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NATURE AND GENRES OF LITERATURE:

ITS ROLE IN THE ELEMENTARY GRADES
(EED 15)

PURPOses Of cHiLDReN’s LiteRatURe

Children’s books spell a big difference in the lives of little kids and young adult. By reading children’s
books, kids are encouraged to enjoy the habit of reading as well as promote literacy in language
learning. But why do we have to expose children to literature? As future teachers, here are some of the
purposes that will help you make your learners love children’s literature.
1. Literature entertains and informs. It enables young people to explore and understand their world.
It enriches their lives and widens their horizons. They learn about people and places on the other side of
the world as well as the ones down the street. They can travel back and forth in time to visit familiar
places and people, to meet new friends, and to see new worlds. They can explore their own feelings,
shape their own values, and imaginative lives beyond the one they live.
2. Literature contributes to language growth and development. When children and young adults read
or hear stories read to them, they learn new vocabulary. They encounter a greater variety of words in
books than they will ever hear in spoken conversation or on television. Each learner builds an individual
storehouse of language possibilities and draws upon that wealth in speaking, writing, listening, and
reading.
3. Literature helps students become better readers. Engaging stories, poetry and information
appeal to readers and entice them to read. The more they read, the better they get. The better they read,
the more they learn. The more they learn, the more curious they become. Reading creates a self-
fulfilling prophecy for success.
4. Literature helps students become better writers. When students read a lot, they notice what
writers do. They see that writers use structured patterns in their writing. When readers write, they
borrow the structures, patterns, and words from what they read.
5. Literature leads students to love reading. They seek out exciting stories, interesting information,
and humorous poems. They turn to reading as a source of pleasure and entertainment.
6. Literature prompts students to explore their own feelings. They gain insight into human
experience and begin to understand themselves better. When they explore their own feelings they also
understand why other react as they do.
7. Literature reflects the diversity. Millions of children and young adults worldwide have different
backgrounds when it comes to their ethnicity, religion, nationality, and social and economic status.
Literature seeks to provide insights into realities and dreams of young people and of the authors and
illustrators who interpret those dreams and realities. It reflects life throughout the course of time and
across national boundaries. It reflects life throughout the course of time and across national boundaries.
Literature keeps people’s dreams alive through folklore, myths, legends, and fairy tales. It presents a
vision of what is possible.

