Creating Book Clubs in the English Language Classroom: A Model for Teachers of Adults

Although it is a natural way for students to improve their language skills, a classroom book club can also be challenging for teachers to facilitate. This book lays out a successful three-part model (in which students read, discuss, and make Book Log entries) that the authors developed in their own multilevel adult ESL classroom. Chapters show how discussion and analysis are sparked by making personal connections, cultural connections, and media connections to book club texts and by asking questions, making predictions, and drawing inferences. The authors also wrote an original novel, "Flor's Journey to Independence", as reading material for their book club, and many of the examples and explanations in this book relate to the novel. Although "Creating Book Clubs in the English Language Classroom" was written with adult English language learners in mind, it can be adapted easily to Adult Basic Education (ABE). A list of books and texts that can be used successfully in student book clubs is included in the appendix.