Critique or critical analysis...

For more advanced secondary learners, an educator can give students a topic, article, or any other form of text, and ask them to write a literary analysis on this. It is comparable to a book review, but evokes a more in depth process then simply summarizing a text. Analyzing it thoroughly, and choosing a thesis, but given an open topic from which to develop a thesis, is vital. The student should not create a thesis beforehand, however, as it is better to develop a thesis as one writes. A critique truly is a technique in which learners analyze the strengths and weaknesses of a text or subject and then makes thoughtful suggestions to improve it or to strengthen it.

Corners

Here is a basic strategy entitled Corners:

Pose a question that has multiple answers.

Move students to a corner of the classroom that has been designated as a meeting place of like opinions.

Students should discuss why they believe the way they do.

Selected students will write down collective answers and report them to the teacher.

Some sample topics:

Which character in a book would you like to meet the most?

Name four historical figures who you believe have changed the world, and why?


This strategy will gets kids to think in an interactive way, and then to write their answers down in a thoughtful and helpful manner.

Laura Candler

An educator by the name of Laura Candler developed a website, lauracandler.com, that has a myriad of instructional strategies online for educators and students alike. She has six literacy strategies with a lot of material on how to utilize these in the classroom and at home. They are: Balanced Literacy, Literary Circles, Reading Workshop, Book Buddies, Literary Lunch Brunch, and Spelling & Vocabulary.

Here is an excerpt from her site:

Great Classroom Books on Shelfari

Need ideas for great literature circle books, read alouds, or novels for whole class study? Check out the Teaching Resources Shelfari page, a collection of books and recommendations by teachers. Click on the shelf link to see what others have recommended. What books do you enjoy sharing with your students? Please add your titles and recommendations to the Shelfari website. Click the Shelfari link and log in with the information below. Then search for your favorite book and click the Add link to add the book to the shelf.

User Name: teachingresources@hotmail.com

Password: greatbooks

Note: This community bookshelf is for educators only. Please do not allow your students to add books and recommendations. If you would like to use Shelfari with your students, sign up for a free account.

Professional Resources

Over the years, I have read many wonderful resources to help me get started with Literature Circles, and I would like to share my four favorite books with you. The material on my website is helpful, but if you are serious about implementing Literature Circles, I would suggest purchasing at least one of the books below. To help you decide which books might best meet your needs, I've written a short recommendation for each. Enjoy!

Buzz groups

Buzz groups are an instructional strategy in which students discuss a topic or issue in small groups. It helps students practice effective communication skills. The educator places students into groups, gives the topic, and specific instructions on how to address the topic. The educator may give the students suggestions, and then they may write some short paragraphs on whatever topic it is. This could be really great for interweaving current events into the curriculum as well.

Journal Writing...or Blogging!

Giving students an opportunity to write their own thoughts, private to themselves or public to the whole world, can only increase brain activity and help the students. Much like we are currently doing my Secondary Education - Teaching Writing in Junior/Senior High School, any writing activity is beneficial to a student. There are many opportunities for a student to write, and many resources for a place to write. A student could simply keep a journal or diary, they may write stories, they can start a blog, they can keep a composition notebook. The possibilites are seemingly endless. There are also many free sites online (like blogspot!) that can be private OR public, depending on the writer's choice. There is a really great resource online for instructional strategies for journal writing. One particularly great one is: http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/pd/instr/strats/journal/index.html

Modeling

"Modeling has been shown to be a vital part of helping students learn the process of constructing meaning and of helping them learn the various strategies and skills involved in this process (Bandura, 1986). Modeling takes place first through the literature itself (Walmsley & Walp, 1990) and the way it is organized in thematic units. Modeling of specific strategies and skills is also provided by the teacher for those students who need it. This is done by using literature that has been read as models to show the use of strategies and skills (Walmsley & Walp, 1990). These lessons are known as mini-lessons and they may be formal or informal (Cooper, 1993). Modeling by the teacher is also done through reading aloud (Anderson, Hiebert, Scott, & Wilkinson, 1985), through demonstrating response activities and discussions (Martinez & Roser, 1991), and through shared writing (Cooper, 1993). Students also provide modeling for each other through cooperative learning."

Works Cited: http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/res/literacy/lit_ins4.html

Modes of Reading

Modes of reading is defined as the different ways in which literature may be read. It could be read aloud by student, teacher, both student and teacher, in groups, cooperatively, or independently. By utilizing all of these modes in the classroom, an educator can see what fits each students' needs best. We then are able to scaffold instruction and thus can support each student at their respective level, and this in turn will hopefully lead to success when reading a text or literature.