Category: ETL402

The basis of literary learning in schools is quality children’s literature. To fully understand literary learning, knowledge of what constitutes children’s literature is required. I settled on a broad definition that covered fiction for children aged 0-18 years and included print, digital, transmedia and multimodal text (Crombie, 2023, March 2). With this understanding and the opportunity to update my knowledge of new children’s literature titles that I lacked at the beginning of the subject (Crombie, 2023, March 2) I could begin to unpack the concept of literary learning.

I found it difficult to find a definition of literary learning, however Lehman (2007), explained that literacy and literary learning are closely connected. Literacy is the ability to use language to participate in society, but literary learning is learning through literature and can be used across curriculum areas. This implies a need to develop an appreciation and understanding of literature to highlight the diversity of human experience (Short, 2018). This concept resonated most with me as it helped inform my thinking on the intersection between literary learning, children’s literature and the identification of appropriate strategies.

My focus for this assignment was to identify children’s literature that can be used in science lessons that link to the cross-curriculum priority of Sustainability. I realised that while my initial focus was on sustainability, all the texts I discovered were equally applicable in developing literary learning understandings, such as developing a sense of story (Lehman, 2007), as they are to teaching children about science concepts.

Through investigating literature response strategies, I learned that student discussion about literature is imperative. Dialogic reading is a specific strategy that helps extend student conversations. Using the PEER and CROWD methods (Whitehurst 2002), provides a structure for both teacher librarians (TL) and classroom teachers (CT) to use when engaging students in conversations about literature. This method focuses on words and story plot as well as illustrations in the chosen text, making it accessible for even very young learners. Using the same text multiple times allows students to become familiar with it and encourages more complex conversations each time.

It is the TL’s job to be knowledgeable not only about children’s literature but about implementing literary learning in collaboration with CTs. The collaboration of TLs and CTs is fundamental to the success of outcomes from literary learning. The combination of the TL’s knowledge of literature response strategies, digital strategies and literary learning complements the CTs knowledge of curriculum planning and outcomes.

As a current CT, and a future TL, I plan to continue to expand my knowledge of literature response strategies in primary school settings. I intend to implement dialogic reading with my current students to observe for myself how it increases student ability to converse about a text. I also plan to integrate literature response strategies into other areas of the curriculum such as using my enhanced knowledge of creating digital comic books in an upcoming unit about animal habitats in my own classroom. The research that suggests students working in groups with digital technology engages them and keeps them on task (Rutta et al., 2021) is highly motivating to me as CT and I look forward to seeing how it works in action and the impact on student learning outcomes.

References

Lehman, B. A. (2007). Children’s literature and learning: literary study across the curriculum. Teachers College Press.

Rutta, C. B., Schiavo, G., Zancanaro, M., & Rubegni, E. (2021). Comic-based digital storytelling for content and language integrated learning. Educational Media International, 58(1), 21–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/09523987.2021.1908499

Short, K. G. (2018). What’s Trending in Children’s Literature and Why It Matters. Language Arts, 95(5), 287–298.

Whitehurst, G, J. (2002). Dialogic reading: An effective way to read aloud with young children. Reading Rockets https://www.readingrockets.org/article/dialogic-reading-effective-way-read-aloud-young-children

I have an interest in children’s literature and am aware of popular titles from my own childhood and those I have used in early years classrooms but confess that my knowledge of current releases leaves a lot to be desired. If you had asked me 10-15 years ago the I would have been all over new releases appropriate for the early years of primary school as the school I worked at was just implementing new comprehension focuses for the reading curriculum and I was keen to find picture books that fitted each of the topics of study. However, over the years I have tried to curtail my spending on picture books and so have lost track of new and notable releases. I’m hopeful that this subject will reignite my interest in children’s literature and inspire me to update my knowledge of texts to use in the classroom.

Strategies I could use to increase my professional knowledge of children’s literature would be following blogs and publisher websites that list and talk about new children’s literature, as well as using social media to follow authors, publishers and reviewers. Spending more time taking note of what is on the shelves at my local library and bookstore may help as well.

Children’s literature will continue to be an important aspect in education and a key sector of the publishing industry. What it looks like specifically depends on several factors. One factor is how children are viewed by adults. Theories of childhood and views on children have historically influenced the content children’s literature (Barone, 2011).

Another factor that may influence the future of children’s literature is the increasing visual world in which we live. Children are currently entrenched in a world where visual images are integral to their experiences and understanding of the world which has transferred to the creation of books where the visual aspects are just as, if not more important than the text (Short, 2018). Short (2018) discusses the visual culture that children and young people are part of and links this to a rise in visual forms such as wordless books, graphic novels and illustrated novels. This is endorsed by the Australian Writers’ Centre (2020) who list the increasing popularity of graphic novels as a current trend.

The continual evolution of digital literature may also be a key component and driver of change in the field of children’s literature. Picture book apps are appealing and entertaining but may not have the same value within the classroom as the more engaging elements may distract the reader from the story (Dobler, 2013). The future may not be about digital or print being better that the other but about allowing multiple ways for children to experience and access literature (Short, 2018) with a focus on the visual and, hopefully, an increase in the amount of diverse literature available.

 

References:

Australian Writers’ Centre Team. (2020, July 17). 7 trends in children’s and YA publishing. AWC: Australian Writers’ Centre. https://www.writerscentre.com.au/blog/7-trends-in-childrens-and-ya-publishing/

Barone, D.M. (2011), Children’s literature in the classroom: Engaging lifelong readers. Guilford Press.

Dobler, E. (2013). Looking beyond the screen: Evaluating the quality of digital books. Reading Today, 30(5), 20-21.

Short, K. (2018). What’s trending in children’s literature and why it matters. Language Arts, 95(5), 287-298.