Literature Circles

In my opinion, literature circles could be a useful tool to encourage classroom participation.

  As www.literaturecircles.com states "Group meetings aim to be open, natural conversations about books so personal connections, digressions, and open ended questions are normal." 

This type of activity allows all students, regardless of reading level, to gain different perspectives and converse with their peers. Literature circles may not be the best choice for any student. Some special needs students may have difficulties expressing their thoughts, be socially inept, or even nonverbal. In these cases, a teacher may try a literature journal where each child writes a sentence or two, depending on grade level, about what they enjoyed or found confusing. As the student progressed, depending on the situation, the teacher could include more students in the journal and begin practicing conversations with their peers.

I like how www.literaturecircles.com suggests "when books are finished readers share with their classmates and then new groups form around new reading choices."

I think this would help students become more outgoing and have better communication skills.