geNRes Of LiteRatURe fOR YOUNg LeaRNeRs

Learners who want to read children’s literature may choose from a variety of choices. Teachers like
you can help your future students pick the most suitable materials for their interests and levels of
understanding. You may also find relevant examples that belong to each genre of literature for children
and young adult. In each genre, there are two example; the first one is from a foreign author while the
second example is from A Filipino writer. Are you familiar with any of them? Have a look at these
children’s literature and give some time for yourself to read them online.
1. Picture Books. This shows the interdependence of art and text. The story or concept is presented
through a combination of texts and illustrations. Classification is based on format, not genre. All genres
appear in picture books.
Examples:
A picture storybook that has stood the test of time and is beloved by children today as it was when
published in 1902 is Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
Sandosenang Sapatos a storybook written by Dr. Luis P. Gatmaitan and won first place in Maikling
Kathang Pambata in 2001 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. Sandosenang Sapatos is
a heartwarming story of a father’s incomparable love for his disabled daughter.
2. Poetry and Verse. Condensed language, imagery. Distilled, rhythmic expression of imaginative
thoughts and perceptions.
Examples:
The feelings expressed in poetry should have a ring of truthfulness. Whether evoking laughter,
telling a story, or expressing an emotion as Mary Ann Hoberman does in “My Father”.
Sa Aking Mga Kabatà (English: To My Fellow Youth) is a poem about the love of one’s native
language written in Tagalog. It is widely attributed to the Filipino national hero José Rizal, who
supposedly wrote it in 1868 at the age of seven.
3. Folklore. Literary heritage of humankind. Traditional stories, myths, legends, nursery
rhymes, and songs from the past. Oral tradition; no known author.
Examples:
Mother Goose rhymes forms the foundation of a child’s literary heritage. Educators and researchers
recognize Mother Goose rhymes as essential learning material for children. As it is true of all folklore,
it does not have concise evidence of the origins of Mother Goose rhymes, nor do we know whether a
person with that name actually existed.
The legend of Si Malakas at Si Maganda is the Philippine version of Adam and Eve. Legend has it that
the first Filipino man and woman were born from a bamboo stalk. They both had brown skin and supple
bodies. The man was named Malakas, or “Strong One”; the woman, Maganda, or the “Beautiful One.”
Two traits which make the Filipino unique among its Asian neighbors -- their strength and resiliency
despite a lot of adversity and trials which come their way; and their beauty which is reflected in their
surroundings.
4. Fantasy. Imaginative worlds, make- believe. Stories set in places that do not exist, about
people and creatures that could not exist, or events that could not happen.
Examples:
Natalie Babbit’s Tuck Everlasting is an outstanding example of a novel for intermediate grade
students, which illustrates excellence in fantasy quite well. It combines beautiful language, well-
developed characters, a logical and consistent plot, and a richly detailed setting. Some of the most
memorable characters from children’s literature are created in animal fantasy. Charlotte’s Web by E.B.
White, we find not only a delightful picture of the power of friendship and love, but also a reminder
that in the midst of life there is also death. Watership Down by Richard Adams we confront, among
other issues, the consequences of war.
Bob Ong’s novel Kapitan Sino explores the fleeting nature of heroism and what it takes to be a hero.
The story pointed out that being a hero is not about the name, the costume, nor the superpowers, it is the
intention or act of a person to sacrifice his life to save other people’s lives.
5. Science Fiction. Based on extending physical laws and scientific principles to their logical
outcomes. Stories about what might occur in the future.
Examples:
One early example is John Christopher’s White Mountain trilogy. This series about extraterrestrial
invaders of Earth appeals to today’s readers in the upper elementary grades. Humane characters are pitted
against hostile aliens in a series of bizarre encounters. Christopher’s narrative impels readers to ponder
the values of life and science.
Written by award-winning editors Dean Francis Alfar and Kenneth Yu’s Science Fiction: Filipino
Fiction for Young Adults explores the concerns and issues of today’s youth through the lens of the
science fiction genre.
6. Realistic Fiction. “What if” stories, illusion of reality. Events could happen in real world, character
seem real; contemporary setting.
Examples:
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s Shiloh is an outstanding example of realistic fiction. Winner of the 1992
Newberry Medal. It is the first in a quartet about a young boy and the title character, an abused dog.
Naylor decided to write Shiloh after an emotionally taxing experience in West Virginia where she
encountered an abused dog.
Noli Me Tángere, Latin for “Touch me not”, is an 1887 novel by José Rizal during the colonization of
the Philippines by Spain to describe perceived inequities of the Spanish Catholic friars and the ruling
government. Originally written in Spanish, the book is more commonly published and read in the
Philippines in either Tagalog or English. Together with its sequel, El filibusterismo .
7. Historical Fiction. Set in the past, could have happened. Story reconstructs events of past age, things
that could have or did occur.
Examples:
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a 1976 novel by Mildred D. Taylor, sequel to her 1975 novella Song
of the Trees. It is a book about racism in America during the Great Depression and Jim Crow era.
The novel won the 1977 Newbery Medal is followed by two more sequels, Let the Circle Be
Unbroken (1981), The Road to Memphis (1990), and a prequel to the Logan family saga, The Land
(2001). The novel explores life in southern Mississippi in a climate of racism where many are
persecuted for the color of their skin. Throughout the book, the reader learns about the importance of land
and the effects of racism, at the same time as Cassie Logan (the narrator) learns ‘the way things are’. It is
key to this story that the narrator is a child as it adds emphasis upon what it was like to grow up in “The
South”, and it also helps the reader to understand the true impact of racism at this time.
The Woman Who Had Two Navels is a 1961 historical novel by Nick Joaquin, a National Artist
for Literature and leading English-language writer from the Philippines. It is considered a classic in
Philippine literature. It was the recipient of the first Harry Stonehill award. It tells the story of a Filipino
elite woman who is hallucinating, and is preoccupied with the notion that she has two navels or belly
buttons in order to be treated as an extraordinary person.
8. Biography. Plot and theme based on person’s life. An account of a person’s life, or part of a life
history; letters, memoirs, diaries, journals, autobiographies.
Examples:
Russell Freedman’s Lincoln: A Photobiography won the Newbery Medal in 1988. This distinguished
contribution to literature for children exemplifies the qualities of great biography. It is an outstanding
example of the vivid re- creation of the life of a person who profoundly affected history, and thus our
lives today.
Edna Zapanta Manalapaz’s Angela Manalang Gloria, A Literary Biography presented a portrait of
the leading Filipina poet in English in the first half of the twentieth century. It talked about the myriad
experiences of the poet constituting her life story and the path trodden by the biographer as she presents
an engrossing narrative that spans almost 80 years.
9. Nonfiction. Facts about the real world. Informational books that explain a subject or concept.
Examples:
Patricia Lauber’s Seeing Earth from Space uses NASA photographs in conjunction with a well-written
text to explain satellite photography and make a statement about taking care of our earth. The
photographs are absolutely essential and they would not have been possible 20 years ago.
Doctor to the Barrios is a 1970 book written by Juan M. Flavier, a physician in the Philippines, who later
became Secretary of the Department of Health and two-term Senator of the Philippines. Its complete title
is Doctor to the Barrios, Experiences with the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement. In this book,
Flavier focused on the common problems encountered by Filipinos living in rural areas. It tackles topics
related to barriers in obtaining health care such as “low wages, lack of facilities, and medical supply”.
He also discussed solutions in alleviating the rural people’s health problems through the health
workers or health care providers, including how to handle superstitious beliefs, through principles of
practicality and simplicity.
LiteRacY iN tHe K tO 12 basic eDUcatiON cURRicULUm
Children’s literature has been useful in developing literacy among Filipino learners. Here in the
Philippines, the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum for elementary level emphasizes the
development of literacy in essential learning competencies across subject areas. Children’s literature
can be used to develop language learning, listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills of Filipino
learners. Let’s take a look at how the K to 12 Curriculum zooms in on these strands of learning.

