An Investigation of Literature Circles and Critical Literacy: Differentiated Learning Opportunities for High-Ability Students

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Soares, L. (2009). An Investigation of Literature Circles and Critical Literacy: Differentiated Learning Opportunities for High-Ability Students. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

ABSTRACTThis qualitative research study investigated how literature circles provide an optimal differentiated learning context for high-ability (sixth-grade) readers that centered on the connection between critical pedagogy and collaborative reading of sociocultural issues. The research questions focused on the ways that literature circles provide differentiated learning opportunities, how literature circles provide a context to consider multiple viewpoints, the types of new texts and identities that gifted students create, and the types of analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills gifted sixth-grader readers demonstrate in literature circle interactions. This study was conducted in one sixth-grade gifted reading classroom. Data was collected through a number of procedures that included participant observation, field notes, anecdotal records, interviews, questionnaires, audiovisual transcripts, and student-produced artifacts. Data analysis was conducted using principles of ethnographic coding, grounded theory, and discourse analysis.This study found literature circles provide zones of opportunity for gifted middle school students, a forum for gifted readers to consider multiple viewpoints on issues of social justice, a context to try out new subjectivities and create counter texts, and a forum for gifted readers to apply their analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills by taking a critical stance, creating intertextual connections, and resymbolizing the unfamiliar worlds in texts into understandable worlds through lived experiences.

Details
Author

Soares, Lina

Title

An Investigation of Literature Circles and Critical Literacy: Differentiated Learning Opportunities for High-Ability Students

Physical Description

1 online resource (417 pages) : PDF

Date

2009

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis qualitative research study investigated how literature circles provide an optimal differentiated learning context for high-ability (sixth-grade) readers that centered on the connection between critical pedagogy and collaborative reading of sociocultural issues. The research questions focused on the ways that literature circles provide differentiated learning opportunities, how literature circles provide a context to consider multiple viewpoints, the types of new texts and identities that gifted students create, and the types of analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills gifted sixth-grader readers demonstrate in literature circle interactions. This study was conducted in one sixth-grade gifted reading classroom. Data was collected through a number of procedures that included participant observation, field notes, anecdotal records, interviews, questionnaires, audiovisual transcripts, and student-produced artifacts. Data analysis was conducted using principles of ethnographic coding, grounded theory, and discourse analysis.This study found literature circles provide zones of opportunity for gifted middle school students, a forum for gifted readers to consider multiple viewpoints on issues of social justice, a context to try out new subjectivities and create counter texts, and a forum for gifted readers to apply their analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills by taking a critical stance, creating intertextual connections, and resymbolizing the unfamiliar worlds in texts into understandable worlds through lived experiences.

Genre

doctoral dissertations

Subjects--Topics

Education, Elementary
Reading
Curriculum planning

Degree

Ph.D.

Keywords

Critical Discourse
Critical Literacy
Multicultural Literacy
Reader-Response
Sociocultural
Teacher-Researcher

Subject Area

Curriculum & Instruction

Advisor(s)

Mraz, Maryann

Committee Members

Wood, Karen
Wang, Chuang
Algozzine, Robert

Degree Note

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2009.

Rights Statement

This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). For additional information, see http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/.

Rights Holder Information

Copyright is held by the author unless otherwise indicated.

Identifier

Soares_uncc_0694D_10009

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:126