FICTION

AND

POETRY: Why read to

children and

how can we

do this

successfully?

I wouldn’t be here but for reading aloud!

OBJECTIVES

To have looked at the requirements

of the current National Curriculum

To have discussed the importance

of sharing literature with children

To have looked at examples of

stories and poems

To have considered criteria for

choosing children’s literature

Fiction and the National Curriculum at Y2

Pupils should be taught to:develop pleasure in reading, motivation to read, vocabulary and

understanding by:

listening to, discussing and expressing views about a wide range of

contemporary and classic poetry, stories and non-fiction at a level

beyond that at which they can read independently

discussing the sequence of events in books and how items of

information are related

becoming increasingly familiar with and retelling a wider range of

stories, fairy stories and traditional tales

being introduced to non-fiction books that are structured in different

ways

recognising simple recurring literary language in stories and poetry

discussing and clarifying the meanings of words, linking new

meanings to known vocabulary

discussing their favourite words and phrases

continuing to build up a repertoire of poems learnt by heart,

appreciating these and reciting some, with appropriate intonation to

make the meaning clear

Fiction and the National Curriculum at Y5-6maintain positive attitudes to reading and understanding of

what they read by:

continuing to read and discuss an increasingly wide range

of fiction, poetry, plays, non-fiction and reference books or

textbooks

reading books that are structured in different ways and

reading for a range of purposes

increasing their familiarity with a wide range of books,

including myths, legends and traditional stories, modern

fiction, fiction from our literary heritage, and books from

other cultures and traditions

recommending books that they have read to their peers,

giving reasons for their choices

identifying and discussing themes and conventions in and

across a wide range of writing

making comparisons within and across books

learning a wider range of poetry by heart

preparing poems and plays to read aloud and to perform,

showing understanding through intonation, tone and volume

so that the meaning is clear to an audience

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 1950, C S Lewis

And however the dwarf whipped the poor reindeer the sledge wentslower and slower. There also seemed to be a curious noise allround them, but the noise of their driving and jolting and the dwarf'sshouting at the reindeer prevented Edmund from hearing what itwas, until suddenly the sledge stuck so fast that it wouldn't go on atall. When that happened there was a moment's silence. And in thatsilence Edmund could at last listen to the other noise properly. Astrange, sweet, rustling, chattering noise – and yet not so strange,for he'd heard it before -if only he could remember where! Then allat once he did remember. It was the noise of running water. Allround them though out of sight, there were streams chattering,murmuring, bubbling, splashing and even (in the distance) roaring.And his heart gave a great leap (though he hardly knew why) whenhe realized that the frost was over. And much nearer there was adrip-drip-drip from the branches of all the trees. And then, as helooked at one tree he saw a great load of snow slide off it and for thefirst time since he had entered Narnia he saw the dark green of a firtree. But he hadn't time to listen or watch any longer, for the Witchsaid:

`Don't sit staring, fool! Get out and help.'

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 1950, C S Lewis

And however the dwarf whipped the poor reindeer the sledge wentslower and slower. There also seemed to be a curious noise allround them, but the noise of their driving and jolting and the dwarf'sshouting at the reindeer prevented Edmund from hearing what itwas, until suddenly the sledge stuck so fast that it wouldn't go on atall. When that happened there was a moment's silence. And in thatsilence Edmund could at last listen to the other noise properly. Astrange, sweet, rustling, chattering noise – and yet not so strange,for he'd heard it before - if only he could remember where! Then allat once he did remember. It was the noise of running water. Allround them though out of sight, there were streams chattering,murmuring, bubbling, splashing and even (in the distance) roaring.And his heart gave a great leap (though he hardly knew why) whenhe realized that the frost was over. And much nearer there was adrip-drip-drip from the branches of all the trees. And then, as helooked at one tree he saw a great load of snow slide off it and for thefirst time since he had entered Narnia he saw the dark green of a firtree. But he hadn't time to listen or watch any longer, for the Witchsaid:

`Don't sit staring, fool! Get out and help.'

