According to Dr. Jennifer Ray, author of The Literacy Brain website there are several benefits of using book clubs with students.  Dr. Ray explains, "Students can benefit from book clubs in multiple ways—a few are described below.

 Improve reading fluency. Students usually have an opportunity to take turns reading aloud, listening to group members read, and to following along as others read. Some groups of students will be able to accomplish the task of reading aloud others may need a “coach” or teacher to facilitate.

Broaden and deepen their vocabulary bank. Students are usually introduced to “new “or unfamiliar words in each book that they read. Teachers can pre-teach words before they read. Students can identify and write the meaning of new words during tasks related to book clubs. Students may benefit from learning the synonyms and antonyms of the new word. Students may also benefit from attaching a picture to the new word. The new words can be added to a “dictionary” for them to use as reference later. Student discussions related to the “new” word(s) can increase the clarity of the meaning and retention of the word meaning.

 Improve comprehension of written words. It is important to note that “a word may produce all degrees of erroneous meaning for a given context, from a slight inadequacy to an extreme perversion” (Thorndike, 1917). Every student will gain different information or insight from a book, as every student has a different environmental background. Some students will need to learn the meaning of words before reading to be able to comprehend the words within the book, others will not need this information to digest the words. Group discussions about the meaning of a passage or book usually increases comprehension.

Develop better writing skills. Students can learn and practice how to formulate written responses to questions related to the passage or book. Students can journal their thoughts or a summary related to the reading.

 Improve oral verbiage skills. Students can learn the correct pronunciation of words. Students may learn how to have a “healthy”, but respectful discussion about the book. Students can learn how to formulate questions to ask during collaborative work. Students can also learn how to digest others’ opinions or facts into new questions.

Development or improvement of research skills. Students may develop research skills through activities related to book clubs. Students may learn where to find information related to the book, like where to find words meanings or what are windmills. Students can formulate questions related to the book and then interview another person who is knowledgeable about the subject matter.

Our overarching goal for literacy is to increase student engagement with independent reading and writing.  This past fall our librarians met and discussed possibilities that they could utilize to support this essential work and book clubs emerged as one of the most effective ways to promote engagement in rigorous texts and also increase enjoyment in students' reading experience.  Three of our librarians, Brandi Rollins from Lone Oak, Dr. Mandi Cox from Dawkins, and Stephanie Case from Gable have shared their top 5 strategies from their successful implementation of book clubs with us.  Check out their books and strategies below.

1. Pick High Interest texts or themes.

2. Be sure to do front loading activities so students understand what they are going to be reading about. Make connections Self to Text, Text to Text and Text to World.

3. Keep it simple, relevant and fun.

4. Plan extension activities to increase engagement and interest in a text.

5. Vocabulary, Vocabulary, Vocabulary. Be sure you define unfamiliar words otherwise students lose interest as they begin NOT understanding. 

At Dawkins Middle School, Dr. Mandi Cox invites students to join her and their ELA teachers during their lunch to discuss their latest book club read, Camp Famous by Jennifer Blecher.  Dr. Cox explains how she intentionally structures book club with the expectation that students read the entire book first before coming and have questions ahead of time to help guide their instruction.  See pictures and videos of our Dawkins Middle School students sharing thier thoughts on book club.

Top 5 Book Club Tips

1. Have Book Club at a time that is accessible to all. We had ours during lunch so that there would be no issue with students missing instructional time.

2. Have student input in what book you read! For our first Book Club, I chose a book that was from our "Top Checkouts." For our next Book Club, I am going to have students complete a survey about what their favorite genre is and allow them to suggest titles and I will pick from there.

3. Prepare questions or prompts ahead of time to guide the conversation. For our first meeting, I gave students a list of questions and things to think about while they were reading. I project these questions during our meetings to help guide the conversation if needed.

4. Make it fun! I always try to have a small treat for them, such as cookies, and a fun activity like decorating Christmas bookmarks. 

5. Make connections with the students. I always start our Book Club meetings by checking in with students to see how they are doing or if they have anything exciting coming up. I think this creates an atmosphere that encourages inclusion and encourages comfort in sharing their thoughts. A few of our Book Club attendees admit that they don't really like to read, but they like to participate in Book Club because it is fun and a place they feel comfortable. 

It is our hope that these strategies for starting a successful book club with your students is helpful! Our librarians and literacy coaches would love to help partner with you to begin a book club with your students that promotes conversations, aligns with standards, and most of all, engages them with texts they love!