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EDLA430: CROSS CURRICULUM USES OF CHILDRENS LITERATURE

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Assignment 1: Critical Issues in the Teaching of Childrens Literature in the Classroom:
There are various challenges facing teachers in the primary school classroom today,
particularly regarding the use of childrens literature (Barone, 2011). This essay will
endeavour to eplore an issue which is prominent within many classrooms today, !eing that
of students developing negative attitudes towards reading (Barone, 2011). Two "ey strategies
will !e discussed that are designed to change attitudes in the teaching of childrens literature,
which will primarily focus on the use of critical literacy and the use of read aloud sessions.
#ritical issues and opinions raised from $odule 1, 2 and % will !e analysed in depth in
relation to the current discourse surrounding literacy in the primary classroom.
Issues within Classrooms:
&ithin schools there are many children who dont en'oy reading or arent motivated to read
the tets that are presented ((ocius ) &ood, 201%). This issue proves to !e a prominent
stic"ing point regarding students en'oyment and understanding of literature ((ocius ) &ood,
201%). *umans are constantly involved in creating meaning from the sym!ols, words,
images, and sounds around us and when this !ecomes a part of what students are re+uired to
do within the classroom, it !ecomes more of an errand (,tevens ) Bean, 200-).
.s part of a professional discourse within the unit /01.2%0, a statement made !y (ustine
3uls4&elsh on &ednesday 25
th
6e!ruary 2012, articulates this very idea that the 7analysis
and 8wor"8 needing to !e completed on a !oo" can ta"e away the overall en'oyment of it9.
(ustines statement highlights that this issue has !een recogni:ed !y a current teacher within
the profession. *er eperiences relating to the effects of too much analysis when studying
literature, is that an over !urdening of literature causes students to !ecome reluctant readers
therefore developing a negative attitude towards reading and writing henceforth inhi!iting
their development of literacy s"ills.
&ithin my introductory post relating to my current reading ha!its on $onday 22
th
6e!ruary
2012, a statement was made which highlighted how my own negative attitude to reading.
This attitude was developed through the etreme levels of analysis that were re+uired when
studying the literature presented at my school. ;t seems as though the development of
Bernadette Ratnayake S00103057
EDLA430: CROSS CURRICULUM USES OF CHILDRENS LITERATURE
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negative attitudes towards literature are commonly caused !y reading !ecoming a chore due
to the fact that instruction designed to improve literacy achievement for readers and writers at
times can ignore the personal development of a student ((ocius ) &ood, 201%). This idea
presented !y (ocius and &ood (201%) provided me with an insight into why reading !ecame
such an unen'oya!le tas" for me at school. <pon reflection, ; realise that ; was at the stage in
my development where ; read tets from my point of view and if ; did not agree, it seemed
that engaging with the tet was a waste of my time.
Critical Literacy:
Barone (2011) states that in order for students to develop as proficient readers and writers, it
is crucial that they are provided with a scaffold ma"ing availa!le direct instruction and
numerous prospects to practice reading and writing. .n approach to loo"ing at childrens
literature through the use of critical literacy provides many opportunities for students to
!ecome code !rea"ers !y recogni:ing, understanding and using the central features of written
tet (Ban"s, 2012).
;n a discourse within the unit /0602%0 on Thursday 2-
th
$arch 2012, a summary of my
understanding of critical literacy was discussed, in which ; stated that with the assistance of
research and input of my peer ,ue =,hea, a new level of understanding had !een reached.
$y understanding of the aim of critical literacy and how it can !e utili:ed in the classroom
was reflected in my forum post which stated that 7when implementing critical literacy in the
classroom it is important not to focus on what is considered the right answer, !ut rather to
create discussions, co4construct new understandings and +uestion !eliefs9. This
understanding is descri!ed !y *all, 3ia::a, ) Thomas (2010) as engaging in a critical
dialogue around chosen tets.
=n Thursday 2-
th
$arch 2012, ,ue added to this discussion !y stating that 7this critical
perspective develops a deeper understanding of relationships and as children progressed
through levels of deeper interpretation, the final stage of critical literacy interpretation was to
ta"e social action9. .ccording to >reen and #ochrane (200%), critical literacy assists students
in understanding how to use different tet forms and therefore use them in order to eplore
the tet from different perspectives. These perspectives encourage us to loo" at the structural
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and linguistic choices of the author and the way the tet operates in social situations within
the literature, also encouraging +uestioning in regards to the authors intentions for the reader
(>reen ) #ochrane, 200%).
