READING(CIRCLES(FOR(THE(ONLINE(CLASSROOM((Michelle(Lees(Kanda%University%of%International%Studies%(INTRODUCTION(%
Trying%to%encourage%students%to%pick%up%a%book%and%enjoy%reading%is,%as%any%teacher%knows,%
extremely% difficult.% While% students% can% be% assigned% reading% homework% and% be% lectured%
endlessly% on% the% benefits% of% reading% and% the% different% skills% which% they% can% develop,% the%enjoyment%of%reading%is%something%which%teachers%cannot%teach.%In%past%reading%classes,%I%
have%tried%different%approaches,%which%have%included%students%choosing%their%own%reading%material,% mini% presentations,% and% giving% the% students% semester% long% reading% goals% which%
they%are%free%to% complete% at%their% own% pace.% Inevitably,% I% found% that% while% some%students%
will%be% proactive,%others%will%avoid%reading% until%a% deadline% looms,%and%then% only%to% finish%
the%task.%These%students%do%not%engage%with%the%text%or%give%themselves%the%opportunity%to%
explore%it%in%any%depth.%However,%in%my%last%two%years%of%teaching%reading,%I%have%received%
positive%feedback%from%my%students%regarding%the%relaxed%atmosphere%that%included%music,%
team%quizzes,%and%communicative%activities.%%%As% our% classrooms% moved% online,% I% was% not% optimistic% about% the%prospect% of% using%digital%
books% in% my% weekly% reading% class% on% Zoom,% which% would% undoubtedly% change% the%atmosphere% that%I%had%created%in%past% years.%On% Zoom,% breakout%rooms% posed% a% problem%
for%my%usual%reading%class%set%up%as%it%meant%students%would%be%isolated%from%those%outside%of%their%rooms,%playing%music%would%become%an%unnecessary%challenge%given%the%technical%
problems%students%already%faced%with%online%learning,%and%team%quizzes%using%the%software%
I%had%used%in%the%past%were%impossible.%That%said,%in%my%weekly%reading%classes,%I%have%found%
a% way% to%create%a%positive%reading%atmosphere%whilst%encourage%learner%engagement% and%active%contributions%to%discussions%as%we%read.%Positively,%the%students%also%appear%to%enjoy%these%tasks.%%%
Every% few% weeks,% I% assign% the% class% a% digital% graded% reader% book% from% our% university’s%
library,%which%we%all%read%at%the%same%pace.%Before%the%students%start%reading,%they%are%put%
into%a% reading%group%with%ideally%six%students%per% group%and%introduced% to% the%concept%of%
reading% circles% and% reading% roles.% These% reading% roles% are% from% the% Bookworms% Club%
Reading% Circles% Teacher’s%Handbook% (Furr,% 2011),% which% use% the% idea%of% reading%roles% and%reading% circles% to%help% facilitate%discussion.% The%six% different% roles%are:% Discussion% Leader,%Summariser,% Word% Master,% Culture% Connector,% Passage% Person,% and% Connector.% The%
students%are%given%detailed%information%on%the%responsibilities%of%each%role,%what%the%focus%of% each% role%is,% and% what% they% will% be% expected%to% bring% to% their%group's% discussion.% Each%group%is%responsible%for%how%the%roles%are%designated,%with%the%idea%that%group%members%try%
a%new%reading%role%each%week.%%
The% following% reading% roles% are% adapted% from% the% Bookworms% Club% Reading% Circles%
Teacher’s%Handbook%(Furr,%2011):%%•! Discussion( Leader:% Prepares% five% general% questions% about% the% story% or%
chapters%read%that% week,%to%ask%the% group.% Leads% and% guides% the%discussion%
5.	  Reading	  Circles	  for	  the	  Online	  Classroom.	  Michelle	  Lees.	  Pages	  21-­‐28.	  Literacies	  &	  Language	  Education:	  Research	  &	  Practice,	  2020	  Special	  Section:	  Teaching	  During	  a	  Pandemic.	  English	  Language	  Institute,	  KUIS.

