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Literature Circles in EFL Classrooms: The Impact on College Students in the Amazon Region from the Students' Perspective

Abstract:

This study aims to explore the effects of implementing the literature circles strategy for teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in levels 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of a public university in the Amazon Region of Ecuador. For this purpose, three English language teachers conducted some action research. Two hundred fourteen students of English Arts made up the sample. Teachers formed groups of students in each classroom and provided them with hard copies of classic readers and free online books. Students were assigned to read one or more chapters per week and were asked to prepare for group discussions according to different roles: summarizer, pbkp_redictor, connector, vocabulary manager, illustrator, and questioner. Then, the students had to present their parts and discuss the content of the chapter in groups. To analyze the impact of this strategy on students, teachers systematically collected information by using Likert scale questionnaires and interviews. Despite some challenges to be overcome, results from data collected showed that this was a positive experience that enhanced not only the students' language abilities, but also other skills such as critical thinking, cooperative work, and autonomous learning.