Effects of Literature Circles on Reading Skills and

Attitudes among Fifth Grade Students

Author:
Vicki Slayton

In Partial Fulfillment of the Course

EDCI 595 Research Literature and Techniques

December, 2012

Table of Contents
Topic

Page

Introduction and Background

The Problem

Subjects Involved in the Study

Research Questions

Main Question

Sub-Questions

Review of the Professional Literature

Research Design

8
13

Experimental Methodology

14

Control Methodology

17

Timeline

19

Data Collection and Analysis

24

Support and Collaboration

39

References

40

Effects of Literature Circles on Reading Skills and

Attitudes among Fifth Grade Students
By: Vicki Slayton
Introduction and Background
I am currently teaching fifth grade reading at Rains Intermediate School in the Rains
Independent School District in Emory, Texas.
According to the Texas Education Agency (2012) Academic Excellence Indicator System,
Rains Independent School District is located in Rains County in northeast Texas. There are one
hundred seventy-eight square miles in the district, and the population of the district is about
9,100. The district consists of pre-kindergarten through 12th grade with four campuses. These
campuses are located on a 50-acre tract approximately two miles northwest of Emory on Hwy.
69. Figure 1 presents the ethnic distribution of its students.

Figure 1. Student Ethnic Distribution for Rains ISD:

I teach at the Rains Intermediate Campus which serves all 3rd, 4th and 5th grade
students in Rains County. Rains Intermediate holds an Academically Exemplary campus rating

4
from 2008- 2009 through 2010-2011. Student enrollment at Rains Intermediate is 341. The
ethnic distribution is displayed in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Student Ethnic Distribution for Rains Intermediate:

The special populations that Rains Intermediate serves are displayed in Figure 3.
Figure 3. Special Populations for Rains Intermediate:

I currently teach fifth grade reading and have 22 students in my reading class. There are
six fifth grade classes on campus. The student ethnic distribution consists of 83% White, 15%
Hispanic, and 2% African American. The academic levels of my students are 23% of above
average achievers, 58% average, and 19% below average. All of my students will be included in
my research.

5
The Problem
At the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year I was very excited to get a teaching
position as a fifth-grade reading teacher. I love to read and I wanted to share my enthusiasm of
reading with my students. I was not prepared for the number of students who do not like to read,
and the low scores of ELA assessments. I conducted a Reading Attitude Survey and the results
were, only about 35% of the students enjoy reading and 40% only read when we are reading in
class; however, both groups do well on ELA assessments. The remaining 25% do not like to read
at all and make low scores on the ELA assessments. I struggle with keeping those students
focused and on task during independent reading time. Possible causes for the problem could be
lack of interest, and a need to be more engaged which could result in a negative attitude toward
reading and could cause problems with comprehension, lower test scores, and low self-esteem.
Since the beginning of the school year I have been conducting whole group reading
instruction by using the Readers Workshop method and small group guided reading. The
students who are not working in the guided reading group will be reading independently.
Readers Workshop works very well for some students but there students who are struggling, and
lack motivation.
Since we are only in the fourth week of school I have been observing the students and
searching for different strategies I can use to have a more effective reading class. I knew that I
must find strategies that does not only help the students achieve better test scores, but the
strategy must also engage the students and help promote positive attitudes toward reading.
Upon conducting research on different strategies I have chosen to use literature circles as
my research strategy. I have been interested in implementing literature circles since it was
introduced in class by my college professor. Literature circles are conducted by forming small

6
groups based upon the students book of choice. Groups then meet to discuss their reading and
are student led. Each student in the group has different task roles which are rotated around the
group. The teacher acts as a facilitator during literature circles. The students are accessed by
teacher observation and student self-evaluation. Literature circles are relaxed and help to
promote peer learning.
I teach using Readers Workshop and guided reading. The main difference between
literature circles and guided reading is that guided reading is led by the teacher and centered by
the text, but literature circles are reader response centered. With Readers Workshop the students
spend time daily in independent reading by choosing one of the books the teacher had chosen to
put in their book box. With literature circles the students choose their books and can choose to
read independently, in pairs, or as a group. The students then come together to discuss what they
have read and carry out the jobs assigned to them to fully understand and analyze the book.
Literature Circles are social and give students a purpose for reading and staying on schedule.
By using literature circles it is my hope that the students reading skills and grades will
improve and they will gain the skills needed to be successful on the STAAR test. I also hope that
the students attitudes will change and reading will become enjoyable. I believe that literature
circles will have positive results on students comprehension, literary analysis skills, and writing
skills.
If my research does not yield positive results, I will re-evaluate my research methods and
decide what changes and adjustments should be made. I have full confidence that positive results
can be achieved and I will continue experimenting until the students gain the reading skills and
attitudes needed to succeed.

7
Subjects Involved in the Study
My study will include all of the twenty-two students in my fifth-grade reading class. The
students in this class are heterogeneously grouped and the academic levels of my students are
23% of above average achievers, 58% average, and 19% below average. I chose to include all
my students because reading skills is a lifelong skill that every student needs to have, and
literature circles have the potential to strengthen the reading and writing skills of everyone, no
matter what type of achiever each student is.
As I previously mentioned, the ELA assessments and grades are a concern to me because
I am not confident that all my students have the reading skills to be successful on the STAAR
exam. The skills that I am most concerned with are comprehension, literary analysis skills, and
writing skills and I believe that for some students attitudes are one of the reasons for low grades.
The results from the Reading Attitude Survey as previously mentioned were, only about 35% of
the students enjoy reading and 40% only read when we are reading in class; however, both
groups do well on ELA assessments. The remaining 25% do not like to read at all and make low
scores on the ELA assessments. I struggle with keeping those students focused and on task
during independent reading time. Possible causes for the problem could be, difficulty reading,
lack of interest, and a need to be more engaged which could result in a negative attitude toward
reading which could cause problems with comprehension, lower test scores, and low self-esteem.
I am going to use the observations, tests and assessment results from the first six weeks
as the control group. I will use my observations, test grades and assessments, and the reading
attitude survey to compare to the final results of the literature circles study. The experimental
group will be conducted for the entire second six weeks period. The same group of students will
be included in the experimental group. Using the same students in the control group and the

