but may not otherwise be reproduced without the publisher’s permission.