Jo Kukuczka (SFHEA, FBALEAP), Academic Development Centre, University of Warwick, UK
If you are searching for engaging and authentic ways to teach critical reading and have not yet tried academic reading circles (ARCs) (Seburn, 2016), this blog post is for you. Read on to find out how to turn a classroom discussion into a critical reading revolution.
What makes it a unicorn
Critical reading is a complex and often implicitly taught skill required at university level in the UK. Academic reading circles (ARCs) (Seburn, 2016) offer one way of tackling this complexity through an engaging semi-structured discussion. The format, increasingly popular within the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and academic literacy pedagogies, has been found to support critical analysis and evaluation skills, as well as knowledge building and knowledge transfer practices (Cowley-Haselden, 2020; Kukuczka, 2021). As such, the approach is a true unicorn in disguise and a potent tool to experiment with across diverse academic contexts.
The power of ARC lies in enabling discussion participants to actively engage with a text through a variety of critical lenses or roles. It is those different roles that empower participants to venture deeper into the text and transfer acquired knowledge into other contexts.
Seburn (2016) presents five roles, Contextualiser, Connector, Visualiser, Highlighter, Summariser, but these can be adapted according to needs. I have experimented with the addition of Disruptor, which has worked particularly well with international students as well as academic colleagues claiming that the role ‘unleashed their inner critic’ and took their understanding of the text ‘to a whole new level’.
| Example ARC roles Discussion Lead (chairing the discussion, ensuring inclusion of all participants, encouraging critical questions). Contextualiser (investigating the author’s credibility and the background information related to the ideas presented in the text). Connector (focusing on finding links between the ideas in the text and elsewhere) Visualiser (responsible for a visual presentation of key points and themes). Highlighter (explaining key vocabulary, analysing the evaluative language used in the text and its implications). Disruptor (challenging ideas presented in the text). Adapted from Seburn, 2016 |
Turning discussion into revolution
Facilitator preparation
To run an effective ARC, consider groups of three to six participants and aim for a five-minute discussion time per participant. This means that a four-person discussion takes approximately twenty minutes (or longer in the consecutive ARCs as participants’ discussion literacy develops).
Which roles to employ and whether to assign roles or leave it to participants are decisions driven by the purpose and audience of your ARC. Whenever I could embed a series of ARCs within a curriculum, we’d start with assigned roles in the first few and follow with self-selected roles going forward.
Finally, the text format and length affect the participant preparation time and the effectiveness of the discussion. Some cohorts will embrace lengthy journal articles and dedicate two to four hours to individually prepare for the discussion, while others will benefit from shorter texts and guided preparation within the class-time.
Participant preparation
The beauty of ARC is that critical thinking begins before the discussion takes place. Once all decisions on the roles and text are made, the participants must prepare, which involves individual reading through their ARC lens. For example, Contextualiser needs to investigate the author’s credibility and the topic’s background, and then prepare to share their findings, as well as think of questions they will ask participants holding other roles during the discussion.
Of course, the time commitment that this requires risks disengagement. However, as long as two or more group participants do prepare and are able to carry out a meaningful discussion, the unprepared can still benefit from joining in while often quickly realising their disadvantage and preparing the next time round.
During ARC
Initially, ARC might resemble a series of brief presentations, but soon develops into a full-blown conversation as participants cross boundaries of their own understanding of the text, question things they haven’t questioned before, and build knowledge with others. It is important that participants understand that speaking is as crucial as listening and asking questions, even if it temporarily takes them beyond the text at hand.
To support learner autonomy, the facilitator remains silent during the discussion and only ‘chips in’ if absolutely necessary. And once the participants get the hang of the format and begin enjoying ARC, there is no going back.
Post ARC
Depending on what purpose the reading serves, the post ARC reflection can be used for further collaborative or individual learning such as essay drafting, research plan, etc.
Whichever way you choose to use it, when run well, ARC is likely to always give you more because it is one of those rare multi-purpose pedagogical creatures, a unicorn in disguise, supporting student success in more than one way.
Let’s explore it more.
| Jo Kukuczka is an Educational Development and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) professional. Her expertise includes HE curriculum design and evaluation understood as a social practice, curriculum for social change, education for sustainability (EfS) (incl. equity, diversity, and inclusion), theory and research informed pedagogy, HE teacher education, and teaching EAP. Jo has been using academic reading circles (ARC) with home and international UG and PG students since 2016 and began employing it as a staff development tool in 2022. Jo is currently writing up her research on the impact of ARC on students’ academic development and preparing to research ARC in the context of staff development. Her doctoral study investigates the social impact of a HE curriculum for change and preliminary findings suggest that ARC plays a significant role in such a curriculum. Warwick profile https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/academic-development/staff/summaries/jokukuczka/ Research Gate https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jo-Kukuczka LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-kukuczka-sfhea-fbaleap-61a9a9133/ Twitter/X https://twitter.com/jo_kukuczka |
| References Cowley-Haselden, S. (2020). Building knowledge to ease troublesomeness: Affording theory knowledgeability through academic reading circles. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 17(2). https://doi.org/10.53761/1.17.2.8 Kukuczka, J. (2021). The impact of Academic Reading Circles (ARC) on students’ academic development. BALEAP Conference 2021. Glasgow. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350837869_The_impact_of_Academic_Reading_Circles_ARC_on_students’_academic_development Seburn, T. (2016). Academic Reading Circles. The Round |
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