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Reading as a means of promoting social interaction. An analysis of the use of literature circles in EFL teaching
Sara Medina Calzada Encuentro 22, 2013, ISSN 1989-0796, pp. 84-97
READING AS A MEANS OF PROMOTING SOCIAL INTERACTION:
AN ANALYSIS OF THE USE OF LITERATURE CIRCLES
IN EFL TEACHING
Sara Medina Calzada
Universidad de Valladolid
Abstract
This paper explores how literature circles were introduced in the EFL lessons of a group of 3rd year ESO students.
Literature circles are school book clubs in which the students form small groups in order to discuss a text. They were
first used in American Elementary Schools to promote literacy in the 1980s, but soon they began to be introduced in
ESL and EFL teaching. In order to analyze the students’ responses to the activity, data was collected from classroom
observation, the students’ written tasks, and a questionnaire designed for that purpose. According to the results, on the
whole, the students responded positively to the activity. Nevertheless, aspects like the process of selection of reading
materials and the students’ overuse of their mother tongue require further revision.
Key words: literature circles, EFL, Secondary Education, reading, learning autonomy.
Resumen
Este artículo analiza cómo los llamados literature circles se introdujeron en la asignatura de Lengua Extranjera Inglés
con un grupo de estudiantes de 3º de la ESO. Estos literature circles son pequeños clubes de lectura en el aula en los
que los estudiantes comentan un texto por grupos. Aunque surgieron en las Escuelas Elementales estadounidenses para
promover la lectura, pronto comenzaron a utilizarse en la enseñanza del inglés como segunda lengua o como lengua
extranjera. Con el fin de analizar las reacciones del alumnado ante esta práctica, se llevó a cabo una recogida de datos a
partir de la observación en el aula, las tareas que los alumnos entregaron por escrito y la elaboración de un cuestionario
diseñado para tal propósito. Los resultados muestran que, en términos generales, los participantes respondieron a la
actividad de forma positiva. No obstante, habría que reflexionar sobre determinados aspectos como la selección de
textos y la utilización excesiva de la lengua materna por parte del alumnado.
Palabras clave: literature circles, enseñanza del inglés como lengua extranjera, Educación Secundaria, lectura,
aprendizaje autónomo.
1. Introduction
In 1982, Karen Smith, who was teaching fifth grade at Lowell School in Phoenix, Arizona, left a box with
old books at the back of her classroom. Her students discovered those books and asked her if they could read
them. Of course, she allowed them to do it. Some days later, she noticed that her students had formed groups
around their book choices and were meeting to discuss the books they were reading. Smith was surprised by
the quality and depth of their talk. Her students had just invented literature circles.
Literature circles are the school version of adult book clubs. Although they emerged in the context of
American Elementary Education and were used to teach literacy, they spread to other education levels and
began to be used for different purposes. American teachers soon noticed that book discussions could be
particularly beneficial for immigrants and students who were learning English as a second language (Watts-
Taffe and Truscott, 2000; DaLie, 2001; Carrison and Ernst-Slavit, 2005; Li, 2005; Gilmore and Day, 2006;
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Reading as a means of promoting social interaction. An analysis of the use of literature circles in EFL teaching
Sara Medina Calzada Encuentro 22, 2013, ISSN 1989-0796, pp. 84-97
Day and Ainley, 2008). Given the benefits of literature circles for ESL students and their high degree of
versatility, they were also implemented in EFL classrooms. Even though the research carried out on the use
of literature circles in EFL teaching is less abundant, several studies have been conducted on the practice of
this activity in countries such as Bulgaria (Bedel, 2011), Japan (Furr, 2004; Praver et al., 2011), Taiwan
(Chiang and Huang, 2005), Ecuador (Calderón, 2010) or South Korea (Kim, 2003). There is no account of
the introduction of literature circles in Spain.
The purpose of this paper is thus to explore the use of literature circles in EFL teaching by analyzing how
this practice was introduced in a Secondary classroom and by examining the students’ responses and
reactions to the activity. In order to do so, data was collected from classroom observation, the students’ tasks
and the questionnaires designed for that purpose.
