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Title: Using Literature Circles To Understand Master A Short Story


1
Using Literature Circles To Understand / Master A
Short Story
  • Program Kajian Tindakan Negeri Perak
  • Peringkat Sekolah
  • Tahun 2005

By CIK PREMILA EN POH BENG SIEW CIK
CHOON MEE KUEN
2
  • ABSTRACT
  • To understand / master a literary text and
    express
  • opinions or ideas on it whether in writing or
    orally,
  • students have to use strategies to extract its
    central
  • idea(s).
  • Good students are able to read and respond on a
    text
  • based on their previous knowledge, language
  • proficiency and understanding of the text.
  • Weak students, however, resort to memorizing
    facts
  • When they have to express their opinions or
    ideas,
  • whether in writing or otherwise.
  • The purpose of this study is to explore the usage
    of
  • Literature Circles in understanding / mastering a
    short
  • story.

3
  • 1.0 BACKGROUND
  • In the year 2000, for the English Language
  • subject the small literature component was
  • added to the curriculum
  • to enable learners to engage in wider reading
  • of good works
  • for enjoyment
  • and for self-development.
  • Students have to master the 3 genres i.e.
  • poems, short stories and novels.
  • Students taking PMR and SPM are tested on
  • the literature component. So literary texts
  • carry weightage.

4
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
  • Students lack the ability to understand short
  • stories.
  • They can answer questions that involve
  • skimming or scanning for specific information.
  • They cannot answer questions that involve
  • making inferences, predictions or judgment.
  • They memorize sample answers without
  • understanding to score in the examinations.
  • Problem when changes are made to the
  • questions.

5
  • OBJECTIVE
  • This study aims to
  • help students understand and respond to
    literary works
  • like short stories.
  • instill the reading habit among students
  • develop critical thinking skills among students
  • help students become autonomous learners
  • help students develop an understanding of other
    societies,
  • cultures, values and traditions.
  • improve students' communication skills

6
  • WHAT ARE LITERATURE CIRCLES?
  • self-selected small groups which meet to talk
    about a
  • text which all have read, such as a book or
    novel, short
  • story, news article or poem.
  • Students meet on a regular basis to discuss
    various
  • aspects of the text and to address any content
    or form
  • related problems or issues.
  • to help students enjoy and understand their
    readings
  • through informal discussions with their peers.
  • Students are encouraged to view these groups as
    a
  • venue for getting help in understanding the text
    and for
  • expressing their opinions and ideas.

7
  • USING LITERATURE CIRCLES IN THE CLASSROOM.
  • Groups formed based on self-selection.
  • 4 members to a group.
  • 10 groups.
  • Groups based on perceived ability level and
    other
  • criteria.
  • The short story entitled "Looking for a Rain
    God" by
  • Bessie Head was used for the purpose of this
    study.
  • Approximately 30 minutes, once a week was
    devoted to
  • literature circles in the classroom.
  • The teacher, as a facilitator, used guiding
    questions and
  • tried to lead from where students are in their
  • discussions.
  • To generate good discussion and reflective
    thinking
  • some guidelines were followed as a class.

8
  • GUIDELINES FOR INTERACTION
  • One speaker at a time.
  • Explain your thinking.
  • Let other people talk.
  • Stay on the subject.
  • Take your turn at listening.
  • Share your ideas.
  • Show respect for others' ideas.

9
GUIDELINES FOR INTERPRETATION Support your ideas
using the short story. What words or
pictures in the book made you think of
your idea? Can you show where in
the book it says that? Support your ideas
with your own experience. What happened
in your life that is like this situation?
Who do you know that is like this
character and why? What is the
problem/conflict in the short story?
How did the conflict develop and get resolved?
What changes did you see in the
character(s)? What questions would you ask
the author or character(s)? What would you
have done if you were the character?
10
RESEARCH APPROACH
  • Identifying the problem
  • Planning action steps
  • Implementation of action steps
  • Monitoring of action steps and effects
  • Assessment and reflection

11
The Sample
This study involved 40 students from the Form 5
Science Kuning class in SMJK Pei Yuan, Kampar.
They are students with a mixed proficiency of the
English language.
12
  • LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
  • 30 minutes seemed too short a time.
  • Some weak but enthusiastic students
  • tend to use their mother tongue during
  • discussions.
  • Although digressions were allowed but
  • some students had problems staying on
  • the topic.

