How do we use the Literature-Based Approach in the classroom?

In an effort to encourage our students to read as writers, as teachers we need to first  include our students in the text selection process. The input of our students would ensure that the material used in the classroom is easily understood and the themes applicable to the students' lives. Additionally,students should be taught the necessary skills to be able to identify elements of the writer's craft and appreciate his/her point of view.Furthermore, students need to also be encouraged to write not for "the teacher" but with an audience in mind extending beyond the classroom. In essence, students would model what they have read (while reading as writers) while applying the skills gathered. As teachers we can facilitate this process by introducing activities which will assist students in writing critically and display a sense of audience and ownership for their work. 

Teachers can facilitate this continuum from reading for instruction to that of construction, by allowing students to edit the work of their peers through Writers' Workshop, thereby giving them the opportunity to display their skills and allow for collaborative learning. The Writer's Workshop will not only encourage collaborative learning but also provide students with a sense of independence  and ownership for their peers and themselves. We can also implement encourage class discussions on various texts allowing the students to direct the discussion rather than the teacher giving prompts or questions which he or she feels is fundamental and guide the students thought patterns. Moreover, we could also make class activities fun and allow students to participate and perform during the literature classes. For example, we should allow students to read poetry and incorporate the element of music to allow for not only interaction but also help students understand the purpose for which these pieces were written.Succinctly put, students should be the most dominant figures in the classroom while the teacher facilitates and equips them with the necessary skills necessary to read and write effectively.