Childrens Lit

From the Childs Perspective

Notes: The Child Responds to Literature:

Literature entices, motivates, and instructs. Most authors discuss in their biographies the importance of having someone to read to them. Literature helps develop emotional intelligence including: self-awareness, managing emotions, handling anxiety in appropriate ways, motivating oneself and sensitivity toward others.

 According to Walter Lobans research, early oral language development in children has lifelong impact. The high group reached a level of oral proficiency in the first grade that the low group did not attain until sixth grade and a level of written proficiency until fourth grade. The high group excelled in control of ideas expressed, showing unity and planning in both their speech and writing. Conclusion: teachers, librarians, and parents, must give greater attention to developing childrens oral language.

 Consider wordless picture books as one teaching tool, like David Wiesners Tuesday and books with vivid language like Jane Yolens Owl Moon.

Observing:
Colorful picture books are excellent vehicles for developing observational skills in both younger and older children.
Keith Bakers Hide and Snake encourages viewers to search through illustrations to find the snake.

Comparing:
Picture books and other literary selections provide opportunities for comparing.
Using Ruth Krausss The Growing Story young children can compare how a puppy grows through the seasons.

Classifying:
Concept books provide excellent stimuli for classifying. Children must be able to classify objects or ideas before seeing or understanding the relationships among them. Eric Carle allows children to match blocks of color with the color in the illustration in his My Very First Book of Colors.

Hypothesizing:
Several illustrated books encourage younger children to hypothesize about what they will find when they turn the page.
Visual hints and textual clues encourage children to hypothesize in Mia Posadas Guess What is Growing Inside this Egg?

Organizing:
Books that allow children to follow changes in seasons increase their understanding about sequences in time. In Sky Tree: Seeing Science Through Art, Thomas Locker follows the seasonal cycle of a tree beginning in summer and progressing through seasons until the tree again experiences summer.

Summarizing:
Rhoda Blumbergs The Incredible Journey of Lewis and Clarke.

Arguing and Responding:

Young children need many opportunities to apply the skills, concepts, and information in books. Using Anita Lobels One Lighthouse, One Moon readers can respond to colors, days of the week, months, numbers from 1-10.

Criticizing:
Neither adults nor children should be required to encourage everything they hear or read without criticism. Wild Animals in Captivity by Rob Laidlaw includes questions and checklists to help readers evaluate the treatment of animals in zoos.

Personality Development:
Infancy: (Birth-1 years)Trust versus Mistrust: Children learn to have confidence in others. During this time they develop feelings of security or become fearful and unsure of their environment and the people around them. Toddler Years (1 years to 3)Autonomy Versus Shame and Doubt: Children learn to make decisions and accept independence or become inhibited and lack self esteem.

 Preschool Years (3-6 years)Initiative Versus Guilt: Children learn to plan and carry out their own activities and attempt to master new challenges. Elementary School YearsIndustry Versus Inferiority: Children seek recognition by learning the skills of a culture that leads to success and positive self concept.

 AdolescenceIdentity Versus Role Confusion: Children try to identify who they are and how they fit Young AdultIntimacy Versus Isolation: Young People have established their identities and are capable of intimacy.

 Middle AgeGenerativity Versus Stagnantion. The primary development tasks are contributing to family and society and developing a sense of productivity accomplishment Retirement YearsIntegrity Versus Despair: Individuals look back at their lives and develop feelings of contentment or a sense of distress

Books that teach about hard subjects:

In Cant You Sleep, Little Bear? A young bear experiences fear. Ruby the Copycat. When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death. Lets Talk About it: Divorce

Childrens books help with Social Development:

Three factors in the socialization of children First, reward or punishment. Observations Identification requires emotional ties with models.