8
experimental group I will be able to compare the effects that literature circles have on reading
skills and attitudes compared to the results of using Readers Workshop and guided reading.
Research Questions
To give meaning to the study and provide a structure for conducting the research I have
created a main research question and several related sub-questions. This section contains the
main research question and sub-questions of this research proposal.

Main Question
The main research question which is the foundation of the study is: What effects will literature
circles have on reading skills and attitudes among my fifth-grade students?
Sub-questions
To determine the effects that literature circles have on reading skills and attitudes, the following
sub-questions will be used to aid in the collection and analysis of data:
1. What effects will literature circles have on comprehension?
2. What effects will literature circles have on literary analysis skills?
3. What effects will literature circles have on reading performance?
4. What effects will literature circles have on attitudes?
5. What effects will literature circles have on frequency of discussion participation?
Review of the Professional Literature
As a reading teacher I believe that students overall academic success highly depends on
their reading ability. I also believe that attitudes toward reading can have a strong influence on
some students reading ability because if a student doesnt like to read and only reads when

9
necessary, that could cause the student to fall behind in their reading skills. I feel it is my duty to
research methods that can help improve students reading skills and attitudes.
The concern I have for the lack of reading skills and attitudes that a number of my
students are demonstrating has led to my research of literature circles. I believe that using
literature circles could have the potential to help increase reading skills and attitudes among
students. I sought to find literature that would be supportive and also objective in the use of
literature circles. For this purpose my literature review focuses on (1) literature that supports the
effects that literature circles have on reading skills and attitudes, and (2) literature that is in
opposition of using the literature circles method, and a summary statement of the literature and
my personal beliefs.

Literature in Support of Literature Circles

I began my research by looking for literature that supported literature circles as an
effective reading strategy. My finding indicate strong evidence that literature circles can greatly
improve reading skills and attitudes, the results were even greater in students with below average
reading skills, and students with disabilities. Research indicates that literature circles are
effective in improving reading comprehension and social skills for a broad range of students,
including students with disabilities (Certo, Moxley, Reffitt, & Miller, 2010). Further support
comes from Heydon (2003) when he stated that literature circles also enhance students fluency
skills and help them to become more familiar with the book; which increases their
comprehension skills. Another important purpose of literature circles is to improve students
writing skills and help students become aware of their responses and think more deeply about
what they are reading (Day, Spiegel, McLellan & Brown, 2002).

10
A negative attitude toward reading is a great concern that I believe literacy circles may
help students overcome. Literature circles give students a certain amount of freedom and a
chance to be in charge of their own learning. Day and Ainley (2008) stated, by giving the
students freedom to interpret the texts and talk about what they wanted also increased their
motivation and interest in learning. Social interaction can also be used to help promote positive
attitudes. Literature Circles improve the frequency of discussion participation by giving more
opportunity for everyone to talk and provide a natural context for conversation (Day, Spiegel,
McLellan & Brown, 2002). In Literacy for the 21st Century, A Balanced Approach, Tompkins
(2005) stated One of the best ways to nurture childrens love of reading and ensure that they
become lifelong readers is through literature circles-small, student-led book discussion groups
that meet regularly in the classroom.
A study was conducted by Avci, S., & Yksel, A. and published in 2011 to examine the
effect of literature circles on fourth grade students reading habits and comprehension skills. The
study and findings were published in Cognitive and Affective Contributions of the Literature
Circles Method on the Acquisition of Reading Habits and Comprehension Skills in Primary
Level Students. According to Avci & Yksel (2011), the study consisted of quantitative (pre-test
and post-test designs) and qualitative case study methods. The study was conducted at a private
school in Istanbul and consisted of 72 fourth grade students. The findings of the study showed
improved comprehension skills of students who had low reading level comprehension. The
results showed an increase in comprehension skills in the low, medium, and high reading
comprehension levels, but the greatest increase was to the low comprehension level group. The
students also liked reading the books by performing the different (roles) tasks and discussing the

11
readings with their peers. The benefits of using literature circles according to Avci & Yksel
(2011) are stated as follows:
Students understood the books they read very well and attributed this finding to
the fact that they read the book meticulously by internalizing it, even the smallest
details. Misunderstandings were corrected and they asked their peers when they
did not understandLiterature circles contributed to two students saying they
liked reading a book for the first time. Since each page of the book is read in a
detailed way, the ideas presented in each page and every point is discussed in
literature circles, therefore, students comprehension of the book is better
However, in individual reading, the student reads a page and passes on, often not
understanding all or part of the content (p.1295-1300).
The literature supports a strong case in the effectiveness of using literature circles to improve
reading skills and attitudes.
Literature in Opposition of Literature Circles
In searching for literature to support the effectiveness of literature circles I did find
literature that is opposed to using literature circles. One article that caught my attention is a study
conducted in 2007 by Lane W. Clarke, and Jennifer Holwadel titled Help! What Is Wrong With
These Literature Circles and How Can We Fix Them? The school that the research was
conducted is a kindergarten through eighth grade struggling urban school located in Cincinnati,
Ohio. In this article Clarke (the literacy consultant) has followed a sixth grade class for the past
two years. These students have been active in literature circles since the fourth grade. Holwadel
(the teacher) has been working with Clarke and trying to figure out why the literature circles
arent working. The positive aspects that literature circles can bring to the classroom is the

