Frequently Asked Questions: K-12 Programs
Do Great Books programs teach my students how to read?
How does the Shared Inquiry method of learning benefit my students?
Do Great Books programs help prepare students for standardized achievement tests?
Will my struggling readers benefit from the Shared Inquiry method of learning?
Does Shared Inquiry help prepare students for advanced placement exams?
Do Great Books programs prepare students for SAT tests?
Can I use the Shared Inquiry method with any text?
How do I assess students’ progress in Great Books programs?
If students share their questions and notes about a selection before Shared Inquiry discussion, will they run out of things to say in the discussion?
How much vocabulary work do students do in Great Books programs?
How many students should I have in a group?
Can I involve students of different ages or grade levels in one group?
How can I lead a discussion if I can’t think of a question I have doubt about?
Is it necessary to organize my questions by grouping a focus question with related cluster questions?
How can students make notes as they read if they are not allowed to write in the book?
What should I do when students do not contribute during the discussion?
How can I help students who are new to Shared Inquiry?
How can I listen, talk, and take notes at the same time?
How much background information about the author or the selection should I give my students?
Do Great Books programs teach my students how to read?
Great Books programs help students develop reading comprehension and critical thinking skills that are essential for effective and lifelong learning. The programs provide an extension and application of learned reading skills and serve as a bridge to fluency. The Shared Inquiry™ method fosters a sense of ownership for learning as students develop their own ideas during discussion.
How does the Shared Inquiry method of learning benefit my students?
Your students will have fun and achieve key learning objectives when they experience the Shared Inquiry method of learning. By asking questions and supporting answers with evidence from the text, they are internalizing the habits of lifelong learners. During a Shared Inquiry discussion, students help one another look through the text for evidence to support their ideas. They learn to listen to one another respectfully and to develop the confidence to express their own ideas. At the same time, they are thinking critically, an invaluable skill they will utilize throughout life.
Do Great Books programs help prepare students for standardized achievement tests?
Yes. Research shows that students who regularly participate in Great Books programs make significant improvement in reading comprehension as measured by commonly administered achievement tests. As students participate in interpretive reading activities and Shared Inquiry discussion, they learn and practice important skills. They become more competent readers and thinkers—and, as a result, are more confident test-takers.
Will my struggling readers benefit from the Shared Inquiry method of learning?
To help struggling readers actively participate in Shared Inquiry discussion, Great Books programs emphasize the importance of multiple readings, as well as the value of listening to selections read aloud. Audiotapes and CDs are available with professional readings of each selection in grades K–6. We also strongly recommend full use of the prediscussion activities, which are designed to progressively take students to deeper levels of comprehension, building a firm foundation for critical thinking.
Does Shared Inquiry help prepare students for advanced placement exams?
Shared Inquiry helps students prepare for all exams that require reading comprehension and critical thinking. The reading and critical thinking strategies students learn help them identify themes and issues, and distinguish between important facts and trivial information. Students also learn to use and explain evidence, drawing on a text rather than speculating, in order to frame coherent, cohesive explanations and arguments; students also practice comparing and weighing ideas and building arguments that reflect more than one viewpoint.
Do Great Books programs prepare students for SAT tests?
The critical reading section of the SAT Reasoning Test and the SAT Literature Subject Test focus on the same skills that Great Books programs address: critical thinking and interpretive reading. To further strengthen these skills, teachers can extend the Shared Inquiry method to readings in a variety of subject areas. They might also lead their students in Shared Inquiry discussions comparing two or more texts they have discussed separately.
Can I use the Shared Inquiry method with any text?
Only texts that raise genuine questions of meaning will sustain extended interpretive discussion. The text must spark the curiosity of both the leader and the students, and this curiosity provides the impetus for discussion. Of course, students should have many kinds of reading experiences with a wide range of literature.
How do I assess students’ progress in Great Books programs?
Two major learning strands in the Great Books program are reading comprehension and critical thinking, developed in discussion and in written responses. Every Leader's Editions in Junior Great Books Series 3–5 provides a substantial assessment kit including, story comprehension tests, a critical thinking rubric, a writing rubic, student learning mini-rubrics, activity score guidelines, portfolio assessment tools, and a leader reflection form. You can preview the assessment tools in Junior Great Books Series 3–5 by downloading a free booklet here.
You and your students should gain some experience with Shared Inquiry before formal assessment takes place. The Great Books Foundation’s professional development course on assessment (Course 204: Assessing Student Progress) is recommended for teachers who have some experience using the Shared Inquiry method in the classroom.
If students share their questions and notes about a selection before Shared Inquiry discussion, will they run out of things to say in the discussion?
