The Development of Seventh Grade At-Risk Students' Critical Thinking While Engaged in Book Club Discussions

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the development of critical thinking skills in seventh grade, at-risk students while engaged in book club discussions. The students were in charge of making sense of what they read, and in clarifying anything that was confusing to the group. Student responses were analyzed to determine that participation in book clubs would engage them in higher-level critical thinking processes through dialogue. The book club discussion groups were conducted over a six-week period of time. Videotapes and audiotapes of the sessions were analyzed. A checklist was used to collect data on whether the students were using critical thinking in their discussions. The data indicated that students' critical thinking processes did increase through the use of book club discussions.