Literature Study Groups: Literacy Learning 'with Legs'

Literature study groups help promote critical thinking and improve reading skills. These groups, in general, are characterized by: (1) a flexible grouping--usually determined by a reader's choice of a given book at a given time; (2) participant-centered dialogue, where the teacher takes on the role of facilitator and expert participant rather than director of discussion; and (3) embeddedness in a strong, meaning-centered curriculum in which learners read and write copiously for real purposes. What makes such engagements particularly well-suited to middle grades learners is that literature studies are highly effective in developing reading ability, knowledge about literature, and critical and analytic thinking (Faust, Cockrill, Hancock, & Isserstedt, 2005). Moreover, they accomplish these things in such a way that students are aware of their own growth. Literature studies provide space for students' voices to be heard, valuing their meanings, concerns, and insights. This article describes research-based approaches to literacy study groups and provides suggestions for implementation.