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© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Chapter 2
Understanding Children’s Responses
to Literature
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Reading Interests and Preferences
Age and Gender Differences Other Determinants of Interest Explaining Children’s Choices
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Growth Patterns that Influence Response
Physical Development Cognitive Development Language Development Moral Development Personality Development Guides for Ages and Stages
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Response in the Classroom
Theories of Response Types of Response Interpreting Children’s Responses
Recognizing Patterns of Change Young Children (Preschool to Primary) Children in Transition (Primary to Middle Grade) Older Children (Middle Grades to Middle School)
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Responses in the Classroom (cont.)
Collecting Children’s Responses
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Books for Ages and StagesBefore School -- Infancy
Characteristics Rapid development of
senses. Responds to sounds of
human voice, especially rhythmic patters.
Vision stimulated by areas of color and sharp contract; increasingly able to see detail.
Implications Enjoys rhymes, songs,
and lullabies. Likes simple, bright
illustrations. Looks for familiar
objects.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesBefore School -- Infancy (cont.)
Characteristics Uses all senses to
explore the world immediately at hand; learns through activity and participation.
Implications Gets maximum use
from sturdy books with washable pages.
Needs to participate by touching, pointing, peeking, and moving.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesBefore School -- Infancy (cont.)
Characteristics Very limited
attention span; averts eyes or turns away when bored.
Implications Needs books that
can be shared a few pages at a time or in a brief sitting; many short story times are better than one long one.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesBefore School -- Infancy (cont.)
Characteristics Building foundations of
language; plays with sounds, learns basic vocabulary along with concepts, begins to learn implicit “rules” that govern speech and conversation.
Implications Needs to hear many
rhymes and simple stories.
Needs encouragement to use language in labeling pictures and in sharing dialogue with adults as they read aloud.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesBefore School -- Infancy (cont.)
Characteristics Building basic trust
in human relationships.
Implications Needs love and
affection from caregivers, in stories as well as in life.
Thrives on dependable routines and rituals such as bedtime stories.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesBefore School -- Infancy (cont.)
Characteristics Limited mobility and
experience; interests centered in self and the familiar.
Learning autonomy in basic self-help skills.
Implications Needs books that
reflect self and people and activities in the immediate environment.
Enjoys stories of typical toddler accomplishments such as feeding self or getting dressed.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPreschool and Kindergarten
Characteristics Rapid development of
language.
Implications Interest in words,
enjoyment of rhymes, nonsense, and repetition and cumulative tales. Enjoys retelling simple folktale and “reading” stories from books without words.
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Books for Ages and StagesPreschool and Kindergarten (cont.)
Characteristics Very active, short
attention span.
Implications Requires books that
can be completed in one sitting. Enjoys participation such as naming, pointing, singing, and identifying hidden pictures. Should have a chance to hear stories several times each day.
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Books for Ages and StagesPreschool and Kindergarten (cont.)
Characteristics Child is center of
own world. Interest, behavior, and thinking are egocentric.
Implications Likes characters
that are easy to identify with. Normally sees only one point of view.
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Books for Ages and StagesPreschool and Kindergarten (cont.)
Characteristics Curious about own
world. Beginning interest in
how things work and the wider world.
Implications Enjoys stories about
everyday experiences, pets, playthings, home, people in the immediate environment.
Books feed curiosity and introduce new topics.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPreschool and Kindergarten (cont.)
Characteristics Building concepts
through many firsthand experiences.
Has little sense of time. Time is “before now,” “now,” and “not yet.”
Implications Books extend and
reinforce child’s developing concepts.
Books can help children begin to understand the sequence of time.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPreschool and Kindergarten (cont.)
Characteristics Learns through
imaginative play; make-believe world of talking animals, and magic seems very real.
Implications Enjoys stories that
involve imaginative play. Likes personification of toys and animals.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPreschool and Kindergarten (cont.)
Characteristics Seeks warmth and
security in relationships with family and others.
Implications Likes to hear stories
that provide reassurance. Bedtime stories and other read-aloud rituals provide literature experiences.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPreschool and Kindergarten (cont.)
Characteristics Beginning to assert
independence. Takes delight in own accomplishments.
Implications Books can reflect
emotions. Enjoys stories
where small characters show initiative.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPreschool and Kindergarten (cont.)
Characteristics Makes absolute
judgements about right and wrong.
