Describe and demonstrate how social networks such as Facebook and Goodreads, and ICT tools like laptops and iPods can support and enhance Literature Circles.

1. Using social networks and ICT to enhance
Literature Circles: a practical approach
Andrea Walker - Renaissance College, Hong Kong - awalker@renaissance.edu.hk
29th September, 2010
Diversity Challenge Resilience: School Libraries in Action - The 12th Biennial School Library Association of Queensland, the 39th International Association of School Librarianship
Annual Conference, incorporating the 14th International Forum on Research in School Librarianship,
Brisbane, QLD Australia, 27 September – 1 October 2010.

2. Purpose
To describe and demonstrate how social networks can support and
enhance Literature Circles
To support and promote reading for all regardless of reading ability
To encourage and extend language learning beyond the classroom
Children's motivation to learn language and use it effectively at school is social (Vygotsky, 1962/1986; Harste,
Woodward & Burke, 1984).

3. Introduction
Part 1 - Context
Part 2 - Rationale and implementation
Part 3 - Impact of social networks and ICT
Part 4 - What have we learnt

4. Context
Renaissance College, located in Hong Kong is a Year 1-13 IBO world
school
Grown from 900 - 1850 in under 5 years
Majority of the students are EAL
We offer 3 programs - PYP, MYP, DP
Entire campus supported by wireless internet access
Working towards 1-1 laptop implementation in secondary

5. Rationale
Traditional Lit Circle model well established
To stay ahead and further meet needs, adopted a new model
Need to improve the language awareness and capacity of EAL students
Provide a forum for students to discuss book titles in their own space and
time
Harness the students’ addiction to social networking and all things
technological
To support the overall school purpose and raise the instructional visibility of
the library

6. Strategies
Appeal - of titles and covers
Accessibility - cater for differing reading levels
Format - audio
Hitting the web - extending the discussion via Goodreads

7. Implementation
Students introduced to the concept
Students introduced to titles
Bookmarks/post-it-notes

8. Preparation
Year 7 Literature Circle Choices
Diary of a wimpy kid by Jeff Kinney Bend it like Beckham by N Dhami
Toonhead by Fiona Dunbar Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
Into the wild by Erin Hunter SilverFin by Charlie Higson
Dragonkeeper by Carole Wilkinson Matilda by Roald Dahl
Jimmy Coates : killer by Joe Craig The Falcon’s Malteser by Anthony Horowitz
Doubting Thomas by Morris Gleitzman The windsinger by William Nicholson
Lionboy by Zizou Corder Mister Monday by Garth Nix
The bad beginning by Lemony Snickett Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

9. Preparation
Year 8 Genre Choices
1. Historical fiction
2. Family & relationships
3. Mystery & suspense
4. Adventure
5. Humour
6. Fantasy
7. Science fiction
8. ClassicsSee NSW Premiers Reading Challenge

10. Literature Circle
Choices

11. About this title: After the sudden death of their
parents, the three Baudelaire children must
depend on each other and their wits when it turns
out that the distant relative who is appointed their
guardian is determined to use any means
necessary to get their fortune.
Back to
choices

12. About this title:Jess just wants to play
football but her wedding-obsessed parents have
other ideas so she hides it from them. But when
Jess and her friend Jules join a ladies team and
get spotted by a talent scout, it all kicks off...
Back to
Choices

13. About this title: Sidesplittingly
funny, nail-bitingly spooky, and
thrillingly original, this breakneck tale
of magic and adventure marks the
debut of a pair of heroes unlike any
other before--a 12-year-old girl and an
animated skeleton--who must save the
world from an ancient evil.
Back to
Choices

14. About this title: Rusty, a young house cat, yearns
for adventure. When he's offered the chance to join
the ThunderClan, one of the gangs of feral cats in the
area, he doesn't hesitate. Renamed Firepaw, he
becomes an apprentice and begins to train as a
warrior. After rescuing Yellowfang, ex-medicine cat for
the ShadowClan who has fled for her life, Firepaw
and the other ThunderClan members find themselves
in the middle of a turf war against the rival gang, led
by the nefarious Brokenstar. There's a traitor in their
midst, though, and Firepaw must learn more than just
hunting and fighting to survive.
Back to
Choices

15. About this title:In this thrilling prequel to the
adventure of James Bond, 007, readers meet a young
boy whose inquisitive mind and determination set him on
a path that will someday take him across the globe, in
pursuit of the most dangerous criminals of all time.
When we first meet young James, he's just started
boarding school at Eton in the 1930’s, and from there,
the action moves to the Highlands of Scotland, where
Alfie Kelly, a local boy, has gone missing. This is the
first title in the YOUNG BOND series. SilverFin is an
edge-of-your-seat thriller that will mesmerize readers
of all ages.
Back to
Choices

16. Impact of iPods and laptops
able to access text via audio
kids love their laptops and opportunity to use them in a social way
use laptops as their own personal OPAC
can access reviews and author websites

17. Discussion/Brainstorm
Handling Audio content - what are the challenges?
Purchasing
Formats
Lending rules
Storage - iTunes, network??
What are the advantages?

18. Impact of Social Media
smdpoaNaoLinear. (n.d.). YouTube - Social Media Revolution .
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. . Retrieved September 27, 2010, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8
Impact of Goodreads - kids love adding books and friends
can set up groups to discuss books
great activity outside the classroom
Goodreads

19. What about Facebook
What about Facebook - playing with this at present
Fan page/Individual page
use of book trailers
RCHK.LIRC

20. Sharing your experience
Social networks
For communication - Internet forums, blogs, podcasts, twitter, facebook,
skype
For collaboration - wikis, social bookmarking
Multimedia - flickr, youtube, slideshare

21. Findings and recommendations
Stay flexible - understand your users
Many advantages/no disadvantages
Take it further
Work together