BC 2-5

What are Book Clubs?

During book clubs, students meet in small, heterogeneous groups to discuss a book that they have all read or listened to. Through sharing their thinking, they build a richer understanding than any one student could gain from independent reading alone.

What Book Clubs Looks Like

Book clubs bring a small group of students together to talk about a book each has chosen (from a limited selection). Students may sit in a circle of chairs or on the rug, but without a table between them. There are no barriers to communication. You facilitate the group to support development of effective discussion skills, to lift the level of discussion, and to promote a deep understanding of the writer's and illustrator's craft.

Why Book Clubs are Important

As an instructional context, book clubs:

▸Deepend readers' appreciation and understanding of a common text

▸Extend students' thinking as they process and interpret the perspectives and opinions of their peers

▸Expand students' ability to express their ideas orally using academic language

▸Provide an authentic context for applying norms for listening and speaking.

Planning for Book Clubs

▸Through a book talk, introduce each book in a set of selections to the whole class. Assign each book a number.

▸Have students list the top three books (out of four, for example) they would like to read, in rank order (where 1 is their first choice).

▸Form heterogeneous groups using students' preferences.

▸Once groups are formed, consider students who will be able to read the books independently and those who will need audio access.

Structure of a Book Club

▸Before Reading — Introduce the titles from the set of selections to the class. Form book clubs based on students' preferences. Make a schedule so students know when they will meet.

▸Independent Reading of the Book — Students read the text individually. If particular students are not able to read the text independently, you may need to read the text to them or make an audio-recording available.

▸Book Club Discussion — When all students in a group have finished reading or listening to the book, bring them together for a discussion. Discussion is facilitated by the teacher, but the goal over time is for students to initiate the talk, respond to others in the group, and add to each other's ideas using evidence from the text or personal experiences to build a rich understanding.

▸Group Evaluation — At the end of the discussion, students self-evaluate their book club on characteristic such as turn-taking and preparation. They talk about what they will work on.