Reading stories to children whets their appetites

and encourages self-initiated exploration of books

... it introduces the language of books and helps

bridge gaps between varied language styles ... it

enhances listening skills . . . and is a basic

learning medium through which we make sense of

the world.

(Loughrey 1989: 46)

Y5-6 National Curriculum

Even though pupils can now read independently,

reading aloud to them should include whole books

so that they meet books and authors that they

might not choose to read themselves.

(DfE, 2013, p.45)

The benefits of fiction

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley,

conducted a study of 94 people and measured the extent to

which they read fiction and non-fiction. Through conducting

tests which included showing participants video clips of

people interacting and then asking them questions, they

discovered that people who read predominantly fiction had

greater social abilities, for example in guessing the mental

states of people in photographs and in matching children in

videos to their parents. The researchers argued that while

non-fiction increased expertise in topics such as cookery,

genetics or whatever the subject matter of the books was,

fiction develops expertise in empathizing and socializing.

(Oatley, K (2009) Changing Our Minds)

Why read to children?

Children's listening skills can be developed

through prolonged exposure to engaging stories.

Vocabulary can be improved where teachers

discuss the words and phrases which authors use.

Scenarios from stories can provide starting

points for discussions about moral issues and

can help children to consider how they would act

in different situations. This can lead into valuable

work in PSHE.

Children's written and oral work will improve if they

have more ideas about phrasing and style

derived from hearing good quality literature.

Why read to children?

Children often lack imaginative ideas for their own writing. By

exploring a range of stories they can be helped to develop

their own ideas.

By reading to children, teachers demonstrate that they

value reading and show that it is important.

An interest in fantasy can be encouraged and may lead to

children exploring this genre.

Listening to stories can help make them aware of their own

and others' cultural heritage.

Class reading of a story presents children with a valuable

shared experience. The whole class comes together with a

common purpose and a pleasant atmosphere can be

created.

Tips for reading to children

Provide additional copies of the book for some children to

follow the text and to contribute to the telling of the story by

reading the words spoken by different characters. This engages

them with the text and helps them to understand the

punctuation of dialogue.

Provide cards with the names of characters for some

children to hold while the story is being read. This helps

listeners to distinguish between characters and provides a

useful resource for word level work which might follow.

Hot-seating: tell the children beforehand who will be asked to

assume the role of different characters in the story to answer

questions about their actions after the reading session.

Reading logs: ask the children to make brief notes on what has

happened and to compare these with others. The notes can be

used to bring absent children up to date on the events in the

story when they return.

How can reading fiction benefit

children?

Children can broaden their

experience of the world by:

learning about other countries

learning about how different people

live

learning about how people lived in

other times

What to read?

See 75 books:

Which do you know?

What do you think

should be there, but isn’t?

What do you think

should not be there?

Life as an evacuee in WW2

Other cultures and traditions

…or can they?

Making them think

Word cards can improve listening, comprehension,

vocabulary and discussion

Lauren

Morris

AdamStevens

SamBell

FaizalAhmed

RyanJones

Mark Langley

Michael Benson

The pitch The weather

Mere Lane School

Chelsea Brown Miss Jeffrey

Mr Long Richard Bell Grace Darling

Mrs Wright The playground

John Harrison

David Bullock Assembly The Forfarshire

CHAPTER ONE

It’s not a proper game if she plays

“It’s not a proper game if she plays!” Adam Stevens stood with his foot on the ball and his hands on his hips.

“Go on, let her,” said Ryan Jones.

Lauren Morris looked longingly towards the football pitch, where about twenty boys had stopped their game when she had asked to play.

“Even if she wasn’t a girl, she’s too small and she’d get hurt,” said Faisal Ahmed, who was eleven.

“She’s bigger than me,” piped up Sam Bell.

“Everyone’s bigger than you, Belly!” chorused about five people together.

Lauren longed to play football. She had taken months to pluck up the courage to ask the boys if she could join in with their daily game after school, and now she seemed likely to be rejected. She was sure she would be good at soccer. She had watched endless videos of matches, and she spent hours practising her ball skills in her tiny back yard and in the passageway behind her house, and on the wasteland next to an old, disused factory near her house.

