The greatest challenge in our novel study is balancing the varying rates of readers. You have some kids that read slowly (sub 120 words per minute), while you have others that read significantly faster. You balance that against kids that have a greater propensity to read than others as well. That doesn't even get into the variance in comprehension, which is not entirely correlated with reading rate.
I've struggled balancing out my groups. I'll give kids books that they are interested in, but not always the one they are most excited about- seeing some books as an opportunity to challenge kids. Between getting excited about books they weren't pumped about, monitoring comprehension of readers of all rates, and keeping fast readers invested in novel study... there is quite a bit to take care of.
One wrinkle I am considering changing is actually an addition. Currently I have bi-weekly literature circle groups. In those groups kids will respond to 2-3 questions (largely inferential or analytical) with their peers (those reading the same book). That is fantastic, but the other weeks miss that same response element. They have a response to do for their novel study packet, but I would like to use the same questions from their literature circle on non-lit circle days. What is stopping me? The additional writing that the kids would need to do- I don't want reading to be a constant chore ("I need to write now that I have read"). It isn't what real readers do. By the same token I need to monitor comprehension, particularly with some of the symbolic messages authors embed in their respective works. Ah, the joy of running novel study groups!
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