Literature Circle Background

We Love Our Literature Circles!

Eighteen years ago I read a book that changed the way I taught literature in the classroom. Harvey Daniels' book Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in the Student-Centered Classroom. In the book, Daniels shares the experiences of 22 classroom teachers, grades K through college that moved their reading instruction from being teacher led to becoming student driven. The communities created via literature circles (LC) are drastically different from traditional classroom reading experiences where reading is treated as a solitary venture. LC provides 207A students the chance to collaborate, react and evaluate their texts. Or in the words of a current LCer, Joe...

Literature Circles are the best!
They help you get better at writing tests.
Reading, writing, everywhere.
They're even better than underwear.

I say, "L!"
You say, "C!"

Citation (Not From Our Classroom)

"L!"
"C!"

"L!"
"C!"

"L!"
"C!"

Three words, reading, writing and social communication.

Our Present Roles