Exploring the Conditions for Successful Implementation of Dialogic Literary Gatherings in Elementary Schools in England

• In Event: Dialogic Literary Gatherings: Improving Literacy Standing on the Shoulders of Classic Readings

Abstract

1. Objectives
This paper explores the implementation of Dialogic Literary Gatherings (DLG hereafter) in four elementary schools in England over the academic year 2013-2014. We intended to understand the main features of this program as implemented in two different settings: urban and rural, and which common patterns could be identified.

2. Theoretical framework
Since language becomes the most powerful tool to link the intermental and the intramental, it is through dialogue that people learn, reason, make meaning and gain and transform knowledge (Werstch, 1991, Mercer, 2013). Freire’s (1970) theory of dialogic action highlights the vital role of dialogue for raising awareness and critical consciousness. In the DLG readers re-shape their knowledge and their socio-cultural and personal experiences far from the passive forms of education in a banking model. Despite most research on DLG has been focused mainly on adults (Flecha, 2000; Soler, 2001), nowadays, DLGs have been recreated across ages and educational contexts, including schools and prisons. We argue that when DLGs are implemented in elementary education, they can afford including and valuing all children’s knowledge through meaningful discussions and, eventually, improve their literacy and oracy skills.

3. Methods
Four case studies (Stake, 2000) were conducted in two urban and two rural elementary schools in East Anglia (England). The focus of analysis was placed on how the development and implementation of the DLG created a learning environment that is more dialogic and inclusive. This work has been conducted as part of the EU-funded research Children's personal epistemologies: Capitalising on children's and families’ knowledge towards effective teaching and learning (ChiPE, 2013-2015).

4. Data sources
The data include five classroom observations of DLG with children who were between six and eleven year-old (from Year 2 to Year 6 in the UK educational system). Lessons were video recorded. Critical episodes where identified, transcribed and analyzed. Four interviews with teachers and parents and four group interviews with students were conducted during the academic year 2013-2014.

5. Results
The preliminary results of our study show that four common conditions were met in the four classrooms analyzed which facilitated the successful transference of DLG to the urban and rural contexts: a) teachers’ commitment to achieve more dialogic and inclusive classrooms; b) teachers’ trust in using classic literature in DLG based on previous research evidence of success; c) a pattern of increasing talk and interaction in the classroom over time; d) children’s improvements in oracy (high density of reasoning words; complex vocabulary) and literacy skills (pupils performing +2 levels than expected Reading: 32 to 57%; Writing: 17 to 32%).

6. Scientific significance
Our study sheds light on the dialogic conditions that favor for all children's knowledge to be included and capitalized upon in DLG. This reading program seems to be a powerful strategy for moving children towards higher levels of literacy and oracy skills while accessing to classic literature. Besides, this study has identified common patterns across national and cultural contexts that can facilitate the transferability of DLG.

Authors

• Rocio Garcia Carrion, University of Deusto

• Linda M. Hargreaves, University of Cambridge