12
reason that Holwadel hasnt given up on them, but after many different approaches the students
still struggled with appropriating the basic skills of positive social interaction (Clarke, &
Holwadel 2007). Clark and Holwadel (2007) states, The literature circles deteriorated into
tension-filled book groups marred by class inequities, bullying, name-calling, kicking, and
threats. The struggles that Clark and Holwadel faced were discursive difficulties, in which the
students really struggled with maintaining a positive discursive environment; for example many
of their language practices dominated discussion groups, such as giving orders, using insults, and
disagreeing (Clarke, & Holwadel 2007). Structural barriers were also a problem due to the high
rate of absenteeism which made it difficult for students to get caught up on the readings.
Constant interruptions were also an issue. Holwadel (2007) complained of her limited teaching
time as a result of constant interruptions, which included benchmark testing that worked against
building consistency and routines. Clarke and Holwadel worked through the year trying
different strategies to improve literature circles. In conclusion of the article Clarke and Holwadel
(2007) states:
By the end of the school year Holwadel and I were beginning to feel better
about the literature circle discussions that were occurring in the classroom. We
were still battling student tension, classroom interruptions, and threats to our
community-building efforts.As the school year closed; we knew that our
literature circles still needed attention if we wanted them to be successful (p.
28).
Another issue that caused opposition to literature circles was stated by Mellissa Murray, One
issue that surfaced pretty quickly with all groups is the issue of reading ahead of the assigned
chapter. While we are not in the business of discouraging kids to read, it is imperative for the

13
success of the literature circle group that no one reads ahead (Cameron, S., Murray, M., Hull, K.,
& Cameron, J. 2012).
The literature in opposition to literature circles clearly shows that all things must be taken into
account when planning for literature circles.
Summary
In conclusion of my literature review it is my belief that literature circles can be a
successful method to help increase reading skills and students attitudes. Literature circles can
help build lifelong readers who have high reading skills and also enjoy reading. The success of
literature circles depends on the amount of research, work and preparation the teacher puts into
literature circles.
However, I now realize that I must plan for the situations that can be a negative aspect to
literature circles. I must take into account classroom dynamics, and issues such as fast readers,
and slower readers in the same group. There are many issues that can arise but I believe that if I
take the time and prepare how to handle problems that can arise literature circles can be a fun
and very productive method to help create skilled readers who enjoy reading.
Research Design
The research question that will drive my research proposal is: What effects will literature
circles have on reading skills and attitudes among my fifth-grade students? In this section I will
describe the experimental method I will use which are (1) literature circles and how I propose to
use it in my study, the control method which is, (2) Reading Workshop with guided reading
which is the literacy program I have been using in the past, and (3) my timeline for implementing
the literature circles study.

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Experimental Method
The method in which I will use to improve my students reading skills is called Literature
Circles. Literature circles are a combination of individual reading and collaborative learning
(Tracey & Morrow, 2006). Literature Circles were created by Harvey Daniels, a professor at
National-Louis University in Chicago, and his colleagues in Chicago, Illinois and published in
1994 in Literature Circles Voice and Choice in the Student-Centered Classroom. Daniels (1994)
defined literature circles as:
Literature Circles are small, temporary discussion groups who have chosen to
read the same story, poem, article, or book. While reading each groupdetermined portion of the text (either in or outside of class), each member
prepares to make specific responsibilities in the upcoming discussion, and
everyone comes to the group with notes needed to help perform that job. The
circles have regular meetings, with discussion roles rotating each session.
Daniels goes on to say, once readers can successfully conduct their own wideranging, self-sustaining discussions, formal discussion roles may be dropped
(Daniels, 1994, p. 13).
I first read about literature circles in an undergraduate reading class in 2010. At the
beginning of the semester my instructor divided the class into groups and we were assigned our
Literature Circle roles and responsibilities. The class continued implementing literature circles
through the semester and it worked very well. I felt that I was in charge of my learning and it was
my responsibility to complete my readings and assigned roles for not only my success but the
success of people in my group.

15
The purpose of literature circles is to improve reading skills, while promoting a positive
attitude toward reading. Literature Circles are also designed to meet the needs of all students and
allow students to take ownership of their learning. Students have the opportunity to learn from
one another and are able to hear different points of view and expand their thoughts on the
literature. Literature Circles help students build their literary analysis skills by taking an active
part in the various roles and working together to complete the different parts embedded in
literary analysis skills. There are many benefits to literature circles if they are properly
structured.
Since the beginning of the school year I have been conducting whole group reading
instruction and small group guided reading by using the Readers Workshop method. Readers
Workshop along with guided reading works very well for some of the students but there are
students who are struggling, and lack motivation. The students also use a portion of reading class
for independent reading. Readers Workshop begins by reading aloud to the whole group while
conducting a mini lesson emphasizing a particular reading skill or reading strategy. The students
are then broken down into small groups for guided reading which is led by the teacher. The
students take turns reading and I ask the students questions about the reading to help build
comprehension, and literary analysis skills. I face the challenge of keeping some students
engaged in guided reading. When it is their time some students do not know what page the group
is on, they do not pay attention when others are reading. When breaking the students down in
small groups I want to use literature circles in place of guided reading. I feel that if the students
chose their book and lead their own discussions they will feel more in charge of their own
learning. I will continue to have student conferences which will help me monitor the progress of
each student.