End Goals of English Language Teaching

The end goals of teaching and learning English are communicative competence and multiliteracies.
Communicative competence is the student’s ability to understand and use language appropriately and
correctly to communicate in authentic situations.
The second goal of English language teaching is multiliteracies. The term comes from the two words
“multi “and “literacy” and implies that text is not the only way to communicate. Text is combined
with sounds and images. It is incorporated into movies, billboards, almost any site on the internet and
television. All these ways of communication require the ability to understand a multimedia world.
At the base of the framework are theories of language teaching, theories of language learning and
acquisition and theories of language. This means that English language teaching in K to 12 Curriculum
is anchored on various theories.
The five macroskills that are found in MTB- MLE and Filipino frameworks namely:
1.) listening, 2.) speaking, 3.) reading, 4.) writing, and 5.) viewing are also found in the frameworks
for English language teaching. The curriculum framework for English language teaching mentions more
than five macroskills. It added responding and representing. The addition of responding to reading and
viewing ensures learners’ meaning making out of what they read and view. The addition of representing
to writing likewise ensures writing with meaning.
In fact, at the center of the three circles that overlap is the phrase “making meaning through language.”
This implies that making meaning, making sense through language is central to language teaching.

The Learning Area Standard

The Learning Area Standard specifies the intended outcomes of the English subject from K to Grade 12.
For the English subject the Learning Area Standard is:
“The learner demonstrates mastery of the basic skills in the English Language Arts,
communicates appropriately, fluently and orally and writes for a variety of purposes in different social
and academic context at his/her level while carrying out real life tasks necessary to cope with the
demands of a functionally literate and competent, local, national and global citizen.”

The Key Stage Standards

What outcomes in every key stage of the K to 12 curriculum are expected to be realized from the
teaching of English? The key stages for basic education are as follows:
Grade 3: Students should be able to demonstrate eagerness to explore and experience oral and written
texts and to communicate meanings and feelings effectively.
Grade 6: Students should be able to construct meaning and communicate them using creative,
appropriate and grammatically correct oral and written language.