;n addressing module three, .nderson and ,tyles (2000) descri!e the use of imagery within
literature as an opportunity for the reader to engage and construct their own meaning in
regards to situations within the tet in focus. *all et al. (2010) further discuss this idea where
readers are positioned a certain way when reading the tet so that they are a!le to ma"e
conclusions, form ideas and actively engage with the tet. *all et al. (2010) concluded that
the primary purpose of critical literacy within the classroom is to fulfil every teachers desire
for their students to progress away from reiterating facts and to !egin to !rea" down and
construct an understanding of their world in transformative ways.
Read Aloud:
.nother strategy that may !e considered for use within the classroom to engage students
more positively is the read aloud method. Toth (201%) highlights the idea that at the
!eginning of the school year, teachers are faced with groups of children who arrive with
varying early childhood eperiences of reading !oo"s and literacy overall. 6or many students,
this is especially apparent in the area of epressive language and voca!ulary (Toth, 201%).
Toth (201%) argues that regular read aloud sessions allow all students to develop epressive
language and voca!ulary therefore enhancing and developing their s"ills whilst !eing
engaged in the tet. The author e+uates this method of literature education to that of
storytelling as it engages students. . !enefit of read aloud sessions is that if desired the
teacher allows students to perform what is referred to as a pause and ponder, which
encourages discussion and +uestioning a!out the students feelings and understandings while
listening to the tet (,amuels, 201%).

;n addressing module three, it has !ecome evident that the pause and ponder techni+ue might
!e more !eneficial when employed with a tet such as The 3easant 3rince !y 1i #unin,
which aims to tell a true story through use of emotive language and imagery and contains
many hidden messages within the tet which students are encouraged to discuss. ;n a
discourse on Thursday 2-
th
$arch 2012 within the unit /01.2%0, ; highlighted the issue
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surrounding read aloud sessions within the home. 1ane ) &right (200-) discuss the idea of
parents reading aloud to their children at home and some of the implications arising from this,
particularly that many parents today are too !usy and do not have time to sit and read to their
children. . "ey idea to remem!er if reading aloud to children is that it doesnt have to !e a
long drawn out tas" and any eposure to literature encourages reading and positive attitudes
towards it (1ane ) &right, 200-).
6rom analysing the views of my peers and academic articles from $odules 1, 2 and % in
/01.2%0, in a discussion on Tuesday 2?
th
6e!ruary 2012, (oyce 3arle and ; discussed
strategies that have !een adopted in a practicing teachers classroom, and one "ey idea that
came out of this discussion was that teaching literature must !e amusing and en'oya!le for
students so that they are truly inspired to read. The "ey aim for teachers is to present !oo"s as
sources of value and ecitement for students resulting in motivation to read on their own
(Brad!ury, 2011).
1319 Words
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References
.nderson, *., ) ,tyles, $. (2000). Promoting literacy through popular and literary texts in
the primary classroom. 1ondon@ Aoutledge.
Ban"s, (. .. (2012). Encyclopedia of Diversity in Education. &ashington, <,.@ ,age
3u!lications ;nc.
Barone, 0. $. (2011). Children's Literature in the Classroom : Engaging Lifelong Readers.
Bew Cor", <,.@ The >uilford 3ress.
Brad!ury, (. (2011). Read Aloud caffold. #alifornia, <,.@ 1i!raries <nlimited.
#unin, 1. (200-). !he Peasant Prince. $el!ourne@ The 3enguin >roup.
>reen, >., ) #ochrane, #. (200%). ;ntroducing #ritical 1iteracy to a Cear 2 #lassroom.
Practically Primary" 8(2), D411.
*all, 1. .., 3ia::a, ,. E., ) Thomas, 3. 1. (2010). #hallenging Tets@ /ngaging with #ritical
1iteracy@ Aeflections on Teaching and 1earning. !he English #ournal" 99(?), D14D2.
(ocius, A., ) &ood, ,. (201%). #om!ating 7; *ate This ,tupid Boo"F9@ Blac" $ales and
#ritical 1iteracy. !he Reading !eacher" 8, 551455D.
1ane, *. B., ) &right, T. 1. (200-). $aimi:ing the /ffectiveness of Aeading .loud. !he
Reading !eacher" !(-), 55G.
,tevens, 1. 3, ) Bean, T. &. (200-). Critical Literacy : Context" Research" and Practice in
the $%&' Classroom . #alifornia, <,.@ ,age 3u!lications.
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,amuels, #. (201%). HAead .loudH .ssistance on #ommon Tests 3roves #ontentiousI
.ccommodation for students with print4related disa!ilities has assessment consortia
ta"ing differing approaches. Education (ee)" 33(10), 20.
Toth, .. (201%). Bot (ust for .fter 1unch@ .ccelerating Eoca!ulary >rowth 0uring Aead4
.loud. !he Reading !eacher" "(%), 20%.