Literature-Based Discussion Groups Revisited

Traditional teacher-centered pedagogy prevails in contemporary literacy classrooms, both in first language (L1( and in second language (L2( classrooms. In these classrooms, teachers dominate most of the talk while students' voices are seldom heard. This paper points out the inherent flaws in this pedagogy, suggesting that teachers incorporate literature-based discussion groups in the classroom. The piece then compares and contrasts the various types of literature-based discussion groups and the inquiry on their impact in the classroom. The review demonstrates the advantages of implementing this pedagogy in different classrooms, while simultaneously identifying limitations of the study of literature-based discussion groups. This review reveals that more research on the academic and social impact of literature-based discussion groups is necessary.