Whole-class novel studies, often built around classic books, remain a popular way to teach story structure and spark class discussions. However, finding one novel that reflects the diverse backgrounds of today’s students can be tough. That’s why many teachers are turning to literature circles, which give students more choice in what they read while better representing the diversity of the classroom.
Why Literature Circles?
- Offer student choice, increasing engagement and personal connection to texts.
- Foster collaborative discussions.
- Develop oral language skills, critical thinking, and self-assessment of reading strategies.
- Promote a joyful and authentic reading experience while covering curricular big ideas, competencies, and content.
Sample in-depth literature circle organizer from Readwritethink.org.
Building Inclusive Book Selections
Learning Resource Center Teacher Librarian Joan Pearce uses a “basket approach” to creating diverse novel sets: just like a basket can hold an assortment of items—each with different shapes, colors, and textures—a well-curated collection of books can offer a range of perspectives, voices, and experiences that reflect the diversity of students in the classroom.
Next Steps for Educators
- Explore literature circle models that align with your curricular goals.
- Select diverse and engaging texts from curated district resources.
- Guide decision-making with a checklist such as the TDSB Toolkit for Selecting Equitable and Culturally Relevant and Responsive Texts or Reading Diversity Lite: Teachers’s Edition Tool for Selecting Diverse Texts
