“Look Ms. Freeman We’re Having Book Talks!”

1. “Look Ms. Freeman We’re Having Book Talks!” Literature Circles and Reader Response in Kindergarten by Laura Freeman

2. Literature circles foster: • Collaboration • Exploration • Communication • Literacy Development

3. Kindergarten TEKS: K.1D&E, K.2A, K.3C, K.8A&B, K.9A&C, K.12A-C, K.13A&B, K.15A-D, K.16A&B • Objectives: The student will • listen to stories to interpret and evaluate • use prior knowledge to anticipate meaning and make sense of texts • retell stories and share thoughts/ideas about important events in stories • connect his/her own experiences with real life experiences • ask and answer relevant questions and make contributions in small group discussions • write to record ideas and reflections relating to the text

4. Collaboration during literature circle discussions increase: • Vocabulary • Literacy conventions • Narrative strategies • Dialogue • Listening skills • Ability to share opinions • Overall meaning constructed from text • Motivation to learn

5. According to Louise Rosenblatt, when students are moved aesthetically by the text, they will want to share their thoughts and ideas with peers. During discussion, learners gain an insight into how they responded to the text by hearing responses of classmates who may have viewed the text differently due to differences in temperaments, experiences, and literacy abilities. Through the evaluation of text, students are able to see themselves as readers, or desire to become better readers because of the identification of their personal strengths and weaknesses through the interaction with peers and text.Rosenblatt, L. (1978). The Reader, the Text, the Poem: The Transactional Theory of the Literary Work. Sothern Il. University Press.

6. In order for learning to occur in literature circles, equity among peers must be established. “When students on a team contribute equally, communication is most likely to be more motivating, resulting in increased learning. When students performing a small-group activity trust other group members to listen and accept their suggestions, they invest personally in that activity,” (Wilkinson & Silliman, 2001). Literature circles must begin with the modeling of acceptance and trust of all ideas in whole group from the teacher in order for students to treat each other with respect in a setting where the teacher may or may not be present.

7. Introduction of Literature Circles • Students are researchers. • Read books aloud multiple times. • Model how to retell story and discuss favorite parts. • Explicit discussion of appropriate and inappropriate behaviors. • Discussion of teacher role as listener, questioner, and note taker.

8. Literature Circles in Action • Students choose book they want to discuss. • Groups meet concurrently with three to four members each. • Students pass the book between members and listen to the child holding the book. • During retells, children take turns explaining events in the story. • Students shared their favorite part of story and explained. • Classmates prompt one another when needed.

9. Teacher Role • Rotate around the room • Check list for student comments • Ask for further explanation of unclear responses • Ask open-ended questions • Resolve conflicts between group members

10. Elaboration of commentary provides teachers with an insight into • Students’ points of view • How they construct meaning • How they make sense of the text

11. Expecting further explanation of ideas prevented discussions from becoming stagnant and allowed for new ideas to flourish.

12. Abiyoyo Returns written by Pete SeegerIn this story a village teaches a monster, Abiyoyo, about kindness by taking care of him. • Student 1: they’re brushing • Student 2: and washing • Student 1: Abiyoyo’s stinking feet • Student 3: They’re gonna fall over cause of his stinking feet. • Student 1: They couldn’t even breathe. • Student 3: Yeah they’d go blah! • Teacher: Why are they cleaning his feet? • Student 2: to teach him to be nice • Student 1: So he won’t wake up everyone at midnight. • Student 3: He’d go RRR and eat all the people.

13. Beautiful Blackbird written by Ashley Bryan Blackbird willingly shares his color by marking each bird in a different way. The birds rejoice as they show off their black decorations. • Student 1: They all wanted some black. • Student 2: Yeah and he gave the other birds some. • Student 3: Black has all the colors. • Student 2: They can’t all be black—some should have stripes. • Student 4: or dots • Student 1: They’re different. • Teacher: Why? • Student 4: They shouldn’t all be black. No one would know who was the blackbird. • Student 3: Yeah they’re all different on the outside. • Teacher: What do you think? • Student 1: We’re all the same on the inside—we’re all black on the inside. • Student 4: Sometimes we’re different. Like my mom she borned in Turkey and I am borned here.

14. Reader Response Journals • After students discussed literature in groups, they discussed anything new that they learned as researchers. Students recorded their new insights in their journals with the help of classmates and teacher.

15. Questioning and Making Connections • Form a group of three to four classmates. • Choose a book. Read the book. • Discuss the connections students can make with the book. Text to self, text to world, and text to text. • Write at least two questions for each of the following levels. • Level One: Text based • Level Two: Inference • Level Three: Real Life

16. Modifications • At risk: Provide students with a discussion buddy. (Someone who can be a leader and has a lot of patience.) • ESL: Discuss the text with the student before literature circles. • GT: Formulate questions for the discussions using words or pictures.

17. Results of literature circles • Use of vocabulary and phrases from stories • Commentary on character behavior • Flow of conversations without long silences • Shy, reluctant students shared ideas • Connections with self, world, and text • Writing grew from “I like/I can” sentences to detailed comments about stories.

18. My Goals as a Researcher • Involving parent volunteers in literature circles • Send home multiple copies of picture books on Thursdays. Students return books on Monday for book club discussions. • Send home post-it notes for students to draw pictures and parents to write students’ verbal responses. (parent letter--reactions, feelings, predictions) • Students share thoughts about the book using post-it notes and help from parent volunteers.

19. References • Daniels, H. (2002). Literature Circles. York, ME: Stenhouse. • Daniels, H. & Steineke, N. (2004). Mini-Lessons for Literature Circles. Portsmouth, NH. Heinemann. • Fassler, R. (1998, March). “Let’s do it again!” Peer Collaboration in an ESL Kindergarten. Language Arts, 75(3). Available: http://www.ncte.org • Gambrell, L.B., Morrow, L.M., & Pennington, C. (2002, February). Early Childhood and Elementary Literature-Based Instruction: Current Perspectives and Special Issues. Reading Online, 5(6). Available: http://www.reading online.org /art_index.asp?HREF=handbook/gambrell/index.htm • Hynd, C. (1999). Instructional considerations in middle and secondary schools. In J. Guthrie & D. Alvermann (Eds.), Engaged reading: Processes, practices, and policy implications (pp. 81-104). New York: Teachers College Press. • Rosenblatt, L. (1978). The Reader, the Text, the Poem: The Transactional Theory of the Literary Work. Southern Il. University Press. • Wilkinson, L.C., & Silliman, E.R. (2001, February). Classroom Language and Literacy Learning. Reading Online, 4 (7). Available: http://www.readingonline.org /articles/art_index.asp?HREF=/articles/handbook/wilkinson/index.html