Great Books selections are so rich that there will still be significant questions and issues to explore in Shared Inquiry discussion. Sharing questions and working closely with students’ notes about specific passages actually prepares students to offer ideas and evidence in response to more comprehensive interpretive questions during Shared Inquiry discussion. You can also conduct these prediscussion activities in small groups or in pairs so that students still have an opportunity to hear and engage with other students’ ideas in the Shared Inquiry discussion.
How much vocabulary work do students do in Great Books programs?
The selections in Great Books anthologies have not been abridged or simplified; they are presented as the author wrote them. Encourage your students to be curious about the meaning of new words, but help them learn to distinguish between words that are important to the meaning of the selection and those that are not. Many vocabulary questions will be addressed during the sharing questions activity, and questions about the significance of important words will often be among the questions you ask during the discussion.
Depending on your students’ interest and the time you have available, you may want to plan a session to focus on vocabulary words that are important to the meaning of a selection.
How many students should I have in a group?
Usually, we recommend 8–12 students as a minimum, in order to have enough students to generate diverse answers to the discussion question. If your group is too large, you might consider dividing the group in half. Half of the group can be actively involved in discussion while the other half is observing, taking notes, and summarizing the ideas they hear. Then the two groups can switch roles.
Can I involve students of different ages or grade levels in one group?
It is not uncommon to have different ages or grade levels in a group, but because of the themes and issues appropriate for specific grade levels, it is a good idea to keep the age range within a year or two. When selecting which Great Books series or level to use, choose the one that is appropriate for the younger students. Great Books selections are rich and challenging, and our selection criteria ensure that even adults will find the selections interesting and thought provoking, regardless of the grade level of the material.
How can I lead a discussion if I can’t think of a question I have doubt about?
During your Great Books professional development you received materials to support you in preparing for and leading discussion. Refer to course book 102: The Leader’s Role in Shared Inquiry Discussion which provides guidance in developing questions. If you still find it hard to think of genuine questions, use those provided in the Teacher’s Guide or Leader’s Edition.
Is it necessary to organize my questions by grouping a focus question with related cluster questions?
No, but it helps if you do. A cluster of related questions offers a helpful tool to explore possible links and connections to the focus question. In addition, some students, especially younger readers, may be better able to respond to a comprehensive focus question if they first focus on key portions of the selection. Cluster questions can often facilitate this process.
How can students make notes as they read if they are not allowed to write in the book?
Here are some suggestions:
- Students can use self-adhesive notes.
- Older students can make notes directly in a journal or notebook.
- Older students can make notes on a clear transparency placed over the page.
What should I do when students do not contribute during the discussion?
Be patient. Creating an environment in which students feel comfortable sharing ideas may take some time. Some students are more open and talkative than others.
Sometimes students remain silent because they need more time to collect their thoughts. Having students fill out the Building Your Answer page allows them time to compose their thoughts. Asking a student to read from the Building Your Answer page is a good way to involve shy participants. Or you can collect the pages at the end of discussion and write encouraging comments on a reluctant participant’s paper. Ask that student to share his or her ideas next time.
How can I help students who are new to Shared Inquiry?
Use the Starting off Strong materials to introduce the Shared Inquiry method to your students. Explain the five guidelines for discussion and repeat them as needed, especially in the first few discussions. Students will have a clearer idea of what is expected of them if you occasionally guide them in reflecting on how well they listened and responded to each other during discussion. It is a good sign that students are starting to feel comfortable with Shared Inquiry when they no longer respond exclusively to you, instead talking directly to one another. Perhaps they will even anticipate some of your follow-up questions by asking one another for clarification or evidence.
How can I listen, talk, and take notes at the same time?
Don’t try to do too much too soon. Listening comes first. Focus on what the group is saying instead of thinking, "What should I ask next?" In your first few discussions, you might only use the seating chart to track participation with check marks.
Asking questions is an expression of your natural curiosity. Listen to yourself in everyday conversation. When you are trying to understand what someone is saying, you probably ask, “What do you mean by that?” or “What do you think about that?” When you ask these sorts of questions, even in casual conversation, you are asking for clarification, evidence, and additional ideas, just as you do in Shared Inquiry discussion.
Keep your notes simple at first. Listen for and jot down key words—perhaps a jarring word or phrase that needs refining or a sweeping generalization that obscures more than it reveals.
Finally, slow the discussion down if necessary. If it is moving too fast for you, it is probably moving too fast for everyone else. Stop and ask someone to repeat an idea so you can jot it down and think about it. By doing so, you are demonstrating effective listening behavior for your group.
How much background information about the author or the selection should I give my students.
Let your students’ questions be your guide. Encourage them to answer their own questions using the selection or other resources. We recommend that you minimize the amount of author or background information you share before students read a selection for the first time. Excessive details about the author or the selection’s cultural or historical background can limit the students’ discovery of the selection’s deeper meaning.