As reading teachers, one of our biggest goals is to instill a love of reading in our students while building comprehension skills.

One of the best ways to accomplish both is by utilizing strategies such as Literature Circles or Book Clubs. While many people use the terms synonymously, they’re actually quite different.

Which strategy is best for your Upper Elementary students?

Let’s take a look at both.

How Literature Circles and Book Clubs are Alike

In both Literature Circles and Book Clubs, students meet in small groups of typically 4-6 readers in each. They meet about once a week to discuss the book they have chosen to read. Each student in the group is responsible for completing the assigned reading and collecting their thoughts about what they’ve read before coming to a meeting.

Both types of reading groups lead to engagement as they promote student choice and voice. Rather than being told what to read and completing projects that follow a rigid rubric, students hold the power to choose books of interest and demonstrate understanding through discussion.

How Literature Circles and Book Clubs are Different

Literature Circles

• Follows a teacher created schedule

• Students fill roles and complete sheets

• Focuses on multiple aspects of reading

• More structured

• Students become focused on completing role sheets rather than their reading

• Typically used with fiction only as the roles align with fictional elements

Book Clubs

• Student led - set pace and reading schedule

• Students picks book, leads discussion

• Focuses more on understanding

• More casual, less structure

• Fosters independence

• Can be used with any type of text

While both Literature Circles and Book Clubs encourage student choice and increase engagement, the key difference between the two is structure. If you or your students are new to these types of groups, the best solution may be to begin with Literature Circles and transition to Book Clubs.

I often describe Literature Circles as training wheels - just the right amount of support and structure to get students going and then remove so they can work independently.

Ways to Incorporate Literature Circles and Book Clubs Into your Classroom

One of the best ways to make this a smooth learning transition is to use tools like this Book Club resource. It includes everything you need to get started with Literature Circles and then transition to Book clubs. The great part about this resource is that it now includes a digital version, so you can use it no matter where you’re teaching this year. Click here to find out more.

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