RESEARCH
My decision to use literature circles as my change initiative was based on the following literature that I referred to:
Research #1: Modified Literature Circles as an Effective Comprehension Strategy
The key findings from Holley Boor (2015) journal article were:-
He identified key reading comprehension strategies that can be implemented through literature circles.
He described eight 21st century thinking skills that can be taught and nurtured through literature circles.
He emphasised how literature circles put demand on teachers to constantly think of the relationship between the text and the readers (students).
He listed the benefits of literature circles such as improving language development, reading comprehension, enjoyment of the literature and self-efficacy.
He also suggests that literature circles can be modified to meet the needs of students.
Research #2: Literature Circle - Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups
The key findings from Harvey Daniels (2002) journal article were:-
He confirms that literature circles improves students' achievement scores.
He argued that the literature circle has increased students' enjoyment and engagement in reading.
He discussed how literature circles increased multicultural awareness, enriched students' experiences as well as promoted other perspectives on social issues and gender equity.
It describes the link between great readers and great writers. When students get to high school they become fluent writers and skillful collaborators.
He identified problems that could be encountered through the implementation of literature circles but he also assured that these problems are solvable.
He argues that excessive testing and high demand of assessment data can put extra pressure on any innovation to prove it’s value and to justify its effectiveness.
He states eleven key ingredients for successful implementation of the literature circle.
Research #3: Literature circles for the EFL classroom.
The key findings from Mark. Furr (2004) journal article were:-
He emphasises the importance of knowing and understanding the cultural values and capital of students with English as a second language.
It is proved that the literature circle is successful in combining the close reading of texts (intensive reading) with fluency-building skills (extensive reading).
Mark replaces the first four of Daniel’s (2002) key ingredients for the literature circle to meet the needs of his learners who have English as their second language.
He states that the core of successful literature circles is the fact they do allow students to participate in real-life meaningful discussions.
He advocates the importance of choosing reading materials very carefully so that is appropriate for extensive reading.
He reminds us that teachers serve as facilitators rather than instructors in the literature circle.
He suggests that at the heart of the literature circle is a good story.
Research #4: Getting started: Using Literature Circles in the Classroom
Gilbert, Lori. Primary Voices K - 6; Urbana Vol. 9, Iss. 1, (Aug 2000): 9-15.
The key findings from Gilbert were:
Before starting to use literature circles, class expectations need to be set up e.g. discussing the types of talk that is appropriate and the types of things we wanted to learn.
During literature circles, reading a wide genre of books including picture books, novels, short stories, poems, newspaper articles and even recipes was encouraged.
Initially, discussion focussed on simple retelling and then evolved into deeper thinking e.g. “What the author was thinking when writing, where the idea for the plot came from, how the pictures support the text; and connections from the book to other books, other authors’ styles, and to our own personal experiences are all now a much larger part of the talk in our classroom. We will often stop reading a book to make predictions regarding what will happen next and create 20 different books in the process!” (Gilbert, 2000)
It was important to revisit and if necessary modify the expectations for the literature circles.
Reading this article by Gilbert, reinforced that expectations around literature circles had to be set at the beginning and that it took several weeks for students to get a thorough understanding of how literature circles work. It was also stressed that the expectations were to be revisited and modified if necessary to ensure maximum benefit from the literature circles' activity.
Research #5: The impact of literature circles on student engagement in middle years English Clark, Loren
Literature circles have a positive impact on student perceptions, including independent reading habits and engagement in English.
Students enjoyed positive perceptions of English.
Literature circles also provided authentic reading experiences for children and connected them to texts that had relevance in their lives.
This was a very interesting, albeit lengthy read. The benefits of using literature circles were clearly outlined using student feedback, data, teacher observations and anecdotal notes.
THE STAKEHOLDERS
As identified in figure 1, the main stakeholders in my innovation will be my group of identified learners (Year 7 Pasifika learners) and their families followed by the rest of the year 7 and year 8 learners. Teachers and the senior management team at school will also have a stake in this innovation. Finally, the Board of Trustees (BoT) will want to see how any investment by them has secured better outcomes for our students. According to Rogers Diffusion of Innovation Theory (1962), the early adopters will be one of the identified learners in this class, with the first follower being X, a year 7 or 8 boy, who is always eager to try things out and show his peers how it is done. With his enthusiasm, we can see the rest of the identified group become the early adopters of literature circles. As I take both Year 7 & 8 classes for Reading, I can implement this innovation across the intermediate school. The early majority who take to the innovation we predict will be the rest of the learners in the class, as well as the other teachers who are teaching middle school learners and the late majority will be the rest of my colleagues at school.
Robinson (2009) advises that the early majority followers of an innovation must be nurtured as this is the crucial part of the innovation. In educational terms this is to be:
Early adopters assuming ownership of their own learning.
They are motivated to continue either intrinsically or by being offered incentives (extrinsically) like stickers, points, books, free time, etc.