16
Students Literature Circle begins by books being introduced to students by giving short
book talks. Students choose three books they would like to read in the order of first choice to
third choice. The books should cover several reading levels. Groups are then formed based on the
books the students chose. Group dynamics and student choice should be taken into consideration
when groups of 4-5 students are formed. As a group, the students choose what should be read
before the next group meeting. Students can choose to read independently, in pairs, or as a group.
An estimated date the students should have the book completed should be set to keep the groups
on track. The teacher acts as a facilitator and may join in a group to help to model questioning,
responses, listening skills, or to listen and take anecdotal notes. The students are given a rubric to
help them know and understand what is expected out of each student in a Literature Circle.
Students respond to their reading journals after each reading to help with their comprehension
and to also help give a starting place for the next discussion, and can also help the students to
think more of deeply about what they are reading (Day, Spiegel, McLellan, & Brown, 2002, p.
87). The students are given roles in the group to complete for each meeting, and the roles are
rotated after each meeting to give all the students equal time to focus on each skill. The roles are
Discussion Director which develops questions the group should discuss. The Passage Picker
finds passages in the reading that they would like the group to hear read aloud. The Artful Artist
draws a picture, map, or important scene that relates to the text. The Connectors job is to
connect the reading to events in their own lives, news, political events, and the real world around
them. The role of Word Wizard looks for words in the text that are special or unknown and gives
the definitions to the group. The Summarizers job is to write and share an overview of the
reading. At the end of the group meeting, the group fills out a group meeting log which requires
groups to collaborate in gathering information on what they are doing and encourages them to

17
reflect after each meeting. Students also fill out a literature circle peer and self evaluation which
is intended to help group members contribute to the group, and will help learners become aware
of their own growth and participate in and plan their own learning (Day, Spiegel, McLellan, &
Brown, 2002, p. 126). Groups can meet daily or a few days a week depending on what the
teacher and groups chose. The teacher completes a daily log that helps focus on observations of
each group as the teacher moves around the room.
The students are assessed by keeping track of comprehension, reading levels, and journal
quality which are done by the individual reading/book logs, the student journals, and student
conferences. The assessment of the frequency of discussion participation is completed by using
teacher daily log, and the students literature circle peer and self evaluation.
I will use the entire literature circles program to try to get the full effect for my students. I
believe that literature circles can greatly help the reading skills and attitudes of my students. I
will assess the students comprehension and literary analysis skills by administering TAKS
Reading benchmark assessments to evaluate the effects that literature circles are having on the
students reading skills.

Control Method
During the first six weeks while preparing to implement the literature circles, I
will continue teaching the class using Readers Workshop and guided reading. Readers
Workshop and guided reading groups will be conducted daily. I will begin each day by
conducting a read aloud to the whole group while conducting a mini lesson emphasizing a
particular reading skill or reading strategy which will last approximately thirty minutes each day.
The students are then broken down into small groups and I will lead them in guided reading with

18
a different group each day. The students who are not in the guided reading group will be reading
independently. Guided reading groups are normally about thirty minutes. When forming the
guided reading groups, the students will be grouped by their reading levels. The students will
take turns reading and I will conduct think alouds and ask the students questions about the
reading to help build comprehension, and literary analysis skills. I will conduct individual
student conferences which will help me monitor the progress of each student. While I am
conducting student conferences the other students will be writing in their reading journal. I will
spend about thirty minutes each day conducting student conferences.
The main difference between literature circles and Reading Workshop is with the smallgroup, guided reading is teacher and text centered, but literature circles are reader response
centered. With Readers Workshop the students spend time daily in independent reading by
choosing one of the books the teacher had chosen to put in their book box. With literature circles
the students can choose to read independently, in pairs, or as a group, then the students come
together to discuss what they have read and conduct the jobs assigned to fully understand and
analyze the book. Literature circles are social and give students a purpose for reading and staying
on schedule.
During the first six weeks, I will be using the observations, tests, assessment results and
reading attitude survey as the control group using Readers Workshop and guided reading which
is the literacy program I have been using. The experimental group will be conducted for the
entire second six weeks period. The same group of students will be included in the experimental
period. During the second six weeks as my experimental period, I will use my observations, test
grades and assessments, and the reading attitude survey results to compare to the results of the
experimental period to the control period. Using the same students in the control period and the

19
experimental period I will be able to compare the effects that literature circles have on reading
skills and attitudes compared to the results of using Readers Workshop and guided reading.
Timeline
The control period and experimental period are made up of the same students. The first
six weeks will be the control period. The control period will be taught using Readers Workshop
and guided reading in which the students are familiar with. The experimental period will start the
second six weeks. The students will be taught using Readers Workshop and literature circles
during the experimental study. The timeline below will provide a summary of the current method
during the control period and, the experimental method that will be conducted during the study.
Control Method- First Six Weeks
During the first six weeks, the entire class which is the control period will be taught using
Readers Workshop and guided reading which is the method that was used the previous year. The
first week of school I will administer a Reading Attitude Survey to determine each students
attitude about reading. The first week, I will also conduct a reading assessment on each student
to determine their reading ability and choose placements in the guided reading groups according
to each students reading level. Once the students are assessed and group placements have been
made, I will choose five books for each student according to their reading level and place the
books in each students book box for independent reading.
Each day for approximately thirty minutes for the entire six weeks, I will teach Readers
Workshop by reading aloud to the whole group while conducting a mini lesson emphasizing a
particular reading skill or strategy. The students will then spend thirty minutes in independent
reading from the books in their book box while I conduct guided reading with individual groups.
In the guided reading groups the students will take turns reading. I will ask the students questions

