Conduct Reading Workshops

Workshop groups can be formed by small groups of students who have read the same book or novel. The purpose of the workshops is to further student comprehension of and interaction with the book or novel they have read by discussing specific aspects of it with other readers. These group discussions will hell students to summarize and synthesize what they have read.

Students may brainstorm to select and plan the topics they wish to discuss at each workshop. Alternatively, you may wish to guide them in planning their workshop discussions by using the suggested workshop titles as a focus for discussion.

WORKSHOP 1
Share and Compare Impressions

Students can share their favorite parts of the book, perhaps reading parts aloud to the group. They may wish to.pose questions about or discuss:

WORKSHOP 2
Discuss Setting

To further their understanding of the characters and events that took place in the book or novel, students could discuss and provide answers to the following:

WORKSHOP 3
Discuss Characters

To aid students in understanding the characters' roles in the story, students could brainstorm answers to the following questions:

WORKSHOP 4
Discuss Plot

To heighten understanding and awareness of plot development, students might discuss:

WORKSHOP 5
Question the Author

To help students interact with the book as a writer as well as a reader, invite them to ask questions about the choices the author made while writing the book. They may develop questions by writing completions to the stem "Why did the author..." (choose that particular setting? . . . put the story in the past? . . . select that genre for the story? . . .)

Once the group has generated several questions, they can co-operatively select those that interest them the most and attempt to find answers for their questions through revisiting the book and group discussion.

Tips for Guiding Effective Reading Workshops

  • Keep workshop groups small (no more than eight to a group).
  • Help students brainstorm and plan workshops based on specific aspects of their book or novel (setting, plot, characters,...).
  • Explain and model the rules for a good discussion prior to the first workshop.
  • Serve as both group member and facilitator in early stages of workshop implementation to encourage and guide students in their discussions.