Literacy Groups Manifesto

This manifesto outlines the process, procedures, and intentions for literature circles in this classroom.

Literacy groups [lit. groups] are small groups of three to four students formed to discuss and explore a novel. Each lit. group cycle lasts approximately three weeks; which include meeting and discussing your novel and preparing and reviewing for the comprehension test. Lit. groups meet for two sessions a week and each member will have a rotating role to perform within the group. All members must perform all roles at least once in each cycle.

It is my intention that literacy groups provide you with a chance to voice your impressions in a guided, small-group situation. Initially, groups will be formed by book selection at my discretion. Groups will always be between three to four people in size.

Within the two-week period allotted for each discussion cycle, the group will be assigned a certain number of pages or chapters to read in preparation for each meeting. Lit. group sessions will last the equivalent of one full class period, usually taking place over two days each. Unless a student is absent on a meeting day, all role sheets and responses must be completed at the end of each meeting.

At the beginning of each meeting, that day’s discussion director will collect all role sheets and check them for accuracy and completeness. They will then pass them out for everyone to write down their responses, that will usually conclude the first half of the session. During the second half of the session, after all responses have been written down, the discussion director will lead the group in an oral discussion of the responses, ensure the vocabulary words are added to each member's study guide, have a volunteer read the lit. passage of choice for that day, and cover any other order of business that comes up during the course of the meeting. At the end of the meeting, role sheets for the next session will be distributed (no student can do the same role sheet twice in a row) and pages or chapters assigned. The remainder of the class period should then be used to prepare for the next session or prepare for the comprehension test.

Literacy groups are a small group activity and as such, there will be a group evaluation, as well as an individual assessment, for each cycle. Groups will create a unique and attractive folder for their group each cycle. The folder must be decorated throughout and include the group name and member names. This is a group folder grade worth a total of four points per cycle. All group members must complete every role sheet and response for each cycle. This is a group completeness grade worth a total of four points per cycle. All role sheets must have identical assignment chapters/pages. This is a group accuracy score worth one point each session of the cycle for a total of four points per cycle. All role sheets must be filled out completely and accurately with member name, novel title, and group name. This is an individual accuracy score worth one point each session of the cycle for a total of four points per cycle. Finally, all role sheet questions and responses are worth a total of forty-four points per cycle. Each question and response can and should earn up to three points each day, with missing points deducted from the total. This is an individual role-sheets grade. The total points possible for each cycle will be sixty.

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