Book Groups (BG)

Description

Book Groups are small groups that meet to read, discuss and respond to a book. All students have the chance to express their responses to a text. By sharing their discussions, they begin to recognise that different readers can interpret a text differently. They also gain richer understandings of the text and opportunities to use literary language to explore feelings and justify opinions.

Procedure

1. In the time leading up to the book discussion groups, the teacher models ways of

§ using a range of comments and questions

§ accepting and inviting different points of view

Sets of books are chosen that will be appropriate for students' interests and reading abilities.

2. Students are allocated to groups. The teacher may make the placements or students may choose among the books available. Regular times are established for groups to meet, at least twice a week. Less experienced readers will need to have an adult leader, more capable readers will be able to choose a leader from within the group or take turns with this role.

3. Groups are introduced to the text at the first session and begin to read. Students discuss aspects of the text as they go. At the end of each session, students decide how much of the book they will have read by next time, as well as questions/discussion points to raise.

4. As groups finish their book, they can evaluate the discussions and negotiate with the teacher a book-related activity that emerged from the discussion. Students could summarise some of their discussion and list a series of questions to be used as a model for other discussion groups.

Link to Outcomes

Students participate in creative activity of their own and understand and engage with the artistic, cultural and intellectual work of others.

Dynamic Strategies

Conduct/Organisation

Tips

Adapted from Tasmanian Education Department, Barrie Bennett

Book discussions are useful for peer and self-assessments by students. Teachers can observe during the discussions and gather information by checklist or for anecdotal records. The book-related activities can be analysed for content and structure.