Grade Level Standards

The Grade Level Standards spell out the competencies from Grade 1 to Grade 6.
They are given below.
Grade 1: The learner listens to comprehension, speaks clearly and uses appropriate expressions in
talking about oneself, family, and other social context interactions.
Grade 2: The learner listens critically to one- two paragraphs; use appropriate expressions in varied
situations; reads texts for pleasure and information critically in meaningful thoughts units; responds
properly to environmental prints like signs, posters, commands and requests; and writes legibly simple
sentences and messages in cursive form.
Grade 3: The learner listens critically to get information from text heard, demonstrates independence
in using the basic language structure in oral and written communication, and reads with comprehension.
Grade 4: The learner listens critically to news and reports and other radio broadcasts and expresses
ideas accurately in oral and written forms; demonstrates confidence in the use of language to meet
every day’s needs; and reads independently and gets relevant information from various text types.
Grade 5: The learner listens critically to different text types; expresses ideas logically in oral and
written forms; and demonstrates interest in reading to meet various needs.
Grade 6: The learner listens critically; communicates feelings and ideas orally and in writing with a high
level of proficiency; and reads various text types materials to serve learning needs in meeting a wide
range of life’s purposes.

Alignment of the Language and Literacy Domains with the 5 sub-strands

The goals of English Language teaching are communicative competence and multiliteracies.
Communicative competence as a goal to language teaching was also mentioned in MTB-MLE and
Filipino as a teaching goal. The standards are expected to be aligned ― learning areas/ programs
standards, key stage standards and grade level standards.
English language teaching consists of five (5) macro skills ― listening, speaking, reading, writing and
viewing. These are taught in relation to the fourteen (14) domains that include:
1. oral language 8. writing and composition
2. phonology and awareness 9. grammar awareness and structure
3. book and print knowledge
4. alphabet knowledge
5. phonics and word recognition
6. fluency
7. spelling
10. vocabulary development
11. reading competencies
12. listening competencies
13. study strategies
14. attitudes toward language, literacy and literature

cRiteRia fOR seLectiNg mateRiaLs fOR eLemeNtaRY gRaDes

With the five (5) macro skills and 14 domains in mind, you also have to consider, as future teachers,
several other factors in selecting materials for your learners. However, because the reading experience is
largely subjective, there’s no definitive set of standards on what makes a book good. Yet, some criteria
below may help you answer the question, “Will this children’s literature good enough for my pupils?”
Content. The primary consideration when selecting a material for children’s literature is its content.
The quality of the content will provide more satisfying experience and clearer understanding of the text
on the part of your learners. If the readers are able to internalize the content and apply them to personal
experiences, the material is not only good but also of high quality.
Intended Audience. The material must suit your learners’ age, interests, levels of understanding, culture
and background. Meleen (2017) mentioned that it is important to note children’s abilities are not in
the same level. Children with advanced reading skills need books with challenging vocabulary, but age-
appropriate themes and content. Children who struggle with reading seek high interest, low reading level
books to keep their interest without causing frustration. You do not give a Harry Potter series to Grade 1
pupils, right? When you teach your learners, be sure to understand their backgrounds.
Theme. Appropriateness of topic in children’s books must be another factor to consider. We teach our
students to be critical about the materials they are reading; thus, we have to remind them that children’s
literature may expose them to various topics.
Romance, money and death are the usual topics of adult authors in writing materials including children’s
books (Lurie, 1990). If you have read fairy tales before, you would notice that they carry these three
themes. For example, the romance between Cinderella and the prince. In Snow White and the Seven
Dwarfs, the evil stepmother planned to kill Snow White by giving her an apple with poison. Another
fairy tale, Puss in Boots, talks about money where Puss’ clever tactics as a swaggering trickster
brought his young master fame, fortune, and a fancy wife.
Today, children’s literature also venture in gender-based theme. For example, Bernadette Neri’s Ang
Ikaklit sa Aming Hardin (2012) talks about the story of a child who has lesbian parents. Another is one
is Rhandee Garlitos’ Ang Bonggang Bonggang Batang Beki (2013) that tells about the story of a young
boy who loves the color pink.
Characters. It is also essential to determine the characters presented in children’s books. Characters
embody various personalities. The teacher must be aware of such character traits before asking the
learners to read the materials. The teacher may ask questions like: (1) Do characters represent people
from a variety of cultural groups?; (2) Do “good” characters reflect a variety of backgrounds?; and (3)
Are females as well as males depicted in leadership roles? By knowing the personalities, it will not only
be easy to discuss the material, but the teacher may also give reminders to the learners about the
conflicting characters.
Language. Students in your class must easily understand the language used in the materials you will
provide to them. But the language must also be thought-provoking and paints a picture in their minds
as opposed to just plain storytelling. There must also be the presence of challenging vocabulary words or
uncommon terms to help your future learners develop critical thinking skills. The language must also
be free from vulgarity, profanity, and obscenity. When asking our learners to read children’s books,
language acquisition is essential and the last thing we want them to acquire are the foul words.
Settings. Children’s literature comes from different countries which reflect a variety of settings.
Settings refer to where the story happened and in what period. It is an important factor to consider
because children may raise questions relevant to settings particularly about cultural context. Racial
diversity may also be present in various settings that must be tackled and explained well to the students.
Most children’s books we know feature Caucasian characters, but there are also stories involving
characters of color and from other cultures. Along these lines, settings must not present discrimination
in any form or language.
Illustration. Graphics and design must be appealing to your intended readers. At present, books that
include comic-like graphics and text are rapidly gaining popularity among elementary grades
learners. Illustration forms a big part of literacy learning because most readers usually look at them
first before reading the texts. When it comes to illustration, one thing to consider is readability or the
ease with which a reader can understand a written text. The readability of text depends on its graphical
presentation and design. Some graphic books are overly illustrated that the readability of the materials is
compromised.