She had often watched the boys from a distance and she was certain that she was more skilful than most of them. The trouble was, she had never played in a game. She could dribble in and out of the obstacle courses she set up for herself using plastic bottles and drinks cans, and she could trap and volley the ball as she bounced it off the brick wall of the old factory. What she did not know was if she could use her skills when other people were trying to take the ball from her.

The boys began to get restless. They wanted to get on with their game and Lauren’s request had stopped them.

“Why shouldn’t she play?” asked Mark Langley. “Just because she’s a girl, it doesn’t mean she’s no good.”

“Just because you fancy her,” sneered Michael Benson, who had no time to say any more before Mark pushed him and they began rolling around on the floor fighting. The others quickly pulled them apart before they had chance to hurt each other much.

“This is typical of what happens when you let girls play boys’ games,” said Adam Stevens. “I say we get on with the game and tell her to get lost.”

Things were not going at all as Lauren had hoped. She had imagined that the boys would let her join in and then she would have dazzled them with her skills. She had day-dreamed about dribbling around them and then thumping the ball past a diving goalkeeper, between The piles of tracksuits and jumpers which were their makeshift goalposts. Instead, a fight had broken out, as well as several arguments, and the game had stopped.

“It’s all right, I’ll go,” muttered Lauren. “You get on with your game. I’d probably be too good for you anyway!”

As soon as she had said this, Lauren wished she had not. It was not like her to boast, and anyway she did not really know for certain if she was good at soccer or not.

As it happened, she could not have said anything which would be more likely to make the boys want her to play.

“Too good for us, eh? Don’t make me laugh,” taunted Adam Stevens. “Right, you can play. You’re on their side!”

There were a few protests, but Adam was bigger than everyone else and no-one liked to argue with him, so Lauren took her place on Mark Langley’s team, which was kicking towards the goal near the swings.

The pitch was muddy in the middle and bumpy at the edges and it sloped from one end to the other.

Lauren’s team were playing uphill and into a breeze. If the conditions seemed bad, worse was to come

when the game finally restarted. Lauren took up a lot of good positions in lots of space, but no-one gave her

the ball. She tried calling people’s names when they had the ball, but none of the boys seemed to trust her

with it. Mark Langley did try to pass to her once, but Adam got to the ball first and ran through the defence

and scored a goal. Lauren was sure she heard someone say, “Don’t give it to her, Langley, she’ll only lose

it.”

It was going to be difficult for Lauren to prove her boast if she never got the ball, so she tried chasing after

opponents who had it. They always seemed to pass to someone else before she had chance to tackle them,

and after ten minutes she still had not touched the ball.

A few minutes later she finally got a chance, when one of the other team miskicked the ball towards her, but

before she could get it under control Adam tackled her and set off towards goal. Only a diving save from

Michael Benson prevented another goal.

Adam looked across at her and laughed. “She’s too good for us lads. Better be careful!”

Lauren thought of giving up and going home, but she knew that she would be miserable and that the next

day at school everyone would tease her. She could feel tears welling up behind her eyes and she also felt

her cheeks warming as she became angry with Adam. As she stood on her own feeling hurt and

embarrassed, a few drops of rain began to fall. They rapidly developed into a heavy shower, and the boys

suddenly ran to gather up their tracksuits and jumpers, and dashed off to their homes or to shelter under

trees.

The game was over and Lauren had made a fool of herself. She turned and trudged towards her house. As

she passed a large oak tree where four of the boys were sheltering, Adam Stevens pointed at her and said

something to the others and they all began to laugh. Lauren could not remember the last time she had felt

so unhappy.

How does Lauren feel?

Adam Stevens

Lauren’s Dad

History through story

see Children’s Literature for

History

Children can learn to understand

their own lives better

by comparing their feelings with those

of others

by seeing how other people solve

problems

by reading of others’ relationships

Relationships

Addressing issues through story – see

Waugh, Neaum and Waugh (2016), ch.8

Reading can be a good starting

point for discussion

What do children perceive as being

unfair?

