Implementing

Book Clubs
Success Factors

Essential factors
Before the Book Club
The teacher establishes and teaches routines
The teacher gathers book choices and students choose a book
(adapt based on grade requirements)
Students read the book in preparation and make notes

During the Book Club
The teacher facilitates, coaches, reinforces routines and content
of conversation
The teacher facilitates, participates, guides and observes as
required for the group
The students actively participate in the discussion, guided by
set routines and expectations
Students learn and use skills of engaging in effective literature
discussion, like, sharing an opinion or disagreement, pose real
questions, build on another’s comments
Students demonstrate skills learnt through other instructional
contexts, such as, making personal connections, interpret
inferences

After the Book Club
The teacher sometimes provides feedback to the group on the
content and quality of the discussion
The teacher guides students in evaluation of the discussion
The teacher invites comments, opinions and questions as
students’ feedback and evidence of learning
The teacher plans next steps (more discussion, writing about
reading, project, more reading)
Students self assess their participation in the Book Club
Students evaluate the quality of discussion