2. Literature circles and EFL teaching
2.1. Literature circles: Definition and characterization
Daniels (2002: 2) defines literature circles as “small, peer-led discussion groups whose members have
chosen to read the same story, poem, article or book”. According to him, the eleven key features of this
activity are:
1. Students choose their own reading materials.
2. Small temporary groups are formed, based on book choice.
3. Different groups read different books.
4. Groups meet on a regular, predictable schedule to discuss their reading.
5. Kids use written or drawn notes to guide both their reading and discussion.
6. Discussion topics come from the students.
7. Group meetings aim to be open, natural conversations about books, so personal connections, digressions,
and open-ended questions are welcome.
8. The teacher serves as a facilitator, not a group member or instructor.
9. Evaluation is by teacher observation and student self-evaluation.
10. A spirit of playfulness and fun pervades the room.
11. When books are finished, readers share with their classmates, and then new groups form around new
reading choices (Daniels 2002: 18; emphasis in the original).
Since it is essential that the students themselves propose the topics for discussion (point 6), they are
encouraged to use notes or response logs in which they can write the ideas and questions that would nurture
their group discussion. While the students get used to the dynamics of literature circles, instead of notes and
response logs, role sheets can be used in order to guide both the reading and the discussion of the text
(Daniels, 2002: 102). Role sheets provide the students with a definite purpose when reading the story and
enhance their self-confidence because they can prepare their contribution to the discussion in advance (Furr,
2004: 6). A different role should be assigned to each member of the group so that they would read the text
from different perspectives, which would certainly enrich the subsequent group meeting. Daniels (2002:
103) suggests four basic roles (Questioner, Connector, Literary Luminary, and Illustrator) and four optional
roles (Summarizer, Researcher, Vocabulary Enricher, and Travel Tracer), but the possibilities should not be
reduced to that.
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Reading as a means of promoting social interaction. An analysis of the use of literature circles in EFL teaching
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According to Daniels (2002: 91), when books are finished, students can undertake book projects such as
theatre performances, sequels of the story, panel debates, book reviews, collages representing some of the
characters, posters advertising the work, or adaptations of the story written as a book for younger kids.
2.2. Benefits of literature circles for EFL students
Teachers and researchers have emphasized the positive effects that literature circles may have on the
development of reading comprehension, both in students whose mother tongue is English (Burns:1998: 124;
Daniels, 2002: 8; Carrison & Ernst-Slavit, 2005: 105; Berne and Clark, 2008: 74) and in students who are
learning it as a second or foreign language (Carrison & Ernst-Slavit, 2005: 105; Chiang & Huang, 2005: 81,
84; Li, 2005: 129). Furthermore, this activity may improve not only the students’ reading comprehension, but
also their reading motivation. Furr (2004: 9) remarks that implementing literature circles in his EFL classes
motivated his students to read in their spare time. In fact, Gambrell (1996: 21-22) points out that reading
motivation is fostered by providing opportunities for choice and social interaction, two features that appear
in literature circles. She argues that talking about books with their classmates contributes to the development
of engaged and motivated readers, and that this type of interactions may have a positive effect on their
reading achievement.
In EFL classes, literature circles allow students to practise their speaking skills by discussing books in the
foreign language. Furr (2004: 1, 9) and Chiang and Huang (2005: 81, 84) noticed that their students gained
confidence and proficiency in speaking due to the implementation of book discussions in their classes.
Literature circles imitate adult book clubs and become an opportunity to use English in real and authentic
communicative situations in which the students can carry out meaningful interactions (Carrison & Ernst
Slavit, 2005: 98; Li, 2005: 124; Bedel, 2011).
Literature circles can also develop the students’ autonomy. It is a student-centred activity in which the
learners themselves control the process of language acquisition. In fact, Noll (1994: 92) points out that this
activity is powerful precisely because students direct their own learning. Although the activity may be
guided by the teacher at the beginning, one of the principles of literature circles is to give the students the
opportunity to select their reading materials and to lead group discussion (Daniels, 2002: 18). Students are
thus encouraged to make decisions, take responsibilities, and become active participants (DaLie, 2001: 98;
Carrison & Ernst-Slavit, 2005: 96-7).