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by% making% sure% that% each% group% member% participates% and% presents% their%
prepared%information.%
Summariser:% Makes% notes% on% the% main% events% that% took% place,% the%characters,%and%a%brief%summary%of%the%story%or%chapters,%in%their%own%words.%
Word(Master:%Finds%five%words%which%are%important%to%the%story%and%provides%
an% explanation% of% their% importance% and% reason% for% inclusion.% Depending% on%
the% size% of% the% group% this% may% be% a% shared% role,% with% each% group% member%contributing.%%
Culture(Connector:%Identifies%cultural%similarities%or%differences%found%in%the%story% and% the% student’s% own% country% and% culture.% Prepares% four% questions%relating%to%the%culture%found%in%the%story%to%ask%the%group.%
Passage( Person:% Makes% notes% on% three% important% passages% found% in% the%assigned%story%or%chapter%and%explains%why%these%chapters%are%central%to%the%story.%They%also%prepare%a%question%relating%to%each%passage%to%ask%the%group.%
Connector:%Makes%five%connections%between%the%story%and%their%own%realYlife%
experiences% or% observations.% They% may% also% prepare% questions% to% ask% the%group%to%share%their%own%experiences.%%%%To% encourage% accountability,% and% collaboration% within% each% group,% I% assign% a% Google%
Document% for% each% member% to% add% their% reading% role% notes% (see% Appendix% A).% The%
document%is%set%up% to%include%brief% descriptions% of%each%role,% the% narrative%arc,% themes% in%
the%story,%and%a%guided%space%for%each%group%member%to%add%their%notes%for%each%week,%the%class% reads% the% book.% For% every% new% digital% book% read% in% class,% the% group% members% are%changed% and%a% new% document% is% assigned.% The% document% is% shared% with% the% teacher% and%
each% group% member,% which% allows% them% to% collaborate% by% using% each% other’s% input% to%complete% their% own% portion% of% the% task.% For% synchronous% class% time% on% Zoom,% having% a%shared% document% makes% it% easier% for% the% group% to% have% their% discussion% and% follow% the%content%in%breakout%rooms,%as%each%Discussion%Leader%is%asked%to%share%their%screen%whilst%
showing%this%document.%As%the%group%holds%their%discussion,%they%are%also%able%to%make%and%see% edits% to% their% notes% in% real% time.% The% teacher% visiting% each% breakout% room% can% easily%follow% the%group’s% discussion,% and% ask% for% the% students% to% elaborate% on% their% ideas% where%
necessary.%%%
To% encourage%further% discussion%and% exploration%of%the% stories% we%read%and%their% themes,%
after% each% reading% group% has% finished% sharing% their% weekly% notes,% I% often% add% additional%
discussion%questions%to%each%group’s%chat%box,%that%are%related%to%the%themes%of%the%story%
for%the%group%leader.%I%ask%the%leaders%to%choose%questions%which%they%are%interested%in,%and%to% lead% the% discussions,% which% gives% them% additional% chance% to% practice% their% leadership%skills% and% guiding% discussions.% These% discussions% as% a% group% demonstrate% to% the% students%
that%when%we%read%in%class,%we%are%not%focusing%on%one%skill%but%instead%multiple%skills%that%
they% do% not% associate% with% reading,% for% example,% listening,% being% able% to% hold% a%conversation,%expanding%on%ideas,%etc.%It%also%reminds%them%that%reading%can%also%be%a%social%activity%and%one%which%they%can%do%with%others,%whether%it%be%a%book%we%read%in%class%or%a%
text%that%they%have%been%given%as%homework.%%%%By% utilising% these% reading% roles,% each% student% is% able% to% contribute% to% the% discussion% in% a%
different%way%and%feel%like%they%are%an%important%part%of%the%group.%The%students%have%the%opportunity%to%experience%different%roles%with%different%reading%focuses%which%helps%them%
to%develop%their%reading%and%note%taking%skills.%As%classes%often%have%students%with%different%
reading%abilities,%giving%students% the% opportunity%to% prepare% their% notes%and%contributions%ahead%of%time%has%been%an%advantage.%Quieter%students,%who%may%usually%prefer%to%take%a%backseat% and%allow% their% more% confident% peers% to% answer% questions% and%lead% discussions,%
are% given% the% chance% to% take% on% more% active% roles% with% the% support% of% their% peers.% The%
inclusion%of%reading%circles%and%reading%roles%in%the%online%weekly%reading%classes%has%been%a%
positive% experience,% as% the% students% actively% engage% with% the% different% digital% books% all%while%supporting%each%other%as%they%discover%the%stories%together.%%%%REFERENCES(Furr,%M.%(Ed.).%(2011).%Bookworms(club(reading(circles(teacher’s(handbook((3rd%ed.).%Oxford%
University%Press.%%%((((((((((((((((((((!
(APPENDIX(A(Example(of(a(Reading(Circle(Group(Document(((Adapted(from(Oxford'Bookworms'Club'Reading'Circle'Teacher’s'Handbook.(This(is(not(an(official(adaptation,(nor(has(this(been(endorsed(in(any(way(by(Oxford(University(Press.)(((Each%week,%you%should%decide%as%a%group%who%will%have%which%role%(you%should%try%to%experience%each%role%at%least%once).%It%will%then%be%your%responsibility%to%add%notes%relevant%to%your%role.%These%will%be%used%in%your%circle%discussions.%%%
Role%explanation%
Each%group%should%have%one%member%take%the%role%of%each%of%the%following.%If%you%do%not%have%6%members,%then%the%role%of%Word%Master%should%be%shared%by%your%group%so%that%you%
add%one%word%to%the%table.%%%Discussion%leader%