20
about the reading to help build comprehension, and literary analysis skills. I will continue to this
plan daily for the entire six weeks. Using a journal I will take notes of students who are off task
during guided reading group and independent reading. Keeping a journal of the students who are
off task will help me to determine what effect literature circles, the experimental method has on
students attitudes toward reading. I will be conduct individual student conferences which will
help me to monitor the progress of each student. While I am conducting student conferences the
other students will be writing in their reading journal.
The students daily grades are assessed on their participation in the guided reading groups
and daily reading grades. Daily reading grades consist of occasional homework which includes
graphic organizers that assess the students literary analysis skills, such as reading
comprehension, and story elements. The students reading journals are used to assess their
comprehension and writing skills.
The sixth week I will administer a second Reading Attitude Survey to determine if there
has been a change in the students attitude about reading since the beginning of the control period
and to have current data for the beginning of the experimental period. I will administer Running
Records on each student to assess the students growth since the beginning of the control period.
I will enter all the data into Excel and analyze the data I have gathered from the six-week control
period.
Experimental Methodology- Second Six Weeks
Literature Circles, the experimental method will be conducted during the entire second
six weeks. I will start each reading class with Readers Workshop by reading aloud to the whole
group while conducting a mini lesson emphasizing a particular reading skill or strategy for
approximately thirty minutes. For the experimental period the class will be conducting literature

21
circles in place of guided reading. I will begin by introducing literature circles to the students and
modeling the Literature Circle roles. The literature circles will begin by books being introduced
to student in short book talks. The students choose three books they would like to read in order
from the first choice to the third choice. I will form groups of 4-5 students based on the books the
student chose, and taking into consideration group dynamics. Literature Circles put the students
in charge of their own learning. The students will have their first group meeting and decided how
many pages to read before the next group meeting. I will set an approximate date when the book
should be completed to keep the students on track. The students will also decide what Literature
Circle roles they will be completing, but if the students cant agree I will have the students draw
sticks with the roles written on them to find out what their assigned jobs will be. The jobs are
rotated every meeting so all the students will have the opportunity to work on all the skills.
The groups will meet on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of every week. On Tuesday
and Thursday, the students will read during Literature Circle time and work on their assigned
jobs independently. I will act as facilitator and join groups to help to model questioning,
responses, listening skills, or to listen and take anecdotal notes. Literature Circle rubrics will be
given to the students to help them understand what is expected out of each student during
literature circles. Literature Circles will last approximately thirty minutes. At the end of the
group meeting the members fill out a group meeting log which requires groups to collaborate in
gathering information on what they are doing and encourages them to reflect after each meeting.
Students also fills out a quick literature circle peer and self evaluation after every meeting which
is intended to help other group members contribute to the group and make them accountable for
participating in the group, and help make students accountable for their own learning and
participation.

22
After the daily Literature Circle time, the students spend about thirty minutes responding
to their reading journals to help with their comprehension and help give a starting place for the
next discussion. During the time when students are responding to their reading journals I will be
conducting individual student conferences which will help me to monitor the progress of each
student. I will continue using a journal taking notes of students who are off task during literature
circles and group, pair, and /or independent reading. Keeping a journal of the students who are
off task will help me to determine what effect literature circles; the experimental method has on
students attitudes toward reading. I will complete a daily log of literature circles that will help
me focus on observations of each group as I move around the room.
Students are assessed on the frequency of participation in the Literature Circle group by
using teacher daily log, and the students literature circle peer and self evaluation. Daily reading
grades consist of occasional homework which includes graphic organizers that assess the
students literary analysis skills, such as reading comprehension, and story elements. The
students reading journals are used to assess their comprehension and writing skills. Students are
also graded on group meeting logs and the literature circle peer and self evaluations.
The twelfth week I will administer a second Reading Attitude Survey to determine if
there has been a change in the students attitude about reading since the beginning of the
experimental period. I will also administer Running Records on each student to assess the
students growth since the beginning of the experimental period. I will enter all the data into
Excel and analyze the data I have gathered from the experimental period and finalize the report
for the complete study.
Week 1 and 2 (Control Period- Pre-assessment Prior to Beginning the Experiment)
1.
2.

Assess each students reading ability and choose placements in the guided reading
groups according to students reading level.
Conduct Readers Workshop and guided reading groups.

23
3.
4.
5.
6.

Administer TAKS Reading benchmark assessment.

Using a journal, take notes of off task behavior during guided reading
groups, independent reading, and academic progress.
Record daily grades in reading.
Administer Reading Attitude Survey.

Weeks 3-6 (Four weeks Using Traditional Grade Level Materials)

1. Teach my traditional lessons using Readers Workshop and guided reading.
2.
Conduct individual student conferences.
3.
Continue using a journal, taking notes of off task behavior during guided reading
groups, independent reading, and academic progress.
4.
Record daily grades in reading.
5. Administer Running Records assessment.
6. Administer Reading Attitude Survey.
7.
Administer TAKS Reading benchmark assessment.
8.
Enter all data into Excel and analyze the data I have gathered.
9.
Begin to draft the final report of the control period.
Week 7 (1st Week of Experiment Using Literature Circles)
1.
Continue teaching traditional lessons using Readers Workshop.
2.
Implement my first week literature circles.
3.
Introduce and model Literature Circle and the student roles/jobs.
4.
Complete a daily log of literature circles.
5.
Conduct individual student conferences.
6.
Continue using a journal, taking notes of off task behavior during guided reading
groups, independent reading, and academic progress.
7.
Record daily grades in reading.
Week 8-10 (Next 3 Weeks of Experiment Using Literature Circles)
1
Continue to implement daily lessons using Readers Workshop and literature circles.
2.
Complete a daily log of literature circles.
3.
Conduct individual student conferences.
4.
Continue using a journal, taking notes of off task behavior during guided reading
groups, independent reading, and academic progress.
5. Record daily grades in reading.
Week 11-12 (Write Final Report)
1. Administer Reading Attitude Survey.
2. Administer Running Records assessment
3.
Administer TAKS Reading benchmark assessment.
4.
Finalize the report.
5.
Prepare presentation for cohort
6.
Present to cohort class and principal.