Group work can also create links and trust between students (Li, 2005: 128), thus establishing a positive
and safe classroom climate. Burns (1998: 124) argues that aspects like student choice, interactive groups of
mixed ability, and peer-led discussion “can change the classroom climate to be more cooperative,
responsible, and pleasurable”. Furthermore, Carrison and Ernst-Slavit (2005: 96) note that literature circles
offer students the possibility to interact and share their ideas in a “non-threatening, community-like setting”.
Similarly, Day and Ainley (2008: 163-164) remark that students feel more comfortable when they work in
small groups and that they have more opportunities to talk in group tasks than in whole-class activities.
2.3. Challenges of introducing literature circles in a Secondary EFL classroom
In spite of the numerous benefits of literature circles for EFL students, introducing this activity may be a
challenge for the teachers. Literature circles are intended to be spontaneous, dynamic, and enthusiastic peer-
led book discussions, but in certain cases they may become a monotonous and repetitive activity. For
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Reading as a means of promoting social interaction. An analysis of the use of literature circles in EFL teaching
Sara Medina Calzada Encuentro 22, 2013, ISSN 1989-0796, pp. 84-97
instance, Lloyd (2004: 115) and Calderón (2010: 27) complain that their students filled in their role sheets
mechanically and some of them did not even participate in the discussions.
Group discussions should be lively and spontaneous, but above all, they should be in English. However,
the students may use their mother tongue to talk to each other, especially if the teacher is not present. For
Hill (1992: 42), the students’ overuse of their mother tongue is one of the main problems of book discussions
in EFL classes. Consequently, the teacher has to insist on the importance of discussing the texts in English.
Otherwise, the activity cannot be useful to develop the learners’ communicative competence in the foreign
language.
In addition, teachers have to face those behaviour problems or conflicts that may emerge from group
work. As we have already seen, literature circles can improve the class climate, but creating and maintaining
a positive and respectful atmosphere is not easy. Clarke and Holwadel (2007: 20-23) discuss the problems
that arose in their sixth grade class with children between 11 and 12 years of age. They observed there was a
pervasive feeling of hostility in the classroom and disagreeing, interruptions and role-switching dominated
group discussions. This type of behaviour can certainly spoil the activity.
3. Methodology
3.1. Participants
The study was conducted on a group of fourteen 3rd year ESO students from the IES Jorge Manrique
(Palencia) in the spring of 2013. The group was formed by nine girls and five boys between ages 14 and 15.
All the students were enrolled in the bilingual programme; most of them entered it in 2010 (when they were
studying 1st of ESO), but one student joined it in 2011 and two in 2012. Besides their five weekly hours of
English instruction, they studied Biology and Social Sciences in English. In the subjects of English and
Biology, they were sometimes taught by one of the two British assistant teachers who worked in the high
school.
Nine out of the fourteen students had been to an English-speaking country. In most cases, they had been
to the United Kingdom and they had stayed there only for a week. One student had lived in England for a
whole year and another one had been to the United States. In addition, three students studied English in a
language school and one in private lessons.
3.2. Planning of the activity
I planned to devote two sessions to the introduction of literature circles. The first session would allow the
students to become acquainted with the roles and procedures of literature circles. In the second one, they
would discuss a short story in groups. The students would play the roles assigned to them in the previous
session. After group discussion, they would carry out their book projects, which would consist in the
composition of a book review of the story they had read and discussed.
The students were not familiar with literature circles or book discussions in general, so, in order to
provide them more guidance, some modifications were introduced in Daniels’ (2002) model of literature
circles. The most important ones are that all the students read the same texts, those texts were selected by the
teacher, and groups were not formed around book choice.
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Reading as a means of promoting social interaction. An analysis of the use of literature circles in EFL teaching
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The success of literature circles depends on a good selection of texts. Daniels (2002: 18) claims that one
of the most important aspects of literature circles is that students are the ones who choose their own reading
materials. According to him, students need to learn to assume responsibility for selecting their own readings,
instead of expecting that teachers or other adults would do it for them (20). In addition, as we have already
seen, the studies connected with the students’ self-selection of reading materials conclude that student choice
fosters reading motivation (Gambrell, 1996: 21). By contrast, other authors argue that books should be
selected by the teacher, especially in EFL teaching (Furr, 2004: 4; Li ,2005: 126).
