How Do I Use Literature Circles in Primary Classrooms?
Literature circles are group activities that assign a piece of literature to a group of students for them to read, discuss and share with the class. Literature circles work well in primary classrooms, helping young students learn to work together in a community. When students take on the responsibility of being cooperative and responsible for one another it can help promote a more enjoyable classroom environment, according to an article, “Changing the Classroom Climate with Literature Circles,” by Bonnie Burns, Ed.D., the director of the Reading Specialist Program at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. Choose the material you would like your students to read and discuss. Fiction is commonly used, but you can also choose a piece of nonfiction, picture book or newspaper article. The material should be comprehensible to students with different levels of ability and interest, apply to various students’ needs and skills, address topics relevant to students’ lives and provoke tho
