Conversation Circle Resources

Our Conversation Circle workshops will walk you through the videos on Leading a Conversation, How to Close Read, and the "I Know What I Love" close reading demonstration, which you can click through in the navigation bar above. Check our our Frequently Asked Questions for additional info!

We're hosting two workshops to help you create that foundation to facilitate or participate in a discussion group. Professor Antony Lyon will be going over strategies and walking through a close reading of a poem as an example. Take the opportunity to ask questions and build that confidence. Remember that practice makes progress!

Tuesday, April 12 | 1-2pm
Galbraith Hall 253 (left of GH 242 Lecture Hall)

Friday, April 15 | 3pm-4pm
Revelle Formal Lounge

In this video, Prof Lyon talks through the some of the choices that a discussion leader makes to shape the conversation in a way that allows it to be open and purposeful.

In this video, Prof Lyon shares one method for reading a poem that prioritizes appreciating what the poem itself is doing before engaging in the work of interpreting it. The method has you consider the language used, how the structure directs your attention, and imagery. These become the basis for the later interpretative work. 

In this video, Prof Lyon demonstrates the method from "How to Read a Poem," using one of Jericho Brown's poems, "I Know What I Love."