Summary
Book talks are one of the most effective ways to get students excited about reading. Batchelor and Cassidy (2019) have proposed there are six criteria that should be considered when giving a book talk. The six criteria are: Energy—Express Sincerity and Spirit; Summary—Avoid Giving Away Too Much; Passage—Provide a Meaty Taste of the Text; Connections—Make it Matter; Flow—Prepare Your Conversation; Time—Keep It Short and Sweet. This educator resource provides guidance to teachers who want to implement book talks into their classrooms or clubs efficiently and effectively.
Essential Questions
What makes a book talk successful?
Learning Objectives
Explore the components of a book talk.
Deliver an effective book talk.
Snapshot
Engage
Students identify what makes a book talk successful.
Explore
Students participate in a model book talk and identify successful components.
Explain
Students review the components to a successful book talk on the rubric.
Extend
Students develop a book talk using the planning guide and rubric.
Evaluate
Students deliver a book talk and provide feedback to peers.
Materials List
Activity Slides (attached)
Book Talk Rubric handout (attached; one per student; print one-sided)
Book Talk Planning Guide handout (attached; one per student; print one-sided)
Glow and Grow handout (attached; 1/2 sheet per student; print one-sided)
Books
Writing utensils
Blank paper
Laptops to record video book talks (optional)
Preparation
Use the Book Talks Rubric handout and prepare an example book talk to which students will listen. Pick a book that you enjoyed or a book that you know your students would enjoy. Prior to your book talk presentation add a picture of your book with along with the title and author’s name to slide 6.
Engage
10 Minute(s)
Use the attached Activity Slides to introduce students to the Book Talk activity. Use slides 2–4 to introduce the title, essential question, and objective. Pass out a blank sheet of paper to each student. Display slide 5 and introduce students to the Looks Like, Sounds Like, Feels Like instructional strategy. Pose the essential question to students and ask them to write down what they believe a successful book talk will look like, sound like, and feel like. Ask them to consider both points of view: as a presenter and as an audience member. Invite students to share some of their ideas with the whole group.
Explore
10 Minute(s)
Move to slide 6. Explain to students that you will be modeling a book talk for them. Instruct students to take notes on your example presentation. After finishing your presentation, ask students what they noticed. Ask them to refer back to the ideas they shared about a successful book talk.
Explain
10 Minute(s)
Move to slide 7. Pass out a copy of the Book Talks Rubric handout to each student. Explain that their book talk will be evaluated using the rubric. Go over the six different criterion of the rubric and explain parts that students have questions about.
Extend
30 Minute(s)
Display slide 8 and pass out a copy of the Book Talk Planning Guide handout to each student. Explain to students that they should use the planning guide and the rubric to help them prepare for their presentations. Give students time to fill out their planning guides and practice their presentations. Then allow students to practice their presentations in a specified amount of time. Consider making a slideshow for the class, where each student can make a slide including a picture of the book, title, and the author’s name.
Evaluate
30 Minute(s)
Once students have completed their presentations you can start class book talks. Before you begin, move to slide 9 and introduce students to the Glow and Grow instructional strategy. Inform students that this is how they will provide feedback to each other and reflect on their book talk presentation.
Pass out a copy of the Glow and Grow handout to each student prior to the presentation, including the presenter, so they can complete a personal reflection. Instruct students to complete the reflection after the presentation, giving the presenter their full attention. After the book talk, invite students to share their glow and grow ideas. Collect the papers and attach them to the presenters book talk rubric.
Research Rationale
Research rationale for this educator resource can be found in the literature review, Exploring the Effects of Book Clubs on the Reading Attitudes of Middle School Students.
Resources
Batchelor, K.E., Cassidy, R., 2019. The lost art of the book talk: What students want. The Reading Teacher 73, 230–234. doi:10.1002/trtr.1817
K20 Center. (n.d.). Glow and grow. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/4962
K20 Center. (n.d.). Looks like, sounds like, feels like. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/88
K20 Center. (n.d.). Loom. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/3103
K20 Center. (n.d.). Screencastify. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/670