•!
•!
•!
•!
•!

Summariser%•!

*Word%
master%•!

Connector%•!

Read%the%story%(or%chapters)%twice%and%prepare%at%least%5%general%questions%Start%the%reading%circle%discussion%by%asking%one%or%two%of%your%questions%
Make%sure%everyone%has%a%chance%to%speak%and%joins%the%discussion%
Call%on%each%member%to%present%a%summary%of%their%prepared%
information%%
Guide%the%discussion%

Read%the%story%(or%chapters)%and%make%notes%about%the%characters,%
events,%and%ideas%•! Find%the%key%points%that%everyone%needs%to%know%to%understand%and%remember%the%story%•! Retell%the%story%in%a%short%summary%(one%or%two%minutes),%in%your%own%words%
Read%the%story%(or%chapters),%and%look%for%words%or%short%phrases%
that%are%new%or%difficult%to%understand,%or%that%are%important%to%the%story%•! Choose%five%words%that%you%think%are%important%for%the%story%•! Explain%the%meanings%of%these%five%words%in%simple%English%•! Tell%the%group%why%these%words%are%important%for%understanding%the%story%
Read%the%story%(or%chapters)%twice%and%look%between%the%story%and%
the%real%world%•! Make%notes%about%at%least%two%possible%connections%to%your%own%
experiences,%or%to%the%experiences%of%friends%and%family,%or%to%realY
life%events%•! Tell%the%group%about%your%personal%connections%and%ask%for%their%comments%or%questions%•! Ask%the%group%if%they%can%think%of%any%of%their%own%personal%
connections%with%the%passages%%Passage%person%•!

Culture%collector%•!

Read%the%story%(or%chapters),%and%find%important,%interesting,%or%difficult%passages%•! Make%notes%about%at%least%three%passages%that%are%important%for%the%plot,%or%that%explain%the%characters,%or%that%have%very%interesting%or%
powerful%language%•! Read%each%passage%to%the%group,%or%ask%another%member%to%read%it%•! Ask%the%group%one%of%two%questions%about%the%passage%
Read%the%story%(or%chapters),%and%look%for%both%differences%and%similarities%between%your%own%culture%and%the%culture%found%in%the%story%•! Make%notes%about%two%or%three%passages%that%show%these%cultural%points%•! Read%each%passage%to%the%group,%or%ask%another%member%to%read%it%•! Ask%the%group%some%questions%about%the%passage,%and%any%other%cultural%points%in%the%story%%%
Themes%%What(is(the(story(about?(There(may(be(more(than(one(theme.(%%%
The%narrative%arc%%%
Part(of(the(narrative(arc%What(happened?%%%%%%%%%%
Week%1:%Discussion%leader%
Story:%
Chapters:%Name:%%%

Question((1%%2%%3%%

4%%

5%%
Summariser%
Story:%
Chapters:%
Name:%%Main(events%
Characters%%
My(summary%%
Word%master%
Story:%
Chapters:%
Name:%%
Word%
Page:%
Line:%
Page:%
Line:%
Page:%
Line:%
Page:%
Line:%
Page:%

Meaning%%Reason(for(choosing(the(word%%%%%%%%%%

Line:%%
Connector%
Story:%
Chapters:%
Name:%%
Connection(1((add(more(rows(if(needed)%

%%2%%

3%%

4%%

5%%
Passage%person%
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Chapters:%
Name:%%
Page:%
Lines:(%

Reasons(for(choosing%

Questions(about(the(passage%%%

Reasons(for(choosing%

Questions(about(the(passage%%%Reasons(for(choosing%

Questions(about(the(passage%%%%Page:%
Lines:(%%Page:%Lines:(%%
Culture%collector%
Story:%
Chapters:%
Name:%%
Page:%

Differences(and(similarities%%Lines:%%
Page:%
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Question((1%2%3%4%!

Differences(and(similarities%%%%%%