1. Understanding Childrens Responses to Literature Presented by Prof. T. Mndez Hernndez ENGL 3440 Childrens Literature in English2. Reading Interests and Preferences Response refers to: Any outward sign of that inner activity, something said or done that reveals a readers thoughts and feelings about literature.3. Age and Gender Differences Age is the most obvious change in childrens interest patterns Childrens interest vary according to age and grade level Girls read more than boys but boys have a wider interest range and read greater variety4. Age and Gender Differences Girls show an early interest in adult romantic fiction Boys prefer nonfiction from an early age Children should be provided with many reading options so they can have a chance to explore each others perspectives5. Other Determinants of Interest Illustrations, color, format, length, and type of print can also influence childrens choices Social and environmental influences also affect childrens book choices and reading interests Cultural and ethnic factors also6. Other Determinants of Interest Impact of the immediate environment Availability and accessibility of reading materials at home, classroom, and public and school libraries Teachers Peers7. Explaining Childrens Choices As children grow and learn, their levels of understanding change along with the literature they choose Children prefer stories that best represent their own way of looking at the world Stories that mirror their experiences, needs, fears, and desires8. Growth Patterns That Influence Response Childhood is unique Children are not miniature adults but individuals They have their own needs, interests, and capabilities which change over time and at varying rates9. Physical Development Childrens experiences with literature can begin at a very early age Infants gain visual perception very rapidly within their range of focus Books designed for babies and toddlers feature simple, clearly defined pictures with firm outlines, uncluttered backgrounds, and bright colors10. Physical Development As visual perception develops, children begin to show fascination with details Older preschoolers make a game of finding hidden things in pictures Childrens attention spans generally increase with age as well as interest11. Physical Development Small children have trouble sitting still even for 20 minute read alouds It is recommended to have several short story times Physical development influences childrens interests as well as their attention span12. Physical Development Early adolescent stages such as puberty and self-concept also influence book choices Both physical maturity and social forces have led to the development of sexual interests at a younger age This leads to a shortened interest in literature for children and a choice for teenage novels and adult fiction13. Cognitive Development Jean Piaget Intelligence develops as a result of the interaction of environment and the maturation of the child Children are active participants in their own learning14. Cognitive Development Distinct stages in the development of logical thinking All children go through these stages in the same progression, but not necessarily at the same age15. Cognitive Development (Stages) Piaget Sensory-motor period From infancy to about 2 years of age Preoperational period From 2 to 7 years Concrete operational period From 7 to 11 Formal operations Age 11 throughout adult life16. Cognitive Development Piaget recognized children as meaning makers Infants and toddlers develop sensory perceptions and motor activity. Rhymes of Mother Goose and tactile books17. Cognitive Development During the preschool years, children learn to represent the world symbolically through language, play and drawing They enjoy predictable stories18. Cognitive Development Elementary school children are in the concrete operational stage They can Classify and arrange objects in series They are more systematic and orderly thinkers They enjoy mysteries and understand stories with more complex plot features such as flashbacks or a story within a story19. Cognitive Development Older elementary-age children also seem to identify more spontaneously with different points of view Children in the middle-school years begin to develop abstract theoretical thought They are no longer dependent on concrete evidence but can reason20. Cognitive Development Complex novels and science fiction in particular begin to appeal for students at this level Literature criticism can be introduced21. Cognitive Development Vygotsky stresses the ties between development of thought and language, the social aspect of learning, and the importance of adult-child interaction Zone of proximal development - area in which children are asked to stretch their ability22. Cognitive Development Howard Gardner proposed that there are eight intellectual abilities or multiple intelligences Appreciation of literature falls into the category of linguistic intelligence This theory would explain why some children breeze through math but blank out during discussions of literature23. Cognitive Development We need to remember that cognitive development is only one part of a much larger picture of growth patterns that influence interests and responses24. Language Development Verbal participation with an adult is an important element in young childrens experience with literature Very early experiences with books encourage many aspects of language development25. Language Development Language development proceeds at a phenomenal pace during the preschool years They learn to express their thoughts in longer sentences that combine ideas They gain access to the basic structure of grammar26. Language Development Childrens language growth continues through the elementary grades and beyond The average length and complexity of their statements both oral and written increase as children progress through school Children should be given the opportunity to read and hear good writing that is beyond the level of their own conversation27. Moral Development According to Piaget and Kohlberg, as children grow in intellect and experience, they move away from ideas of morality based