24
Data Collection and Analysis
In this section I will be addressing each of my sub-questions in order to answer my main
research question effectively. I will use the findings from addressing the sub-questions to
formulate answers to the main research question: What effects will literature circles have on
reading skills and attitudes among my fifth-grade students? Each sub-question will be discussed
and the data collection proposed for each, and how I intend to analyze and present the findings.
Sub-question 1: What effects will literature circles have on comprehension?
Data Collection. To answer this sub-question, I will administer a TAKS (Texas Assessment of
Knowledge and Skills) Reading benchmark test from a previous TAKS Reading test from the
Texas Education Agency (TEA) website. I will administer the TAKS Reading benchmark
assessment three times during the study: 1) Week 1: pre-assessment will be the first week of
school and will also be the beginning of the control period. 2) Week 6: which is the last week of
the control period and will also is the starting point of the experimental period. 3) Week 11: Final
testing of the study, this will be the end of the experiment and the study. The TAKS Reading
benchmark assessment will be administered in a group setting to every student in a quiet
classroom test setting. The students will be given the TAKS Reading packet that consists of
approximately five stories. The students will read the stories silently and answer multiple choice
questions to assess their comprehension skills. Upon completion of the TAKS Reading
benchmark assessment I will grade the assessment using a numerical grade from 0-100%. The
grades will help determine the students ability group; below level, average, and above average. I
will record numerical grades for each student for each of the three assessments in the research
Excel database.

25
Data Analysis. The data analysis that will be used is the average scores on the TAKS
Reading benchmark assessment of each student to compare achievement in the following three
methods: 1) compare the results of the control period, and the experimental period; 2) compare
the data among the different ability groups for the control, and experimental period; 3) compare
scores of gender groups results between the results of the control and experimental periods.
For the first level of analysis I will calculate the average TAKS Reading benchmark
assessment results from week one, week six, and week eleven. I will compare the class average
results from the control period with the experimental period from each time period. To share the
data and their results I will generate a bar graph to illustrate the results of the control period, and
the experimental period. An example of a bar graph that I will use to present the average TAKS
Reading benchmark assessment score results of the control period, with the experimental period
is illustrated in Figure 4.
Figure 4. TAKS Reading benchmark assessment scores for the pre-assessment, control
period, and experimental period.

After completing the graph, I will discuss the results of the data and how they relate to my
first sub-question.

26
My second level of analysis will be conducted by comparing the data among the different
ability groups for the pre-assessment, control, and experimental period. The groups will be
organized by the average TAKS Reading benchmark assessment score for the below average,
average, and above average students. The example of the bar graph I will use to determine the
changes in the average TAKS Reading benchmark score for the below average, average, and
above average students for the pre-assessment, control period, and experimental period. The
changes in the Reading benchmark assessment results of the control period, and the
experimental period is illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Changes in the Reading benchmark assessment scores for the pre-assessment,
control period, and experimental period for the below average, average, and above average
students.

27
After completing the graph, I will discuss the results of the data and how they relate to my
first sub-question.
My third and final analysis related to my first sub-question is to compare gender groups
results between the results of the pre-assessment, control and experimental periods. The groups
will be organized by the changes in the TAKS Reading benchmark assessment score by gender
group results between the results of the control and experimental periods. Changes in the TAKS
Reading benchmark assessment score by gender group results is illustrated in Figure 6.
Figure 6. Changes in the TAKS Reading benchmark assessment score by gender group.

After completing the graph, I will discuss the results of the data and how they relate to my
first sub-question.
Sub-question 2: What effects will literature circles have on literary analysis skills?
Data Collection. To answer this sub-question, I will administer TAKS (Texas
Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) Reading benchmark test from a previous TAKS Reading
test from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website that will assess students literary analysis
skills. The test will provide an assessment of the students knowledge of literary analysis skills,
such as plot, point of view, and character. I will administer the TAKS Reading benchmark
assessment three times during the study: 1) Week 1: pre-assessment will be the first week of

28
school and will also be the beginning of the control period. 2) Week 6: which is the last week of
the control period and will also is the starting point of the experimental period. 3) Week 11: Final
testing of the study, this will be the end of the experimental period and the study.
I will record numerical grades for each student in the research Excel database.
Data Analysis. I will conduct the same three analyses for literary analysis skills as I did
for student comprehension skills: 1) compare the results of the control period, and the
experimental period; 2) compare the data among the different ability groups for the control, and
experimental period; 3) compare gender groups results between the results of the control and
experimental periods.
Sub-question 3: What effects will literature circles have on reading performance?
Data Collection. To answer this sub-question I will use the Running Records assessment
which was originally created in 1993 by Marie Clay in An Observational Survey of Early
Literacy Achievement (Serafini, 2010). I will administer the Running Records assessment three
times during the study: 1) Week 1: pre-assessment will be the first week of school and will also
be the beginning of the control period. 2) Week 6: which is the last week of the control period
and will also is the starting point of the experimental period. 3) Week 11: Final testing of the
study, this will be the end of the experimental period and the study. I will work with the student
individually and as the student reads aloud I will use codes to record detailed information of each
word the student reads. The benchmark books the students read has a designated reading level
and upon completion of the Running Record assessment, I will calculate scores and analyze
errors to determine the instructional reading level, comprehension, and miscues of the student.
Upon completion of the Running Record, I will compute the error, accuracy, and self correction
rates using the formula provided in the Running Records manual. The Fountas & Pinnell scoring