Since the participants had not taken part in literature circles before, I selected the texts myself and used
the same reading for all the groups, a procedure suggested by Daniels (2002: 57) for those cases in which the
activity is introduced for the first time. Bearing in mind the age, the linguistic competence and interests of
the students, and the difficulty, length and theme of the texts, the reading materials I chose were a very short
fragment of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for the first session (see Appendix 1) and
Isaac Asimov’s short story “True Love” for the second one. I decided on this particular fragment of Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone because, although brief, it contains a good deal of information which assures
that all the groups could perform their functions. In addition, “True Love” was selected because I considered
that a short story could be more appropriate than graded readings or the fragment of a novel. Short stories are
particularly suitable for Secondary EFL students not only because of their length, but also because they allow
them to read real literature. In fact, Day and Ainley (2008: 170) indicate that the introduction of authentic
reading materials enhances the students’ enthusiasm and motivation. Moreover, Asimov’s story introduces
slightly complex themes such as the nature of true love, the dehumanization of human beings and the
humanization of machines, which would certainly favour group discussion.
As for group arrangement, according to Daniels (2002: 18), small temporary groups should be formed
based on book choice and they should be dissolved when the book is finished. As all the participants were
going to read the same story, groups could not be formed around book choice. I did not want to establish
groups according to the students’ abilities or confidence either. Therefore, I decided that the best option was
to form groups randomly in the first session. The students would be divided in five groups of three people
and each group would be assigned a different role at random. Then, in the second session, groups would be
formed according to the roles assigned in the previous one. The class would be divided in three groups of
five people so that there would be a representative of the five different roles in every single group. A letter
would be assigned to each group (A, B, or C).
Five roles were selected for the practice of literature circles: Discussion Facilitator, Connector,
Summarizer, Vocabulary Enricher, and Character Analyzer. Each role had a definite and clear function. The
job of the Discussion Facilitator was to propose questions and topics for group discussion. The Connector
had to establish links between the story and real life, thus connecting the text with personal experiences,
books, films, etc. The Summarizer had to elaborate a summary of the story so that everyone could
understand the text. The Vocabulary Enricher had to pay attention to difficult or strange words and then
explain their meaning. Finally, the Character Analyzer had to examine the appearance, personality and
behaviour of the characters in the story.
Different role sheets were designed for each text and role. They were based on the model provided by
Daniels (2002: 107-132), but they were adapted to the texts and the level and characteristics of the students
(see Appendix 2). In the role sheets designed for the discussion of “True Love”, I decided to include a couple
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Reading as a means of promoting social interaction. An analysis of the use of literature circles in EFL teaching
Sara Medina Calzada Encuentro 22, 2013, ISSN 1989-0796, pp. 84-97
of questions in which the students were asked to write the opinions of the other members of the group on
their role or topic. As we have already seen, one of the problems that teachers have to face is that students
are sometimes reluctant to get involved in the discussions (Lloyd, 2004: 115; Calderón, 2010: 27). Literature
circles may become a mechanic activity in which the students just read their role sheets one after another, so
these questions were included in order to promote group discussion.
In addition, following Daniels’ eleven-point definition of literature circles (2002: 18), assessment should
be based on teacher’s observation and students’ peer and self-evaluation. Consequently, an assessment grid
that would enable students to evaluate themselves was designed (see Appendix 3). The criteria included in
this assessment grid show that the evaluation should not focus on the correctness or proficiency of the
learners, but on their performance of the tasks and their attitude towards the activity.
3.3. Data Collection
Data was collected in order to analyze the students’ reactions to literature circles and the development of the
activity in general. Observational field notes were taken in class and data was obtained from the students’
role sheets, their book projects, and their assessment grids. In addition, a questionnaire was designed to
gather information about the students’ opinion and comments on literature circles (see Appendix 4). The
questionnaire is divided in two parts. The first part contains five scaled questions about language learning.
The second one deals with the students’ opinion on literature circles. There are four scaled questions about
the activity, an open-ended question on whether they would like to do this activity in the future, and a blank
space for comments and suggestions.
