ETL402 – A Hundred Ways to Learn

Unlocking the Power of Fiction

Laura Beaumont ETL402 January 14, 2024curriculum, fiction, genre, learning, reflection 0 Comment

The power of fiction can be overlooked if not fully understood. My learning in the opened my eyes to the learning possibilities that exist within fictional stories. Neil Gaiman (2015) stressed, that the telling of stories is an important part of the human experience. It helps people to make sense of their lives and experiences. Stories are what tell us that other people, perspectives, and experiences exist.

Prior to studying in this area, my idea of fiction and the uses of fiction in schools was confined to leisure reading, and language studies within the English curriculum. I have now come to understand that fiction can be a powerful tool in teaching across the entire curriculum, and is especially powerful in exploring social, emotional and environmental issues. Sanders (2017), Lindgren Leavenworth and Manni (2021) state that fiction can offer students a safe place to explore uncertainty, alternative perspectives and unfamiliar experiences in a non-threatening way. Bishop (1990) described fictional stories as windows, mirrors or sliding glass-doors; the window representing the different views and experiences than our own, the mirror representing a reflection of our own world, and the sliding glass-door as the moment where stories can spark real-world action and participation (Johnson, et al., 2017). This analogy illustrates why fiction can be so powerful when exploring social, emotional and environmental issues.

I have taken an in-depth look into how genre and impacts on the way themes and messages are received. Strong the emotional reactions to a story, lead to greater impact. When students experience strong emotion when learning, they are more likely to retain that information (Persellin, 2014). Recognising fiction as a blend of information and emotion, distinct from the largely informative nature of non-fiction texts, has been a revelation. Genre, previously not deeply understood, plays a crucial role. On reflection, contemporary realistic fiction was something that was requested frequently by students, probably due to the mirror qualities. Students were wanting to see their world and familiar experiences represented in the books they read. Vardell (2019) describes contemporary realistic fiction as in the present time with events and people that could be real, even though they are fictional. Realism is a powerful learning tool, as students can connect with characters and places easily, applying prior experiences to what they are reading.

Conversely, historical and fantasy fiction can prove powerful in teaching across the curriculum developing inference and complex understandings. Delamain and Spring (2018), describe inference as the ability to apply knowledge, experiences and reasoning to a text beyond what is written. Fantasy and historical fiction offer opportunities for students to build inference as the characters and situations presented in the story are most likely to be unfamiliar to their world, requiring them to think critically and reason. As a result, I intend to familiarise myself with historical and fantasy stories within our collection, incorporating them more deliberately as we expand our resources.

The implications of this learning directly apply to my role in the library, significantly influencing resource promotion and development. I am equipped to advocate for the integration of fiction in all learning and will be recommending them alongside requested non-fiction resources. The recognition of fiction’s potential to engage, educate, and inspire will reshape my daily practices, enriching the teaching and learning experiences in our school.

References:

Bishop, R. S. (1990). Mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors. Perspectives. 6(3), ix-xi

Delamain, C., & Spring, J. (2018). Reading between the lines set two : Inference skills for children aged 8 – 12. Taylor & Francis Group.

Johnson, N. J., Koss, M. D., & Martinez, M. (2017). Through the sliding glass door: #EmpowerTheReader. The Reading Teacher. 71(5), 569-577. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1659

Lindgren Leavenworth, M., & Manni, A. (2021). Climate fiction and young learners’ thoughts- a dialogue between literature and education. Environmental Education Research, 27(5), 727-742. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2020.1856345

Persellin, D. C., & Daniels, M. B. (2014). A concise guide to improving student learning : Six evidence-based principles and how to apply them. Taylor & Francis Group.

Sanders, D. L. (2017). Windows on a changing world: using children’s literature as an aesth/ethical trope in early years education for sustainability. In O. Franck & C. Osbeck (Eds.), Ethical literacies and education for sustainable development: young people, subjectivity and democratic participation. (pp.127-136). Springer International Publishing.

Vardell, S. M. (2019). Children’s Literature in Action : A Librarian’s Guide: Vol. Third edition. Libraries Unlimited.

Where to Next? The future of children’s literature

Laura Beaumont ETL402 November 11, 2023child-centered, children's literature, design, illustration, trends, wellbeing 0 Comment

In reading ‘7 trends in children’s and YA publishing’ (2020, July 17), I have been reflecting on the trends that resonate with me and my school community.

Children must be the drivers of change within the children’s literature space. The trends that would likely be on most children’s wish list include:

Illustration: The increasing inclusion of illustration within fiction books, giving readers the opportunity to build their imaginings upon something observed. In an increasingly visual information landscape, children have not had to visualise entire worlds within their imagination before. The lack of included illustrations is often enough to put off a young reader, as the creation of visualisation from scratch often seems too daunting. If the purpose of reading is to learn and discover through enjoyment of text, then the inclusion of visuals is only going to make the text more accessible and appealing to a wider audience. The popularity of Graphic Novels highlights the accessible and engaging role that illustration plays.
Visually Appealing: Children respond to creativity in the language used and the visual presentation of the text. A book’s personality must reflect the theme of the story, communicating through all aspects of it’s presentation. Creative use of font, layout, colour and design is not only a feature of the cover, but children expect this ‘personality’ to flow through the entire book. A child will then connect with the essence of the book , hooking them into wanting to engage with the story. Many children get grabbed by the cover, only to flick through the pages and place it back on the shelf. The reader is looking for an authentic visual representation of the story WITHIN the pages.
Bite Sized Moments: Writers and creators need to examine the way that most readers are reading. There may now be fewer readers who have extended periods of uninterrupted and undistracted time to devote to reading, but instead may have bite-sized moments in which to engage with books. This doesn’t mean that a story most loose depth or substance, it just means that a story must be crafted in a way which allows the reader to build the story in brief but frequent reading sessions. Can the story be crafted in such a way that the language grabs the reader in a way that allows them to cast away distractions that may exist in their environment at the time of reading. Going back to my last point about the inclusion of visuals, this will only assist in making these bite-sized moments more engaging.
Wellbeing a Priority: The more informed we become about diversity, inclusion, trauma and the resulting impacts on mental-health, the more imperative it becomes in ensuring wellbeing is at the heart of children’s literature. Making books child centered and focussed on matters that most affect children is a key priority now and in the future of children’s literature. In the past, literature was used as a means of getting children to think, believe and behave in ways that adults deemed most appropriate. Literature was used as a form of control. Over the centuries there has been a continual shift towards a child-centered approach to childhood in education, parenting and in general society which must be reflected in children’s literature. Literature must now be used to support children in their wellbeing by providing examples, advice, support and perspectives. Children are looking to literature for representation, searching for characters that resonate with their own experiences. Creating literature with a child-centered approach where child-wellbeing is at the heart is a must for the future of children’s literature.

As an aside, I am noticing a tension between the child borrowers and their well-meaning adults (either teachers or parents). The driver for innovation, transformation and change within the space of children’s literature should always be the child, however traditionally it has been the adults who have control over what is written, published, selected and purchased. I’m wondering if the increasing access to digital technologies and the way that these platforms are becoming extremely easy to use, is going to impact the way that content and literature is created and shared- giving a leg-up to child writers and creators.

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/