29
will help determine each students reading level based on the Running Record score. The Fountas
& Pinnell reading levels range from A-Z. The fifth grade instructional levels range from S
for the beginning of the year and V for end of the year. Levels above are frustrational and
levels below are independent. The goal of the Running Records is to find the students
instructional level. The scores to determine the reading levels are: independent 95-100%,
instructional 90% - 94%, and frustrational is 89% and below to determine each students reading
level. For the purpose of this study I will record the three percentage values for the reading level
for each student in the research Excel database.
Data Analysis. The data analysis that will be used is the average reading level results of
the Running Records of each student to compare achievement in the following three methods: 1)
compare the results of the control period, with the experimental period; 2) compare the data
among the different ability groups for the control, and experimental period; 3) compare gender
groups results between the results of the control and experimental periods.
For the first level of analysis I will calculate the average reading level results from week
one, week six, and week eleven. I will compare the class average results from the control period
with the experimental period from each time period. To share the data and their results I will
generate a bar graph to illustrate the results of the control period, and the experimental period.
An example of a bar graph that I will use to present the average reading level percentage score
results of the control period, with the experimental period is illustrated in Figure 7.

30
Figure 7. Average reading level percentages for the pre-assessment, control period, and
experimental period.

After completing the graph, I will discuss the results of the data and how they relate to my
first sub-question.
My second level of analysis will be conducted by comparing the data among the different
ability groups for the control, and experimental period. The groups will be organized by the
average reading level for the below average, average, and above average students. The example
of the bar graph I will use to determine the changes in the average reading level percentages for
the below average, average, and above average students for the pre-assessment, control period,
and experimental period. The results of the changes in average reading level percentages for the
below average, average, and above average students is illustrated in Figure 8.

31
Figure 8. Changes in average reading level percentages for the below average, average,
and above average students.

After completing the graph, I will discuss the results of the data and how they relate to the subquestion.
My third and final analysis related to my first sub-question is to compare gender
groups results between the results of the control and experimental periods. The groups will be
organized by the changes in the average reading level by gender group results between the results
of the control and experimental periods. The results of the changes in the average reading level
by gender group are illustrated in Figure 9.

32
Figure 9. Changes in the average reading level by gender group.

After completing the graph, I will discuss the results of the data and how they relate to the subquestion.
Sub-question 4: What effects will literature circles have on attitudes?
Data Collection. This sub-question will be addressed by using the data collected from
the Reading Attitude Survey. The Reading Attitude Survey will be taken by the students
individually. There are 2 parts to the survey. Part A will contain a Likert type survey and will
consist of 20 questions, which 10 questions will address recreational reading and 10 questions
cover academic reading. Part A survey will be administered: 1) Week 1: will be the first week of
school and will also be the beginning of the control period. 2) Week 6: which is the last week of
the control period and will also is the starting point of the experimental period. 3) Week 11: Final

33
week; this will be the end of the experimental period and the study. The part B survey will be
administered during week 11 at the end of the experimental period. The Reading Attitude Survey
will be taken by the students individually. The survey consists of possible answers from 1-4; 4
points is the happiest face, 3 points is a slightly smiling face, 2 points a mildly upset face, and
one point is a very upset face. I chose this survey because it does not have a neutral choice for an
answer which forces the student to think of how they feel about the answer. Upon completion of
the Reading Attitude Survey I will add the number of points in the recreational reading raw
score, and the academic reading raw score and divide the raw score by 80 to determine the
percentage of each students reading attitude. I will record the reading attitude percentage for
each student in the research Excel database.
Part B of the survey will contain open-ended questions that will concentrate on the students
opinion of the experimental period and will only be administered in week 11, at the end of the
experimental period. Examples of questions in Part B of the survey might include; 1) how do you
feel about using literature circles in our reading class; 2) In what ways do literature circles help
your understanding of the literature; 3) do you prefer to use literature circles in place of guided
reading? Why or why not?
Data Analysis. The analysis for this sub-question will be focused on comparing the students
attitudes toward reading between the control and experimental classes by using the following
three methods: 1)To conduct the first level of analysis for Part A- Reading Attitude Survey I will
compute the average percentages for week 1: pre-experiment, week 6: control period, and week
11: experimental period. The data will help determine if literature circles have a positive effect
on attitudes in reading. 2) Compute the survey percentages for three students who have the
lowest reading attitude results to determine the effectiveness of literature circles for those

34
students. 3) I will analyze the data collected in Part B of the attitude survey. Using the Q-sort
method I will group the response questions from positive to negative and discuss the effects that
the experimental method (literature circles) has had on the students. The Reading Attitude survey
percentages for the pre-assessment, control period, and experimental period is illustrated in
Figure 10.
Figure 10. Part A- Reading Attitude Survey percentages for the pre-assessment, control
period, and experimental period.

Following the graph, I will discuss the results of the data and how they relate to subquestion three which is: What effects will literature circles have on attitudes?
The second level of analysis will focus on the survey percentages for three students who
have the lowest reading attitude results to determine the effectiveness of literature circles for
those students. Reading Attitude survey results for 3 students will the lowest reading attitude
results is illustrated in Figure 11.
Figure 11. Reading Attitude survey results for 3 students will the lowest reading attitude
results.