Although it is a qualitative study, statistical information has been also included in the analysis and
discussion of the data.
4. Analysis and discussion
4.1. Class Activities
In spite of the careful planning of the activity, certain modifications had to be introduced in the schedule. In
the end, three sessions were devoted to literature circles, instead of the two that had been planned. An
additional session was required in order to adapt the timing of each task to the difficulties that arose in
session 2. The students had been told to read Isaac Asimov’s “True Love” and complete the role sheets
individually at home, but not all of them had done it. I decided to modify the schedule and tell the students to
read the story in class. I thought it was the best option; those students who had not done their homework
would at least read it once before the discussion, and those who had done it would read it again and pay
attention to certain details that perhaps they had not noticed before. As a result, the students had no time to
start with their book projects, so that task was postponed until the following session.
There were noticeable differences in the dynamics of the conversation between the different groups. In
session 2, groups A and C were considerably autonomous and the discussion arose spontaneously. Group B
was more problematic. From the very beginning they seemed reluctant to talk about the text. Their attitude
was indifferent and they showed no signs of interest in the activity either. Two of these students finally
admitted that they had not finished reading the text, even though they had had time to do it in class.
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In sessions 1 and 2, the Connectors had difficulties in establishing connections between the stories and
real life. According to Daniels (2002: 103), the Connector is one of the four basic roles of literature circles
and it embodies “what skilful readers often do” when reading a book. Bond (2001: 580) also concluded that
the role of the Connector was the most frequently used role. On the other hand, Furr (2004: 7) indicates that
during the first sessions devoted to literature circles, his students considered that the role of the Connector
was difficult to perform but, by the end of the year, they thought that it was the most interesting one.
Therefore, the difficulties that the Connectors found may be caused by their lack of habit in establishing
links between books and real life, and they may have performed their role better if they had had more
opportunities to practise literature circles.
On the contrary, the Discussion Facilitators encountered no difficulties in proposing topics for discussion.
Since the students were used to be asked questions about the content of a particular text, it might have been
difficult for them to pose open-ended questions that would facilitate group discussion. That is the reason why
their role sheets included some possible questions for discussion that could help them to carry out their task.
However, the three Discussion Facilitators proposed their own original and considerably deep topics for
discussion. These are some of the questions that they posed for the discussion of “True Love”:
Participant 2: “Do you think that it’s possible to make a computer as perfect as the human brain?”1
Participant 6: “Do you think that new Technologies can solve sentimental problems? What do you
think about Milton and his worry of looking for the true love?”
The good work performed by the Discussion Facilitators shows that Secondary students can also carry out
quality conversations about a text with a considerable degree of autonomy.
Nevertheless, group discussion could have been more enriching if the participants had talked to each
other only in English. The students’ overuse of their mother tongue was the main challenge we faced when
literature circles were put into practice. The majority of the participants discussed the texts mainly in
Spanish, even though they were constantly reminded that group discussion should be carried out in English.
What is more, in session 2, one of the Discussion Facilitators even translated the questions that she had
prepared for the discussion into Spanish, instead of simply reading them in English.
The class climate was positive and safe, and the participants’ behaviour was appropriate. Conflicts
between students did not emerge from group discussion and everyone respected the others’ views. In fact,
they respected them too much. Apparently, some students preferred to agree with the others’ opinion than to
do the effort to express their own ideas. On the role sheets, a good number of the students recorded that their
mates neither proposed any changes, nor had any other ideas on the topic. Furthermore, the Vocabulary
Enricher of Group C did not note down the words that the other members of the group did not know, but
wrote: “they are very clever and they know all the words”. That type of conduct considerably impoverished
the students’ discussion.
4.2. Analysis of Questionnaires
Before discussing the students’ views and responses to literature circles, it is necessary to analyze the results
of the scaled questions related to language learning. The whole-class average value of each item was
calculated and the results are shown in Figure 1.
1 The students’ comments and responses have been reproduced exactly as they were written.
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1
2
3
4
5
I feel confident
speaking English. I like speaking
English. I like reading
stories and books
in English.
