Teacher librarian

preparation

*     Negotiation with classroom English teacher & booking of classes; after first session the format is flexible & responsive

*     Careful selection of texts

*     Production of choice sheets with graphics, blurbs and extracts

Week 1

Period 1

*     A brisk pace is needed for the first class

*     Choice sheets, bookmark, & post-it notes are on the tables before each student

*     Teacher librarian takes control of class – brief introduction to Literature Circles, what will happen, emphasizing enjoyment, choice, silent reading, discussion, writing and what students need to bring to each lesson

*     The teacher librarian introduces each book enthusiastically

*     Students look at the books on the list while the teacher librarian sorts sheets into piles

*     The teacher librarian allocates books to students

*     Students borrow and form a group with others reading the same book

*     Any time left is for silent reading

*     5 minutes before the end of the class, students negotiate with others in their group where they will read to and record this in their homework diaries.

Week 1

Period 2

*     During classes there will often silent reading in the library (to develop the habit and reinforce the expectation)

*     The teacher librarian can hold a discussion group out in the library if students in a group have read more than 1/3 of their book

*     The English teacher models silent reading with the class

Week 1

Period 3

*     At the start of the lesson check if any students have finished reading their book. These students choose a new one from the list and borrow.

*     Journal writing – for 15+ minutes: personal response and reference to the text is most valued; students can use post-it notes and hints on the bookmark for ideas about what to write and can illustrate their responses too

*     Discussion group/s facilitated by the teacher librarian

Week 1

Period 4

*     Two discussion groups one after another with teacher librarian

*     The rest read quietly with the classroom teacher in the library

Week 2

Period 5

*     Journal writing

*     Discussion groups

*     Silent reading

Week 2

Period 6

*     Discussion groups

*     Silent reading

Week 2

Period 7

*     Journal writing – 15+ minutes

*     Students fill out evaluation sheets (sometimes)

*     Presentation of Middle School reading list

*     Free choice of borrowing

*     Silent reading if any time is left

*     Thank the class and stress your enjoyment of the time (if true)

Teacher librarian preparation

T/L selects about 15 titles from the Literature Circles Library

Each title is numbered with a post-it note 1-15

A class list is prepared with the titles and numbers recorded on it

Each student in the target class is individually interviewed for about 2 minutes out of class to determine books already read, books not read and choices 1-4 in order of preference noted on the class list

Based on this information 4-5 initial reading groups are drawn up based on the students’ book preferences and consideration of other factors (social, linguistic, intellectual) after consultation with the classroom teacher.

Year 6 groups run for 3 weeks with 2 sessions per week; Year 4 & 5 for 2 weeks.

The classroom teacher is given a printed copy of the form literature circles will take as a matter of professional courtesy but also to encourage the roles of T/L and C/T as model and facilitator and to reinforce its student-centred thrust.

The shortlisting and final selection of the books is a crucial factor in the success of the primary Literature Circles program

Session 1

The room is prepared ahead. Each reading group’s area is marked with an indicator, a colour photocopy of the front cover of each book on a coloured card.

The T/L briefly explains how the program works; new students take a letter home.

The books are allocated to the students as pre-arranged and they borrow them.

Each book has post-it notes, the bright bookmark with guidelines about using post-it notes & another bookmark to record where the group agrees to read to by the next session.

Each person needs to come with at least one post-it note marking a spot by next time.

The guidelines are carefully explained to the students.

After a period of quiet reading students discuss where they will read to by next session.

As reading journals, each student covers a halved exercise book (~A5) with a bright A3 sheet cut lengthwise decorated with tiny photocopies of the selected books.

Session 2

Students indicate the position of their bookmarks and the evidence of a post-it note.

T/L suggests ways to make the Discussion Time exciting and uses flashcards to indicate good discussion tools – Read - Post-it notes – Ideas – Share – Listen - Take turns - Keep on task - Ask questions. Each person takes a turn to lead the discussion with one post-it note.

T/L and C/T float between groups joining in with their post-it notes when appropriate.

Writing Time – students reflect on their reading in their Reading Journals.