13
  • RESEARCH FOCUS
  • Using literature circles students explored the
    short story by
  • guessing the meanings of difficult words using
  • contextual clues and dictionaries.
  • identifying its main idea(s) / theme(s)
  • message(s).
  • identifying character descriptions/traits,
  • setting and conflict.
  • making predictions and inferences.

14
INSTRUMENT The data was collected through
observation and the use of a questionnaire, a
pre-test and post-test.
15
  • QUESTIONNAIRE
  • comprised a set of 10 questions.
  • was administered to the class and the
  • respondents were required to select
  • the option that best reflect their ideas
  • of literature circles in understanding
  • the short story.

16
POST-TESTA post-test was conducted to see
whether the respondents have made any progress
after being exposed to discussions during
literature circles. The test was carried out 5
weeks after the pre-test.
PRE-TEST A pre-test was conducted on the class
to identify how much the respondents understood
of the short story 'Looking for a Rain God'. This
pre-test consists of questions regarding
character, setting and plot. Students also had to
give their opinions and make predictions.
17
  • Observation
  • Initial observation was carried out during P P
  • using oral question and answer sessions to
    gauge
  • students' understanding of the short stories
  • taught and their behaviour during lessons.
  • During literature circles students were also
  • observed in discussion etiquette
  • Attending to the topic.
  • Participating actively in the group.
  • Asking questions.
  • Allowing all members of the group opportunity to
  • participate.
  • Disagreeing constructively.
  • Supporting opinions with evidence.

18
ANALYSIS OF DATA 5.1 ANALYSIS OF
QUESTIONNAIRE Before literature circles Q
1. 63 of the respondents do not understand the
short story well. Q 2. 48 find the story
itself (content) difficult to understand. Q
3. 65 have difficulty in answering comprehension
questions based on the story. Q 4. 80 are
interested in understanding other short stories
that they read. After literature circles Q
5. 78 understand the short story 'Looking for a
Rain God' very
well after participating in literature
circles. Q 6. 78 can answer comprehension
questions on the short story. Q 7. 85 chose
Literature Circles as the best method to master a
short story. Q 8. 88 think LC is beneficial
in helping students to understand short
stories. Q 9. 56 feel they can express
themselves better after LC. Q 10. 88 are
interested in reading other short stories.
19
5.2.2 ANALYSIS OF
POST-TEST87.5 of the students passed the test
12.5 failed. Failed because they have
problems in expressing themselves in
writing.They also have a low proficiency level.
5.2.1 ANALYSIS OF PRE-TEST 62.5 of the students
passed the test 37.5 of them failed. reason
for the failure rate is because the students
faced problems in understanding the story.
20
  • COMPARISON BETWEEN PRE-TEST AND POST-TEST RESULTS.

21
  • 6.0 OUTCOME OF THE RESEARCH
  • making them efficient learners.
  • participating actively in LC by asking
    questions, supporting
  • their opinions with evidence from the text as
    well as
  • agreeing and disagreeing constructively.
  • Their self-confidence also improved when they
    found that
  • they were able to contribute during
    discussions.
  • With the teacher, as a facilitator and guide,
    students felt
  • safe when they encountered problems during
    discussions.
  • Some students elected group leaders to keep
    track of their
  • discussion topics and distributed tasks among
    themselves.
  • They also started reading the short story to
    contribute ideas.
  • LC requires time and proper management on the
    part of the
  • teacher and students.

22
CONCLUSIONUsing Literature Circles to
understand a short story is a good strategy, as
students not only master the story but also
develop critical and creative thinking skills.
Moreover, their communicative skills and
discussion etiquette will improve when they
interact as a group. Apart from that, students of
various proficiency levels will benefit
tremendously when they learn from their peers.
23
THANK YOU !!!
GOODBYE !!!
24
QUESTIONNAIRE PRE-TEST POST-TEST
25
SUGGESTION FOR FUTURE RESEARCH After carrying
out this research, I am keen to carry out a
similar but more comprehensive research using
Literature Circles also. Literature Circles will
be used to help students in form 5 master the
novel entitled 'The Pearl' by John
Steinbeck.REFERENCESJacobs M. G., Davis C.
and Renandya A. W. ( 1997 ) successful Strategies
for Extensive Reading. Singapore SEAMEO Regional
Language Centre.Http//anvil. Gsu.edu/Literature
Circles/Stories/Story Reader.Http/www.mcps.k12.m
d.us/curriculum/english/elg/lit circles.htm.
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