I like writing
compositions in
English.
I like group
activities.
Figure 1. Questions about language learning: average results.
It is significant that the students assigned very high values to the two items connected with speaking. Since
the average value is slightly over 4 (4.14), the students seem to feel rather confident speaking English.
Furthermore, they enjoy doing so because the average result of item 2 is 4.64. Ten students “strongly agreed”
with the statement “I like speaking English”, thus assigning the highest value to this item. Three students
“agreed” with it and only one marked the option “I neither agree nor disagree”.
On the contrary, reading and writing may not appeal to them so much because the average values of the
questions connected with those skills are lower (3.64 and 3.14, respectively). Whereas two students “strongly
agreed” and six “agreed” with the statement “I like reading stories and books in English”, five selected the
option “I neither agree nor disagree” and one “disagreed” with it. As for the question on writing, once again,
six students selected the option “I agree” and five chose that of “I neither agree nor disagree”. However, in
this case, two students “disagreed” with this statement and even one “strongly disagreed” with it.
In addition, according to the high values that they attributed to the item “I like group work” (4.50), they
seem to enjoy group activities. Seven participants indicated that they “strongly agreed” with that statement
and the other seven said that they “agreed” with it.
Since the results of the questionnaires show that the participants enjoy group work, like speaking
English and feel confident doing it, a priori they would like an activity like literature circles, which involves
group discussion. On the other hand, the values that they attributed to the questions connected with reading
and writing are lower, which may have an effect on their judgement of the activity as well. In fact, on the
whole, the students evaluated literature circles positively, but they did not assign very high values to the
items related to the enjoyment and utility of the activity, as Figure 2 shows.
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1
2
3
4
5
I like literature circles. This activity is useful
to learn English This activity is boring This activity is very
difficult
Figure 2. Questions about literature circles: average results.
The average value assigned to item 1, “I like literature circles”, is 3.79. Two students “strongly agreed” with
that statement and eight indicated that they “agreed” with it. Moreover, three participants “neither agreed nor
disagreed” with it and one selected the option “I disagree”. In addition, a similar average result (3.71) is
obtained when the students were asked about the utility of literature circles in the process of language
acquisition. However, in this case, seven students selected the option “I neither agree nor disagree”, three
participants indicated that they “strongly agreed” and four that they “agreed” with it. On the contrary, the
values they assigned to items 3 and 4 are considerably lower (2.29 and 1.57, respectively). Only one student
indicated that the activity was boring and none of them considered that it was difficult.
The students were also asked if they would like to practise literature circles again. Eight participants
responded that they would like to do this activity in the future, five commented that they would not like it,
and one did not answer the question. They offered different reasons for and against repeating this activity in
their English lessons. Those who would like to participate in literature circles again argued that it was a good
activity to learn how to work in groups and to improve their communicative and linguistic competence:
Participant 3: “I think it was a good activity to work in groups, discuss our opinions and
improve our English”.
Participant 5: “Yes, because doing this activity we learn English in a different way”.
On the other hand, the students who would not like to perform this activity in the future proposed diverse
reasons for not doing so. For example, some students complained about the text selected for session 2 or
about the book project carried out in session 3. One participant argued that he would prefer to choose the
stories and read them alone, and another student commented that she did not like the activity because it was
not adequate for their age.
Only four students completed the section devoted to comments and suggestions. One of them indicated
that he would like to “do this activity more times”. The other students complained about the text once again
and suggested that interesting or funny stories should be selected. Similarly, most of the participants also
remarked that they did not like “True Love” in their book reviews. They considered that the story was
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strange and implausible. I consider that literature circles would have worked better if the students had really
enjoyed the story. Therefore, it is important to carry out a careful and appropriate selection of texts.
5. Conclusion
The introduction of literature circles in an EFL classroom does not simply imply the creation of student book
clubs or the practice of a series of communicative competences; it should have an effect on the approach to
EFL teaching. Reading becomes a way of stimulating social interaction (Bedel 2011) and language is used
for communication. It is a student-centred activity in which the learners progressively take responsibility in
their own learning, thus developing their learning autonomy and motivation. As a result, teachers are no
longer instructors; they become the facilitators of the students’ process of language acquisition. They do not
provide answers, but guidance.
