"If we believe in the power of language for literacy learning,
then classrooms should burst with opportunities to talk about literacy.
One of the most powerful language experiences for students
can occur during literature discussion groups."
Linda Dorn and Carla Soffos
Preparing for Literature Discussion Group Discussions:
- Students read assigned text.
- Students flag their thinking with sticky notes.
- Students respond to their reading and thinking in reading log.
- Teacher refers to conversational moves/speaking and listening anchor chart before the discussion begins.
Guidelines for Engaging in Literature Discussion Groups:
- Prepare for group meeting ahead of time.
- Quickly come to group meeting excited and ready to begin discussion.
- Actively participate in book discussion by sharing thinking.
- Support thinking using evidence from text.
- Stay on topic.
- Listen carefully to others' thinking.
- Make eye contact with person talking.
- Offer opinion and build on ideas at appropriate times.
- Respect the thinking of other students and react using appropriate language.
- Ask questions when needed to clarify understanding.
- Achieve deeper understanding through discussion.
- Teacher may prompt students to discuss texts at deeper levels by providing some specific higher level comprehension prompts.
- Teacher may prompt students to use conversational language while discussing the text.
More Conversational Moves to Add to an Ongoing Anchor Chart:
- I agree because...
- I disagree because...
- Say more about what you mean...
- Can you show me where that is in the book?
- What is your evidence?
- Why do you think that?
At the End of the Small Group Discussion:
Reflect on specific conversational moves made during small group discussion. Discuss how the conversational moves helped us to understand the text? Teacher will jot down anecdotal notes on individual students or the small group to drive future mini-lessons.
Enjoy watching the conversations happen!
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