Recognised at assemblies or/ and by the senior management team as leaders.
Ensure the tasks are interesting, easy to follow and simple to understand.
Teacher to support the early adopter learners.
I will incorporate Robinson’s advice about early adopters and early majority learners and colleagues as well, by recognising that they are the main takers to follow my innovation.
TIMELINE FOR OUR CHANGE INITIATIVE
I will use Kotter’s 8 step change model (Kotter, 2017) to outline our actions and timeframe of my implementation plan. See figure 3
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Figure 3: Kotter’s 8 Step Change Model
Kotter divided these processes into three phases, the first being creating a climate for change, the second, enabling and engaging the organisation and finally implementing and sustaining change brings up the last phase. Aligned to Kotter, in the first phase I plan to create a sense of urgency by ensuring the school’s management team, the learners and their whanau are aware and back our implementation plan. I will be guided by the management, students and their families to the content of my implementation plan. My vision and initiative will include using literature circles to enhance students' reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge.
In the enabling and engaging phase, I have my colleagues who will assist me to put the plan into action. The early adopters, hopefully will be the group of students who are really enthusiastic about participating, and they will hopefully lead the early followers. To ensure this happens, I plan to reward the early adopters to encourage them to influence the other students. I also hope that the school’s management will resource this innovation.
In the third and final phase sustaining the initiative will be by proving that the implementation will accelerate learning, and get more students to participate. When my innovation results in the achievement of the stated goal, I hope that the way reading is taught will incorporate literature circles.
At our school we base all teacher inquiries on Timperley’s (2014) spiral of inquiry. This is the format that we will use for developing a hunch and taking action.
I plan to incorporate Kaupapa Maori principles when working with our Pasifika students. As teachers we want to see ‘Maori success as Maori’ and we also want to see Pasifika success as Pasifika. I pondered this I was formulating my research question. The question now is, ‘What does Pasifika success as Pasifika mean?’ The Ministry of Education mentioned that it’s having an “education system that provides all Maori students with the opportunity to realise their own unique potential and succeed in their lives as Maori.” Due to a high percentage of Pasifika students in my classes I have to incorporate the Kaupapa Maori approach into my research topic. This means I will be incorporating the knowledge, skills and values of the Maori society and the Pasifika society.
In this research I am aiming at working collaboratively with our Pasifika students and making connections with their whanau to nurture mana in students. I believe that the students' success can be based on the “Pasifika Success Compass”, Figure 4. In incorporating the Tapasa model in my teaching, I plan to centre my teaching and learning of literature circles in reading, around the Pasifika student, their families, and the communities. Using the Pasifika identities, languages and cultures; maintaining collaborative and respectful relationships; and implementing pedagogical approaches that are effective for Pasifika learners I hope to cover the three ‘Turus’ (competencies) which form the framework for Tapasa (Teaching Council, n.d.)
Figure 4: The Pasifika Success Compass
This will promote self-worth, enhance their confidence, and empower our Pasifika students to succeed academically.
IMPACT
Change initiatives or innovation eventually has an impact on several levels. Using literature circles in reading to improve the students' vocabulary and comprehension will also have an impact. The most profound and focused impact that my change initiative will have is that my students will be able to make meaning of what they read and widen their vocabulary by using student agency.
In W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s (1998) logic model, in order to effect the desired change, there needs to be a change in “organisations, communities, or systems”. The change for us will begin with the change in our mindset because it is said that we cannot change others unless we ourselves change. It will be much easier recommending this changed pedagogy to colleagues once I have tried it out and have measured the success of such change. Certainly, the greatest motivator to adopting new pedagogy will be the positive effect that pedagogy has on students. If the positive effect is to be the success of the learners making meaning of their reading and growing their vocabulary, this will be a change worth adopting.
If such success is something I am really pleased with, I can certainly ask the BOT for further funding to implement this across the school. Teachers need to take time to thoroughly prepare students on how to conduct literature circles, to lay the foundation of the expectations and to occasionally revisit and modify the expectations.
Using literature circles also presents an opportunity for students to use the key competencies from the New Zealand Curriculum. Literature circles encompass the competencies of thinking, relating to others, using language symbols and texts, managing self and participating and contributing.
REFERENCES
Boor, H . (2015). Modified Literature Circles as an Effective Comprehension Strategy: A Focus on Diverse Learners.
Clark, L. (2013). The impact of literature circles on student engagement in middle years English
Daniels, H. (2002) Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups.
Second Edition. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse.
Furr, M. (2004). Literature circles for the EFL classroom: Proceedings of the 2003 TESOL Arabia Conference, academia.edu
Gilbert, L. (2000). Getting started: Using literature circles in the classroom
Kotter Inc. (2017). 8 Step Process. Retrieved from https://www.kotterinc.com/8-steps-proces s-for-leading-change/
Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice (7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishers, Inc.
Rogers, E. (1962). Diffusion of Innovations. Free Press of Glencoe.