Data analysis shows that literature circles can be effectively used with teenagers that are learning English
as a foreign language, although there are a series of aspects that require further revision. The majority of the
participants responded to literature circles positively, but not enthusiastically. This lack of enthusiasm might
have been caused by the short story selected for book discussion in session 2. Therefore, it is essential to
adjust the selection of texts to the purposes of the activity and the interests of the students. Even though
teachers may choose the reading materials while the learners become acquainted with the dynamics of
literature circles, student choice should be gradually introduced in the development of the activity.
Furthermore, in literature circles, the students form small groups in which they are encouraged to share
their views on a text in a positive and relaxed class climate, which enhances their confidence in their
communicative competence. Consequently, literature circles become an excellent opportunity for the
development of the learners’ speaking skills. However, that opportunity may be ruined if the students discuss
the texts in their mother tongue. Teachers should emphasize the importance of using the foreign language for
classroom communication so that the learners can get used to speak in English during the lessons.
EFL learners will only benefit from literature circles if this activity is carried out regularly throughout the
whole academic year. In fact, it is necessary to carry out long-term studies on literature circles in order to
investigate their benefits for EFL students. Research on literature circles has explored the potential of this
activity, but the real effects it may have on language acquisition have not been examined. Further practice
and research on the use of literature circles are thus required. Nevertheless, despite the limitations of this
study, namely the small number of both participants and sessions, this paper aims to provide some
considerations for the practice of literature circles in Secondary EFL teaching.
References
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Teacher 62/1, 74-79.
Bond, T. F. (2001). “Giving Them Free Rein: Connections in Student-Led Book Groups”. The Reading Teacher 54/6,
574-584.
Burns, B. (1998). “Changing the Classroom Climate with Literature Circles”. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy
42/2, 124-128.
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Calderón, M. (2010). Círculos literarios: influencia en la comprensión lectora de niños de tercer grado que aprenden
inglés como segunda lengua. Tesis de grado. Universidad San Francisco de Quito.
Carrison, C. & G. Ernst-Slavit (2005). “From Silence to a Whisper to Active Participation: Using Literature Circles
with ELL Students”. Reading Horizons 46/2, 93-113.
Chiang, M. & C. Huang. (2005). “The Effectiveness of Literature Circles in EFL Setting: A Classroom Investigation”.
Proceedings of 2005 International Conference and Workshop on TEFL and Applied Linguistics. Taipei: Mingchuan
University, 78-87.
Clarke, L. W. & J. Holwadel. (2007). “Help! What Is Wrong with these Literature Circles and How Can We Fix
Them?” The Reading Teacher 61/1, 20-29.
DaLie, S. O. (2001). “Students Becoming Real Readers: Literature Circles in High School English Classes”. In B. O.
Ericson, Teaching Reading in High School English Classes. Urbana: National Council of Teachers of English, 84-
100.
Daniels, H. (2002). Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups. Portland: Stenhouse
Publishers.
Day, D. & G. Ainley. (2008). “From Skeptic to Believer: One Teacher's Journey Implementing Literature Circles”.
Reading Horizons 48/3, 157-176.
Furr, M. (2004). “Literature Circles for the EFL Classroom”. 2003 TESOL Arabia Conference Proceedings.
Dubai: UAE, 1-16.
Gambrell, L. B. (1996). “Creating Classroom Cultures that Foster Reading Motivation”. The Reading Teacher 50, 14-
25.
Gilmore, D. & D. Day. (2006). “Let's Read, Write, and Talk About It: Literature Circles for English Learners”. In T. A.
Young and N. L. Hadaway, Supporting the Literacy Development of English Learners: Increasing Success in All
Classrooms. Newark: International Reading Association, 194-209.
Hill, J. (1992). Using Literature in Language Teaching. London: MacMillan.
Kim, H. (2003). “Literature Circles in EFL Curricula: Establishing a Framework”. The English Teacher 32, 1-11.
Li, X. (2005). “Second Language and Culture Teaching in an ESL Classroom - Application of Literature Circles in an
ESL Classroom”. Intercultural Communication Studies 14/2, 124-134.
