This after-the-movie “grand conversation” (Eeds and Peterson, 2007) mirrors what we want to happen in our book clubs, also known as literature study, literature circles, or literature discussion groups. We think of the book club as a literature “investigation” where participants “try out tentative ideas, search for information to confirm or refute their thinking, and build on one another’s ideas” (Eeds and Peterson, 2007). And just as in the grand conversations we share after a terrific movie, there’s no one right answer in a book club. Students participating in book clubs enjoy wide-ranging conversation (although the talk is always focused on and grounded in the text) and ask questions of each other, as they probe deeper or work to clarify shared ideas and thoughts about the text. Unlike the “comprehension check” in old basal reading groups where the teacher asks a series of questions each linked to one right answer to ascertain whether her students understood the text, all participants in a book club, including the teacher, ask authentic questions of each other. They work collaboratively to understand one another’s response to the book. The questions they ask are genuine attempts to build meaning and not intended to check up on comprehension. As Eeds and Peterson remind us (2007), it’s the difference between a “gentle inquisition” and a “grand conversation.” We want our students to enjoy a grand conversation about every book they read, and as we listen in on their lively book talk, we easily learn what they understood about the book and where they might need instructional support. The Teacher’s Role The teacher’s role in a book club is key. You demonstrate the stance and language of literary analysis. What does it look like and sound like to engage in an analytical discussion about a book, fiction or nonfiction? What language do you use? How do you draw on evidence from the book to support your position? Students will learn as you prompt and model, not only in their book clubs, but also throughout the day, as you create a rich analytical classroom culture and model during your interactive read-aloud and in your guided reading groups. You’ll demonstrate the components of literary analysis: plot, characters, setting, theme, style and language, mood, point of view, illustrations, and symbols. You’ll also model the features of nonfiction analysis such as organization, style, tone, illustrations/graphics, accuracy, and mood, asking your students such questions as: “What do you notice about the language the author uses and the perspectives he or she assumes?” You prompt, model, and continually monitor the discussion. What do your students understand? Where do they need more support?
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CHAPTER 5: TEACH
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