Literacy circles: Engaging reluctant learners

Literacy circles: Engaging
reluctant learners
Jodie Cook
Anwyl Minnaar
Human Bingo- shout out bingo if you can
tick all the squares in your group for your
reward
Watch trashy reality T.V
Am a closet side-line referee
bully
Have fallen asleep during a
workshop
In education for over 10 years
Have travelled to over 10 countries
Dog and/or Cat person
Speak another language
Am a secret Rasta because I love
reggae
Teaching for less than 2 years
Age
appropriate
material for
their level of
competency
Lack of
material
Interest
Self Confidence
Past
failures
Mileage
Lack of
Decoding
skills
Lack of
Comprehension
skills
Need for
glasses
Language
and text
features
Not the
students
first
language
Vocabulary
Type of
text
Irregular
attendance
Literacy Circles
Listening
Speaking
Literacy Circles
Reading
Writing
Literacy Strands
READ TEXTS WITH
UNDERSTANDING
Writing
1.
Info is located –
summariser,
passage picker,
illustrator,
word master
1. Explicit/implicit or
writer’s purposediscussion director,
connector
2. Reader’s purpose -Useful,
interesting, valid,
credible – all of above
WRITE TO
COMMUNICATE
IDEAS FOR A
PURPOSE AND
AUDIENCE
ER 1: Write to communicate
ideas for a purpose
Reading
Literacy
circles
Listening and
speaking
ACTIVELY
PARTICIPATE IN
SPOKEN
INTERACTIONS
1.1 Behaviours
demonstrate participation
1.2 Participation
appropriate to intended
purpose and participants
Vocabulary
Reading critically
Language
and text
features
Comprehension
‘Super six’ Comprehension skills
Summarising
Visualising
Predicting
Questioning
Making
connections
Monitoring
Literac
y
Circles
in
action-
Adults - Intensive L&N
focus on one skill at a
time
Centre-wide activities
e.g. Matariki, Antibullying, Powhiri
Uses
Integrated, project
based units e.g.
recycling, curious minds
Classroom work or units
The process
Roles
• Hand out
cards
• Hand out
worksheets
Summariser
Word master
Job description
Your task is to note and clarify any words that
you are unsure of the meaning of.
Ask other group members to share any words
they had to clarify.
Choose one word you think you may need to
understand for future learning and make a word
map for it. (see your role sheet for the template)
Job description
Your task is to make a list of the key (important)
points in the part of the story you have just read.
Here are some starters to help you
The main point the author is making is………………………
In my own words, the story is about………………………….
The most important idea in this article/story is……………………
Another name for this story/article could be…………………………
Be prepared to share your word
map with the group.
The story is mostly about……………
The whole point of this story/article is…………………………………
If I had to explain this part of the story to someone else, I
would say…………………..
Be prepared to share your summary
with the group.
The process
Roles
• Hand out
cards
• Hand out
worksheets
Text
• Hand out
text
• Read text
• Complete
your role
set task
The process
Roles
• Hand out cards
• Hand out
worksheets
Text
• Hand out text
• Read text
• Complete your
role set task
Discussion
• Each person
feeds back
• Group adds
their
thoughts/ideas
Critical &
analytical
thinking
Relates to
their
experiences
Student led
Tuakana teina
Key
competencies
& Maori
learning
styles
Korero/
titiro &
whakarongo
Group/team
work
Ako
How to use Sheena Cameron's Blog
Type in google:
http://sheenacameron.com
Click on ‘Resources and Links’
Click on ‘Sheena’s literature circles’
Click on ‘Downloads’ in left hand index
Click on each download to get the sheets you need.
http://www.litcircles.org/Extension/
extension.html
Useful for your own assessment of the
student…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Does the student use the text to share passages? To support ideas and opinions? How effectively?
Does the student listen actively to others?
Does the student ask questions? What kinds?
Do the questions get a thoughtful response? Which are most effective?
Does the student contribute thoughtful ideas?
Does the student make predictions? How effectively?
Does the student build Focus
on Questions
otherforpeople’s
Anecdotal Notes:comments?
Literature Discussions
Does the student keep the group on task?
Does the student discuss unknown or interesting words?
Does the student make personal connections to his/her life? At what levels?
Does the student make connections to other books, authors, and experiences?
Can the student reflect on literature circle participation and set goals?
from the Literature Circles Resource Guide
by Bonnie Campbell Hill, Katherine L. Schlick Noe, and Nancy J. Johnson
©2000 Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc.
from the Literature Circles Resource Guide
by Bonnie Campbell Hill, Katherine L. Schlick Noe,
and Nancy J. Johnson
©2000 Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc.
Debrief:
• In groups discuss how you could use this tool in your
programme - 3 min
• Go back to your own sticky note – can this
technique/tool help you as an educator to meet this
need – 1 min
• Write on a sticky one thing you learnt today or can take away with
you
• Get up and walk around and swap it with someone else from a
different table, read it
• Then swap your new one with someone else, three times.
Question Time…..