Lloyd, S. L. (2004). “Using Comprehension Strategies as a Springboard for Student Talk”. Journal of Adolescent and
Adult Literacy 48/2, 114-124.
Noll, E. (1994). “Social Issues and Literature Circles with Adolescents”. Journal of Reading 38/2, 88-93.
Praver, M. et al. (2011). “Attitudes and Affect Toward Peer Evaluation in EFL Reading Circles”. The Reading Matrix
11/2, 89-101.
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Students in the Mainstream Classroom”. Language Arts 77/3, 259-265.
Texts used in class:
Asimov, I. (1990). “True Love”. Robot Dreams. New York: Ace Books.
Rowling, J.K. (1999). Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. New York: Scholastic Inc.
Sara Medina Calzada is a PhD student at the English Department of the University of Valladolid. In 2013,
she was granted with a doctoral research scholarship by the Spanish Ministry of Education (Programa de
Formación de Profesorado Universitario). Although her thesis focuses on the reception of English literature
in José Joaquín de Mora's intellectual production, her academic and professional interests include EFL
teaching and the use of literature in foreign language learning.
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APPENDIX 1
Session 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Text:
The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their
greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could
bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister,
but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't
have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as 5
unDursleyish as it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the
neighbours would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that
the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was
another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing
with a child like that. 10
(J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: 1-2)
APPENDIX 2
Role sheets: a sample.
Role: CONNECTOR
Story: “True Love”
Name:_______________________________________________ Date: __________
Your task is to find connections between the story and real life. Does the story remind you of
anything that happened to you, your friends or your family? Does Joe remind you of any social
network or web application you use?
_____________________________________________________________________________
Does the story remind you of any book you read or any film you watched?
_____________________________________________________________________________
Do you think that this story can happen in real life?
_____________________________________________________________________________
** What do your mates think? Does the story remind them of experiences that they lived, books
that they read or films that they watched? (in class)
_____________________________________________________________________________
** Do your partners think that this story can happen in real life? (in class)
_____________________________________________________________________________
Reading as a means of promoting social interaction. An analysis of the use of literature circles in EFL teaching
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APPENDIX 3
Assessment grid
GROUP ASSESSMENT
Literature circles group: A B C
You have to evaluate the work done by the members of your group (only your group, not the whole
class).
Do you agree with the following statements?
1 = I strongly disagree 2 = I disagree. 3 = I’m not sure. I neither agree nor disagree.
4 = I agree. 5 = I strongly agree.
1
2
3
4
5
All the members of the group read the story.
Everyone completed the role sheets.
Everyone participated in the conversation.
Everyone listened carefully to each other.
Everyone respected the others’ opinion.
Group discussion was in English.
Group discussion was friendly and active.
Comments: ___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
SELF-ASSESSMENT
Now, it’s time to evaluate your own work. Do you agree with the following statements?
1
2
3
4
5
I read and understood the story.
I completed the role sheet.
My contribution to the discussion was relevant and
significant.
I listened carefully to my mates.
I respected the others’ opinion.
I tried to use English as much as possible.
Comments: ___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Reading as a means of promoting social interaction. An analysis of the use of literature circles in EFL teaching
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APPENDIX 4
Questionnaire
Class: 3º ESO B (Bilingual programme)
Age:____ Sex: Male / Female
When did you enter the bilingual programme?
Primaria 1º ESO 2º ESO 3º ESO
Have you ever been to any English speaking country? How long did you stay there?
____________________________________________________________________
Do you study English outside high school? Where (academy, private lessons, etc.)?
____________________________________________________________________
Do you agree with the following statements?
1 = I strongly disagree 2 = I disagree. 3 = I’m not sure. I neither agree nor disagree.
4 = I agree. 5 = I strongly agree.
1
2
3
4
5
I feel confident speaking English.
I like speaking English.
I like reading stories and books in English.
I like writing compositions in English.
I like group activities.
1
2
3
4
5
I like literature circles.
I think that this activity is useful to learn English
I think that this activity is boring
I think that this activity is difficult
Would you like to do this activity in the future? Why?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Comments and suggestions:
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