Gender and ethnic issues

Disability

Same sex families

Is it ever right to lie/steal etc?

How would they behave in similar

situations?

Children can enter a fantasy

world which can:

provide an escape from the humdrum

foster the development of their own

imaginations

provide another perspective on

events in the real world

A new colour…pp.48-50

Fantasy and relationships

Changing age

So what might children learn

from each of the following?

Clive King, Stig of the Dump

Ted Hughes, The Iron Man

Roald Dahl, Matilda

C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s

Stone

Michael Morpurgo, Private Peaceful

Children’s own language skills can be

developed through:

seeing how authors express ideas

and feelings

seeing how authors spell and

punctuate

seeing how authors use a range of

vocabulary to express ideas

The value of reading aloud to

children – more!

It widens their sense of the possibilities in fiction and language in general

Exploits children's capacity to enjoy and respond to language and stories which are beyond their reading abilities

Introduces children to more adventurous and sophisticated uses of language.

Introduces them to subjects which they might not have read about independently.

Contributes to a store of knowledge children may draw upon as readers and writers.

The value of reading aloud to

children 2

It whets children's appetites for

literature

Children often want to read

independently those books which

have been read to them.

Introduces them to a range of

literature.

The value of reading aloud to

children 3

It helps to develop children's skills as

readers

Extends reading beyond decoding towards

sustained attention and responding to

changes in tone and pace.

Develops "ability to 'hear' the rhythms and

shapes of written language".

Through skilful intonation the reader can

convey the tone of a passage.

The value of reading aloud to

children 4

It fosters a sense of community and

shared reading experiences

Encourages sharing of an experience

and discussion.

Gives pleasure and encourages

thought about themes and ideas.

Allows children to relate literature to

their own experiences.

INTRODUCING A STORY BOOK

TO CHILDREN

Introduce the text and explain that you are going to look at it to see if you can tell what it is about

Look at the title and author’s name

Ask if the children have read the book or a similar one.

Discuss the cover using appropriate vocabulary: spine, author, illustration, blurb, ISBN etc.

Ask the children to predict what the book might be about.

Ask who might be in the story and where it might be set.

Encourage children to justify their predictions.

Read an extract aloud and then discuss the children’s predictions.

INTRODUCING A STORY BOOK

TO CHILDREN

Check children’s understanding of the content:Who is in the story?

Where is the story set so far?

What do the characters talk about?

What do children think about the characters?

Can they retell parts of the story which you have read to them?

Write down any unknown words and show the children how to learn to spell them.

Consider what you have discovered about the children’s understanding of fiction.

THE VALUE OF PICTURE BOOKS

Picture books require us to bring

language to the book

They offer access to stories even for

those who cannot yet read English

They allow us to interpret and infer

Are picture books just for non-

readers?

Body language

Visual metaphors: The Tunnel

Counterpoint and irony (or duet): Rosie’s

Walk

Does Rosie know about the fox?

No…No sun-no moon!

No morn-no noon!

No dawn-no dusk-no proper time of day-

No sky-no earthly view-

No distance looking blue-

No road-no street-no “t’other side the way-”

No end to any Row-

No indications where the Crescents go-

No top to any steeple-

No recognitions of familiar people-

No courtesies for showing `em-

No knowing `em!

No mail-no post-

No news from any foreign coast-

No park-no ring-no afternoon gentility-

No company-no nobility-

No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease

No comfortable feel in any member-

No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,

No fruits, no flowers, no leaves no birds,

November!

Thomas Hood

Recommended reading

Waugh, D, Neaum, S and Waugh, R

(2016) Children’s Literature in Primary

Schools (2nd edition). London: Sage.

Gamble, N (2019) Exploring Children's

Literature: Reading with Pleasure and

Purpose. London: Sage.

Waugh, D and Jolliffe, W (2017) English 5-

11, Chapter 8

Lots of children’s literature!!!