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Type of Speech: 
Definition: 

Classroom organizational strategy designed to facilitate in-depth conversations about literature among students. Literature circles are characterized by student-centered responses to literature, collaborative exploration of a text’s themes, and higher-order thinking as students pursue and explore questions and insights about literature.

Additional Information: 

Literature circles are student-led book discussion groups, in which students choose their own reading material. Students rotate through predefined roles within small, temporary groups such as:

  • discussion director
  • literary luminary
  • artful artist capable
  • connector
  • word wizard

This is a sample list of common roles used in literature circles. Teachers should feel at liberty to create additional or alternative roles for their students.

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