Reading Time – this concludes with students deciding where to read to next time.

The day before Literature Circles the T/L reminds students to be prepared.

Sessions

3, 4 & 5

Built on three-part framework of Session 2 – Discussion, Writing and Reading Times.

Reading Journals are returned to students with awards and symbols attached – eg a complete response of a student’s idea supported by an example from the story earns a red star, and if the idea is developed in an appropriate way a smiley face is also awarded. Also a silver star is awarded to the most enthusiastic or thoughtful response and this is published in the school newsletter and is also read out to the class by the T/L.

Final session

Instead of Discussion Time students are asked to complete a Student Evaluation Sheet. When they have finished their Writing Time the students move into the library for their Reading Time and can browse over a prepared display of novels. They can renew their Literature Circles book and borrow another novel and spend the rest of the time reading.

A reading list is given to each child at the conclusion of the program with ideas for further reading and the T/L also produces her tin of treats.

YEAR 7

(13 year olds)

YEAR 9

(15 year olds)

Alex Rider series (Stormbreaker, Point Blanc, etc)  - Anthony Horowitz

Ice Station - Matthew Reilly
Temple - Matthew Reilly

Holes – Louis Sachar

Ender's game - Orson Scott Card

Redwall series- Brian Jacques *

Dogs - Bill Condon

Artemis Fowl titles – Eoin Colfer

Alex Jackson: Closing out - Pat Flynn

Remote Man - Elizabeth Honey *

Lord of the flies - William Golding

Hatchet - Gary Paulsen

Go ask Alice *

Lockie Leonard Scumbuster - Tim Winton

Animal farm - George Orwell *

Pagan series – (Pagan’s crusade, etc)
Catherine Jinks *

Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy - Douglas Adams *

Harry Potter series - J.K. Rowling

The War series - John Marsden

Thunderfish – Simon Higgins

Airframe - Michael Crichton *

Ghost byte - John Larkin

Prey - Michael Crichton *

Merryl of the Stones - Brian Caswell

Heart of the Amazon - Yossi Ghinsberg

Northern lights - Philip Pullman *

Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien  *

Specky Magee – Felice Arena & G. Lyon

Black Hawk Down - Mark Bowden *

Deltora Quest series - Emily Rodda

Z for Zachariah - Robert O'Brien

YEAR 8

(14 year olds)

PRIMARY

(8-12 year olds)

Artemis Fowl titles - Eoin Colfer

Merryll of the stones - Brian Caswell 1.

Alex Jackson (Grommet; SWA) – Pat Flynn

Wizard of Earthsea - Ursula Le Guin 1.

Alex Rider series - Anthony Horowitz

Master of the grove - Victor Kelleher 1.

Contest - Matthew Reilly

Redwall - Brian Jacques 1.

Tomorrow when the war began – John Marsden

Space demons - G. Rubinstein 2.

Deadly Unna? - Phillip Gwynne

Deltora Quest - Emily Rodda 2.

Hatchet - Gary Paulsen

Mrs Frisby & the rats of Nimh – R.O'Brien 2.

Mortal Engines - Philip Reeve

Don't pat the wombat - E. Honey 2.

Blackwater - Eve Bunting

Toad rage - Morris Gleitzman 2.

Ghost Byte - John Larkin

Hatchet – Gary Paulsen 2.

Lockie Leonard Human Torpedo - Tim Winton

Specky Magee – Felice Arena & G. Lyon 3.

Black Hawk Down - Mark Bowden *

Diary of a killer cat – Anne Fine 3.

Airframe - Michael Crichton *

Driving a bargain - Fleur Beale 3.

Sophie's world - Jostein Gaarder *

Matilda - Roald Dahl 3.

Across the nightingale floor – Lian Hearn

The twits - Roald Dahl 4.

Curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Tashi and the giants – A. Fienberg 4.

- Mark Haddon *

Victor's Quest - Pamela Freeman 4.

Fort Island: David Metzenthen 4.

Goblin in the bush – Victor Kelleher 4.

1.        = confident readers  2. =  developing readers
3. = reluctant readers 4. = newly independent