The Reading Component

One of the most distinctive features of Junior Great Books is its excellent literature. Because the selections are rich in both ideas and language, and present readers with genuine questions of meaning, students are motivated to work closely with the text and practice active reading skills.

Students hear each selection read aloud at least three times. The first reading, done aloud by the teacher while students follow along in the texts, gives students the opportunity to take in the work on both an imaginative and emotional level, without the obstacle of decoding. After this reading, students are invited to reflect on the story and ask questions.

During the second reading of the story, designed to be completed at home with a parent or adult partner, students are encouraged to become active readers by discussing open-ended questions printed in the margins. These at-home questions focus on significant passages in the story and help students develop their initial interpretations. During a third reading of the story in class, students share and discuss their answers to the at-home questions and hear the divergent responses of their classmates.

These multiple readings promote fluency in reading. Stimulated by the rich language of the selections, students acquire new vocabulary and learn to derive word meanings from context. Multiple readings also make it possible for the whole class — even students whose reading skills are developing more slowly — to participate in the interpretive activities.

Because each of the readings is accompanied by an activity in which students are encouraged to note their responses and pose questions, students develop the habit of pausing and reflecting as they read. Through this kind of sustained contact with a work of literature, students experience at an early age what it means to read thoughtfully.

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Shared Inquiry Discussions
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