Book Wheels (Jacobs, 1993, adapted from Laughlin, 1987)


Method

students in a group with a Book Wheel1. Teachers or students construct Books Wheels from cardboard or poster paper. The wheel is divided into 8 to 12 segments, and a thinking question is written in each. A spinnable arrow is put in the middle of the wheel.

2. Students are in groups of four. After they have finished reading their books, one group member plays the role of reporter, giving a brief summary of the book he or she has read.

3. Another student is the spinner, who spins the arrow on the Book Wheel.

4. The third group member is the questioner, who asks the question indicated by where on the wheel the arrow stops.

5. After the reporter answers the question, the last member of the group, questioner 2, asks a follow-up question.

6. Each reporter answers six questions before the roles change and a new member becomes the reporter.


PIES Analysis: Positive Interdependence, Individual Accountability, Equal Participation, and Simultaneous Interaction

P

The group members depend on one another to report on the books so that the other members can ask them questions. Students depend on groupmates to play their roles in the sequence of the activity.

I

Each group member needs to prepare to report on his or her book and to answer questions about it. Also, students need to listen carefully to other group members’ reports and answers so as to be able to ask follow-up questions, and each needs to play the other rotating roles.

E

Every group member has an equal opportunity to speak when he or she performs the rotating Book Wheels roles.

S

One student per group (25% of the class) speaks when performing each role.

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From “Reading Alone Together: Enhancing Extensive Reading via Student-Student Cooperation in Second-Language Instruction” by George Jacobs and Patrick Gallo.
Reading Online, www.readingonline.org
Posted February 2002