The impact of book clubs in high schools

Book clubs that are open to all students in your school provide an opportunity for readers from different classes and levels to connect. Developing book clubs in high school english classrooms master of arts, 2012 ying chen graduate department of curriculum, teaching and learning university of toronto abstract this research examines the book club as a social context for literacy development. The study was completed in my fifth grade public classroom with a diversity of cultures and. There will be regular spartan book club meetings held twice a month. How to run a fullchoice book club in your classroom.

Pdf bibliotherapeutic book club intervention to promote. The effects of book clubs on the reading attitudes of middle school. Developing book clubs in high school english classrooms by. When youre starting a digital book club, all the standard book club rules apply. For example, springing up around campuses are robotics clubs, where students actually design a robot and compete in competitions. Our experiences with this book club have reminded us of the powerful ways that book clubs can impact our reading and writing. Book clubs as professional development opportunities for. This post is the first in a threepart series about how to run a book club in your classroom. The advantages of a book club in a middle school classroom. Bcis is a peertopeer mentoring programme where year 10s lead book clubs for all year 7s, or 6th formers work with younger children in local primary schools. Books clubs can be an effective way to use these natural tendencies as a positive tool to engage middle school students in literature.

Ive been in plenty of book clubs like that, and made some lifelong friends as a result. Healthy classroom communities in our schools are necessary to fully enjoy. Book clubs can help comprehension blossom among students. Book clubs services to schools national library of new zealand. The second post details how to establish expectations and create a schedule, and the third post discusses accountability and assessment procedures recent literacy research has revealed that choice is the key ingredient in a successful reading program, especially for reluctant readers. On book club meeting days, students complete targeted writing. Scholastic book clubs is the best possible partner to help you get excellent childrens books into the hands of every child, to help them become successful lifelong readers and discover the joy and power of.

We generally meet every other thursday in room 117. Students are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas about each book selection and to make connections between the selected book and other books we have read both in and outside of the group. Scholastic book clubs childrens books for parents and. In his acclaimed readicide 2009, high school english teacher kelly gallagher argued that the inane, mindnumbing instructional practices found in todays schools are partly to blame for. Does the presence of teachers in book clubs have an impact on teacher learning and literacy instruction. In her new book, the smartest kids in the world, amanda ripley, an investigative journalist, tells the story of tom, a high school student from gettysburg, pennsylvania, who decides to. While in the past most academic clubs were based on school subjects, such as the book club, the math club, or the science club, public schools today have a much greater scope in clubs and even geared towards gifted students. Peerto peer reading instruction can positively impact a childs social and. In contrast, johnston 20 reported positive effects. Background of the study the moniker book club conjures up visions of middle aged adults. The social aspect and autonomy of book clubs appeal to middle school students and provide motivation as well as opportunities to expand knowledge. Middle school students are typically social and like to talk.

If you just want to get together, drink wine, eat miniquiches, and laugh about why you didnt actually read the book, thats fine. Eric is an online library of education research and information, sponsored by the institute of education sciences ies of the u. Just a few weeks ago, i saw penny speak in rochester, ny, and she shared the impact book clubs had in her classroom. Deb started a motherdaughter book club two years ago, knowing that it would likely benefit all those involved, and gretchen was happy to help in this effort. Bibliotherapeutic book club intervention to promote reading skills and socialemotional competencies in low ses communitybased high schools.