on authority and adult constraint They move toward morality based on the influence of group cooperation and independent thinking28. Moral Development Contrasts between the moral judgment of younger and older children: Young children are constrained by the rules that adults have made Older children understand that there are group standards for what is good or bad and they make their own rules29. Moral Development Young children believe that behavior is totally right or totally wrong Older children are willing to consider that circumstances and situations make for legitimate differences in opinion30. Moral Development Young children tend to judge an act by its consequences Older children switch to considering motivation rather than consequence31. Moral Development Young children believe that bad behavior and punishment go together; the more serious the deed the harsher the punishment Older children are more interested in finding a fair punishment32. Moral Development Stories for children present different levels of moral complexity that can stimulate discussions among children Working through dilemmas allow us to move from one level of moral judgment toward another Literature provides a means for children to rehearse and negotiate situations of conflict without risk, trying out alternative stances33. Personality Development All learning is a combination of cognitive dimensions, affective or emotional responses, social relationships, and value orientation This is the matrix in which personality develops34. Personality Development Maslow suggests that a person develops through a hierarchy of needs from basic animal-survival necessities to the higher needs that are more uniquely human and spiritual Literature can provide opportunities for people of all ages to satisfy higher-level needs35. Personality Development In considering any theory of development, we need to remember that childrens prior experiences with books and their individual backgrounds can have an impact on their responses to literature36. Guides for Ages and Stages Adults who are responsible for childrens reading need to be aware of child development and learning theory and of childrens interests They must keep in mind characteristics and needs of children at different ages and stages of develpopment (See Books for Ages and Stages)37. Response in the Classroom Childrens perceptions and understandings are revealed in many different ways, as the children choose and talk about books, and as they write, paint, play, or take part in other classroom activities38. Theories of Response The process of reading and responding is active rather than passive The words and ideas in a book are not transferred automatically from the page to the reader Response is dynamic and open to continuous change as readers anticipate, infer, remember, reflect, interpret, and connect.39. Theories of Response The meaning and significance of stories will vary from reader to reader, depending on age and personal experience as well as experience with literature Reader response theory points out that readers approach works of literature in special ways40. Theories of Response James Britton proposes that in all our uses of language we can be either participants or spectators. As a participant we read in order to accomplish something in the real world As a spectator we focus on what language says as an end in itself41. Theories of Response Rosenblatt suggests that reading usually involves two roles, or stances In the efferent stance the reader is concerned with what information can be learned from the reading In the aesthetic stance the reader is concerned with the experience of the reading itself42. Types of Response The most common expressions of response to literature are statements, oral or written Such responses are known as literary criticism Childrens artwork, informal drama, and other book extension activities also provide windows on response43. Interpreting Childrens Responses (Recognizing Patterns of Change) Every child is a unique reader and every classroom represents a different composite of experiences with literature and with the world Researchers and teachers have discovered that students respond differently at various grade levels44. Interpreting Childrens Responses (Younger Children - Preschool to Primary) Younger children are motor oriented As listeners, they respond with their whole selves They use body movements to try out some of the storys action45. Interpreting Childrens Responses (Younger Children - Preschool to Primary) Actions to demonstrate meaning might be given as answers to a teachers questions Children spontaneously act out stories or bits of stories using actions, roles, and conventions of literature in their dramatic play46. Interpreting Childrens Responses (Younger Children - Preschool to Primary) Their responses deal with parts rather than wholes Children at this age use embedded language in answering direct questions about stories47. Interpreting Childrens Responses (Children in Transition - Primary to Middle grades) Children during this age develop from being listeners to readers. Children become more adept at summarizing in place of straight retelling when asked to talk about stories Children classify and categorize stories48. Interpreting Childrens Responses (Children in Transition - Primary to Middle grades) Children at this age attribute personal reactions to the story itself Children judge a story on the basis of their response to it They use borrowed characters, events, themes, and patterns from literature in their writing49. Interpreting Childrens Responses (Older Children - Middle grades to Middle school) Older children express stronger preferences, especially for personal reading Some show particular devotion to certain authors or genres or series Children are more skillful with language and more able to deal with abstractions50. Interpreting Childrens Responses (Older Children - Middle grades to Middle school) They can disembed ideas from a story and put them in more generalized terms Older children go beyond categorizing stories toward a more analytical perception They use some critical terminology