35

Following the graph, I will discuss the results of the three lowest scores of the Reading Attitude
survey. The students will be referred to as Student 1, Student 2, and Student 3.
The third level of analysis will be to analyze the data collected in Part B of the attitude
survey. Using the Q-sort method I will group the response questions from positive to negative
and discuss the effects that the experimental method (literature circles) have had on the students.
Sub-question 5: What effects will literature circles have on frequency of discussion
participation?
Data Collection. To answer this sub-question, I will assess and analyze the data collected from
the teacher daily log, and the students Literature Circle peer and self evaluation. I will analyze
the frequency of participation for comparison two times during the study: 1) Week 6: which is
the last week of the control period and will also is the starting point of the experimental period.
2) Week 11: Final testing of the study, this will be the end of the experimental period and the
study. For the control period I will keep a journal, taking notes of off task behavior during guided
reading groups to assess the frequency of participation in the group. During each Literature
Circle group I will complete a daily log that helps me focus on observations of each group as I
move around the room. The students complete a Literature Circle peer and self evaluation after
every group to assess their participation and each of their peers. For the control group I will keep
a journal, taking notes of off task behavior during guided reading groups and the level of

36
participation to assess the frequency of participation in the group. During each Literature Circle
group I will complete a daily log that helps me focus on observations of each group as I move
around the room. The students complete a Literature Circle peer and self evaluation after every
group to assess their participation and each of their peers. Upon the completion of the control
period, and the experimental period I will analyze the teachers journal, daily log, and students
Literature Circle peer and self evaluation. I will compare the number of off-task behaviors and
the level of participation. The students will be graded on the frequency of their participation level
using standard scores 0-100%. I will record the discussion participation for each student in the
research Excel database.
Data Analysis. The analysis for this sub-question will be focused on 1) compare the
results of the control period, and the experimental period; 2) compare the data among the
different ability groups for the control, and experimental period; 3) compare the data for the
control, and experimental period for three students who have the most frequent behavioral issues.
For the first level of analysis I will compare the frequency of discussion participation results of
the control period, and the experimental period. The data will help determine if literature circles
have a positive effect on the frequency of discussion participation.

Figure 12. Average Frequency of discussion participation results for the control period, and
experimental period.

37

After completing the graph, I will discuss the results of the data and how they relate to the
sub-question.
For the second level of analysis I will compare the frequency of discussion participation
data among the different ability groups for the control, and experimental period. I will compute
the scores by analyzing the teachers journal, daily log, and students Literature Circle peer and
self evaluation. I will compare the number of off-task behaviors and the level of participation.
The students will be graded on the frequency of their participation level using standard scores 0100%. The average of frequency of discussion participation results for the control period, and
experimental period is illustrated in Figure 13.
Figure 13. Average of Frequency of discussion participation results for the control period,
and experimental period.

38

After completing the graph, I will discuss the results of the data and how they relate to the subquestion.
For the third level of analysis I will compare the frequency of discussion participation
results for three students who have the most frequent behavioral issues for the control, and
experimental period. The frequency of discussion participation results for the three students who
have the most frequent behavioral issues is illustrated in Figure 14.
Figure 14. Average of Frequency of discussion participation results for the three students
who have the most frequent behavioral issues for the control period, and experimental
period.

39

After completing the graph, I will discuss the results of the data and how they relate to the subquestion.

Support/Collaboration
Although I am conducting the control and experimental research groups, there are a
number of individuals that I will collaborate and discuss different ideas. I have the support of
David Wyatt, my campus administrator and my campus principle, Phoebe Hallowell. Ms.
Hallowell is interested in the effects of literature circles on reading skills and attitudes among the

40
fifth-grade students. She will be a valuable source of information and any materials needed for
the research. Christie Hernandez, the reading specialist on campus has agreed to help with the
selection of texts that the students will use for literature circles. This will save me valuable time
because she can provide the texts that are age, and reading level appropriate for all my students.
Ms. Hernandez has offered to help with the Running Records reading testing. There are four
other fifth grade teachers who are interested in implementing literature circles if the experimental
research is successful. The team of fifth grade teachers will be a valuable source of support. I
will also be collaborating with Dr. Leslie Harold who was the instructor for my reading classes
during my undergraduate studies. I believe that literature circles will have a positive effect on the
reading skills and attitudes among the fifth-grade students. If the experimental research yields
positive results I will share the information and results with the teachers in my fifth-grade team,
and my administrators.

References

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Method on the Acquisition of Reading Habits and Comprehension Skills in Primary
Level Students. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 11(3), 1295-1300.

41
Cameron, S., Murray, M., Hull, K., & Cameron, J. (2012). Engaging Fluent Readers Using
Literature Circles. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 20(1), i-viii.
Certo, J., Moxley, K., Reffitt, K., & Miller, J. A. (2010). I learned how to talk about a book:
Childrens perceptions of literature circles across grade and ability levels. Literacy
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Daniels, H. (1994). Literature circles: Voice and choice in the student-centered classroom. York,
Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.
Daniels, H. (2002). Literature circles: Voice and choice in book clubs & reading groups. (2nd
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Literature Circles. Reading Horizons, 48(3), 157-176.
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circles: How to plan, manage, and evaluate literature circles that deepen understanding
and foster a love of reading. New York, NY.: Scholastic Inc.
Fountas, I., & Pinnell, G. (2010, July 16). Evaluating a student's reading level for placement
within lli. Retrieved from http://www.fpblog.heinemann.com/?tag=/running records
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Tompkins, G. E. (2005). Literacy for the 21st century, a balanced approach. (4th ed.). New
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New York, NY: Guilford Press.
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