New tReNDs iN cHiLDReN’s LiteRatURe

The trends of children’s literature has changed overtime. Each time a new book for children is produced,
it is a bit more creative and enticing than the last. With the evolution of children’s interests and reading
habits, the trends in children’s literature also occur. Here are some points on the progress of children’s
literature as stated in Barone’s (2011) Children’s Literature in the Classroom: Engaging Lifelong
Readers.
Rise of picture storybook. Picture storybooks are gaining prominence among readers in today’s
generation. Children love to read books with accompanying pictures. However, the difference now is the
conflict between the presentation of text and images. Early picture storybooks often presented text and
illustrations that supported one another and told one story. Newer versions may have text that is in
conflict with illustrations or text and illustrations that present multiple stories.
Growth of informational text. From baby board books onward, there has been an explosion in
quality informational text. Books are simultaneously entertaining children and teaching them about
presidents, dinosaurs, planets, natural disorders, and world wars. They are bringing to life sports heroes
and war heroes, artists and musicians. Books are available on virtually every real-life topic.
The success of book series. The Harry Potter series is probably the most vivid example of the popular
book series, with children and adults clamoring to read the next newest story written by J. K. Rowling.
So successful was this format that millions of copies of each book in the series were sold even before
publication. Other successful book series include The Magic Tree House Series (Osborne), which
combines fiction and information; the humorous The Wimpy Kid books (Kinney); and Twilight (Meyer),
the vampire romance collection.
A new division within children’s literature. The marketplace determined a new category of
consumers of books: tweens, which include children in the 8- to 12-year age range (Marcus, 2008),
the largest demographic group to purchase Harry Potter books.
New media for illustration. Because of technological advances in color reproduction, illustrators are
making greater use of color. They are also using computer- generated art (Kiefer, 2008).
Books that have multimedia components. Many children’s books have Internet connections, where
the content of the book is expanded through games and other extensions. For example, each book in
the series 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones (Riordan,2008) is extended at the 39 Clues website
(www.the39clues.com). The website allows readers to play the game, collect clue cards, and potentially
win prizes.
Books written on the Internet. Jon Scieszka has teamed with other notable authors such as Natalie
Babbitt, Steven Kellogg, and Katherine Paterson to write The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, which
debuted at the 2009 Library of Congress Book Festival (read. gov). Readers can turn pages with a click
to read text, view images (often animated), and hear sounds.
Accessibility to international books. Increasingly. books from other countries are being translated and
offered to children in the United States: for example, from Canada, the picture books of Robert
Munsch, and from Australia, the work of Mem Fox. Works from renown authors from other
countries, such as China, France, and Germany, are also being made available.

ACTIVITY
Directions: Answer the following questions below. Write your answer in the space provided.
1. Explain how the goals of K to 12 Curriculum help promote literacy among learners.
2. How will the new trends in children’s literature affect the teaching of literacy in the elementary
grades?
3. Do you think elementary pupils should be exposed to children’s literature that tackles gender-based
issues? Why or why not?

PREPARED BY:
JOVIENHEL M. MENDOZA