Making meaning: Individual and group response within a book club structure

Abstract

This article positions a view of student responses with relation to current literacy expectations. Student responses to a single book, The Egypt Game, are explored. The responses are analysed from a group and individual student perspectives. The responses demonstrate the complex understandings that young students created about this book. Connections to current classroom practices are explored.

Literally: social reading and meaning-making

“…An ongoing problem for teachers is that students do not regularly complete their assigned readings, meaning students do not get a deep understanding of the concepts (Macpherson & Cherry, 2011). According to Diane Barone (2011), in her paper on meaning-making in book club structures, teachers must understand the importance of conversations centered on the readings, which help students uncover deeper meanings that might not have been evident in an initial read-through. Her research suggests that reading groups allow students to bring their own experiences and ideas to the table which helps cultivate both individual and group identities (Barone, 2011).…”

Mejora de la competencia literaria con un club de lectura escolar

“…Este estudio confirma la relevancia que puede tener un club de lectura escolar en la mejora de la competencia literaria en, al menos, los cuatro ámbitos analizados: ha logrado estimular la comprensión literaria a través de sus procesos de diálogo (Gritter, 2011;Reed & Vaughn, 2012) Shaw, 2013) y ha desarrollado el gusto por la lectura en tiempo de ocio y el hábito lector de los participantes (McMahon, 1992;Goatley, Brock & Raphael, 1995;Johnsson-Smaragdi & Jönsson, 2006;Atwell, 2007;McKool, 2007;Whittingham, & Huffman, 2009;Barone, 2011;Gambrell, 2011;Hill, 2012;Reznitskaya, 2012;Kim & Quinn, 2013;Álvarez, 2015). Como han planteado Ballester e Ibarra (2009), la competencia literaria se adquiere a partir de la inmersión, de la interpretación y el disfrute del texto.…”

“…Esto se logra porque la lectura transciende el consumo particular de libros en el ámbito privado para pasar a ser además un proceso intersubjetivo de diálogo que permite apropiarse mejor de los textos y profundizar más en sus interpretaciones (Atwell, 2007;McKool, 2007;Barone, 2011;Gambrell, 2011;Reznitskaya, 2012).…”

“…Si bien la investigación sobre clubs de lectura en el panorama internacional es amplia, la realizada sobre los clubs de lectura escolares es más reducida (Kong & Fitch, 2003;Johnsson-Smaragdi & Jönsson, 2006;Barone, 2011;Gritter, 2011;Oszakiewski y Spelman, 2011;Reed & Vaughn, 2012;Gardiner, Cumming-Potvin & Hesterman, 2013) y en el caso concreto de España, es aún incipiente (Álvarez & Gutiérrez, 2013;Moral & Arbe, 2013;Álvarez & Pascual, 2014).…”

Beyond the Author's Chair

“…For example, when children share stories about their family traditions, they may recognize cultural similarities and differences that they have with their peers. This exchange of personal information among classmates can help nurture appreciation and acceptance, broaden and deepen children's initial constructions of written language, and help build collective meaning among peers (Barone, ). Gallas () explained that “[c]hildren need a place where seminal experiences, which often occur outside of school, move from silent contemplation into speech” (p. 173).…”