Bibliotherapy:

An Issues Approach to Children’s Literature

• What is Bibliotherapy?

• Why Bibliotherapy?

• Who does it?

• How?

• Brainstorm Range of Topics of Concern

What is Bibliotherapy?Definitions are often contradictory:

• It is a self-help approach of simply giving a book to a parent or a child.

• It is helping with books.• It is the reading, responding and discussing evocative books to

make connections, share response and to gain insight about issues of concern.

• It involves the healing power of books.• The term Bibliotherapy for some is used only if there are

accompanying activities to help the reader draw healing insight from the book- such as discussions, and creative role playing activities.

• It is the use of books to influence total development, a process of interactions between the reader and literature which is used for personality assessment, adjustment, growth, clinical and mental hygiene purposes.

• It is therapy using books and which include plans for implementing children's newly found insights. Strategies are in place to monitor compliance with plans, and there are provisions for correcting plans that prove to be ineffective.

DevelopmentalBibliotherapy

ClinicalBibliotherapy

• Enhance personal, social and cultural insight• Encourage emotional catharsis,• Promote resiliency,• Assist children in solving day to day problems,• Assist children to cope with developmental change,• Assist children to cope with emotional disruptions and

developmental change,• Assist children in problem solving strategies,• Assist children in becoming more empathetic with

others,• Assist children in learning about the world around them and our

culture,• Promote satisfying personal relationships with other people-

connectedness through a shared experience,• Assist children in understanding that other people have faced

similar problems and had similar feelings,• Provide information about challenges that may be

faced,• Provide recreation of getting lost in a good story about real

people.

Who Does What? And For What Purposes?

ParentsTeachersMedia ProfessionalsMental Health ProfessionalsGuidance CounselorsSocial WorkersPsychologistsPsychiatrists

If more than one professional involved is the relationship:Cooperative: Have same groups of children, but have different

purposes (goal is not to contradict efforts)Consultative:One professional works in consultation with another-

relying on expertise of that person and supervisionCollaborative: Both professionals share responsibilities and expertise

How?

Purpose(s)Participants Activities

•Enhancing Self Esteem•Promoting satisfying relationships with peers•Fostering Personal insight•Fostering empathy•Assisting with problem solving•Recreation•Altering ways in which children act•Identification•Emotional Catharsis

Classroom level?,Program level? In cooperation, consultation, or collaboration with others? Books/Material

selection-Pre, During, Post and Beyond

Families Life Cycle•Siblings•The new baby•Sibling rivalry•The new Baby•Twins•Cooperation and Love•Facing Responsibility•Adoption/Foster care•Divorce-Aftermath, Managing•Single parent families•Blended families•Extended Families

•Sexuality•Younger children•Older children

•Aging•Death

•Suicide•Immortality and the Supernatural•Books in which death is incidental

Portrayal of men and boys Cultural HeritagePortrayal of women and girls Special Needs

Sexual Abuse•Neurological conditions Physical and Emotional Abuse•Intellect Substance Abuse•Physical War and Peace•Emotions•Other categories

Societal

Rudman,, (1995)Issues?

Anticipation Reaction GuidesBooktalksCreating a sequel to the story to shareRead aloud of key passages with discussion and commentaries"I am" Character Poem or "I know" character poemCharacter WebsDramatic presentation of the issue or conflict in the book with alternative resolutionsPanel debates Reader-on-the-street- interviewCollages representing different charactersA new character for the bookA new ending/resolution for the bookTelling the story from the perspective of a different character(s)Use of the Internet to build background knowledgeInquiry done on the Internet in response to questions generated in response to the reading of the Letters to or from a characterAn Interview with the character (Hot Seat)

Strategies?

Bibliotherapy means various things to people depending upon its purposes. On one end of the spectrum, there is a clinical orientation while on the other there is a developmental view of the process. The people involved and the strategies and approach differ according to where they fall along the continuum.

Bibliotherapy acknowledges the power that a book has to touch our minds and our hearts. It involves using books to enhance personal insights about self, others, societal situations, and about our culture. While the results of reading and responding to books which address various issues of concern may indeed be healing, this class takes a developmental approach.

Bibliotherapy in this context is seen as adjunctive to a literary approach to books (Rudman,1993), and it is not considered to be “therapy”. Therefore, the books selected must be of value not only in terms of the issues addressed, but also in terms of literary quality. From this perspective the issues addressed and strategies employed are in keeping with a Reader Response Approach (Rosenblatt) to literature in which children are encouraged to experience a book in a variety of ways and levels. They are encouraged to find themselves and lose themselves in a good book.

Discussion WEB

A Debatable Statement Here

Reasons Why I Agree1.2.3.4.

Reasons Why I Disagree1.2.3.4.

Consensus Statement

Bibliotherapy does not fall within the domain of the teacher’s responsibility.

Fictional works are best for discussion purposes when focusing on an issue of concern.

A classroom teacher who really loves literature and has a large collection of books is in a good position to conduct bibliotherapy.

Group settings for discussion about books are an appropriate forum to help address issues of concern.