Implications Expects bad
behavior to be punished and good behavior to be rewarded. Requires poetic justice and happy endings.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPrimary -- Ages 6 and 7
Characteristics Continued
development and expansion of language.
Implications Frequent story times
during the day provide opportunity to hear the rich and varied language of literature. Wordless books and simple tales encourage storytelling.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPrimary -- Ages 6 and 7 (cont.)
Characteristics Attention span
increasing.
Implications Prefers short
stories; may enjoy a continued story, provided each chapter is a complete episode.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPrimary -- Ages 6 and 7 (cont.)
Characteristics Striving to accomplish
skills expected by adults.
Implications Proud of
accomplishments in reading and writing. Needs reassurance that everyone progresses at own rate. First reading experiences should be enjoyable, using familiar or predictable stories.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPrimary -- Ages 6 and 7 (cont.)
Characteristics Learning still
based on immediate perception and direct experiences.
Implications Uses information
books to verify as well as extend experience. Much value in watching guinea pigs or tadpoles before using a book.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPrimary -- Ages 6 and 7 (cont.)
Characteristics Continued interest in
own world; more curious about a wider range of things. Still sees world from an egocentric point of view.
Implications Needs wide variety
of books. Television has expanded interests beyond home and neighborhood.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPrimary -- Ages 6 and 7 (cont.)
Characteristics Vague concepts of time.
Implications Needs to learn basics of
telling time and the calendar. Simple biographies and historical fiction may give a feeling for the past, but accurate understanding of chronology is beyond this age group.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPrimary -- Ages 6 and 7 (cont.)
Characteristics More able to
separate fantasy from reality; more aware of own imagination.
Beginning to develop empathy for others.
Implications Enjoys fantasy.
Likes to dramatize simple stories or use feltboard and puppets.
Adults can ask such questions as “What would you have done?” “How would you have felt?”
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPrimary -- Ages 6 and 7 (cont.)
Characteristics Has a growing
sense of justice. Demands application of rules, regardless of circumstances.
Implications Expects poetic
justice in books.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPrimary -- Ages 6 and 7 (cont.)
Characteristics Humor is developing.
Implications Needs to hear many
books read aloud for pure fun. Enjoys books and poems that have surprise endings, play on words, incongruous situations, and slapstick comedy. Likes to be in on the joke.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPrimary -- Ages 6 and 7 (cont.)
Characteristics Shows curiosity
about gender differences and reproduction.
Implications Teachers need to
accept and be ready to answer children's questions about sex.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPrimary -- Ages 6 and 7 (cont.)
Characteristics Physical contour of
the body is changing; permanent teeth appear; learning to whistle and developing other fine motor skills.
Implications Books can help the
child accept physical changes in self and differences in others.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPrimary -- Ages 6 and 7 (cont.)
Characteristics Continues to seek
independence from adults and to develop initiative.
Implications Needs opportunities
to select own books and activities. Enjoys stories of responsibility and successful ventures.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesPrimary -- Ages 6 and 7 (cont.)
Characteristics Continues to need
warmth and security in family relationships.
Implications Books may
emphasize universal human characteristics in a variety of lifestyles.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle Elementary (8 and 9)
Characteristics Attaining
independence in reading skills. May read with complete absorption; or may still be having difficulty learning to read. Wide variation in ability and interest.
Implications Discovers reading as
an enjoyable activity. Prefers an uninterrupted block of time for independent reading. During this period, many children become avid readers.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle Elementary (8 and 9) (cont.)
Characteristics Reading level might
still be below appreciation level.
Implications Essential to read
aloud to children each day in order to extend interests, develop appreciation, and provide balance.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle Elementary (8 and 9) (cont.)
Characteristics Peer group acceptance
becomes increasingly important.
Implications Children need
opportunities to recommend and discuss books. Sharing favorites builds sense that reading is fun, has group approval. Popular books may provide status, and be much in demand.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle Elementary (8 and 9) (cont.)
Characteristics Developing
standards of right and wrong. Begins to see viewpoints of others.
Implications Books provide
opportunity to relate to several points of view.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle Elementary (8 and 9) (cont.)
Characteristics Less egocentric,
developing empathy for others. Questioning death.
Implications Accepts some
books with a less than happy ending. Discussion helps children explore their feelings for others.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle Elementary (8 and 9) (cont.)
Characteristics Time concepts and
spatial relationships developing. This age level is characterized by thought that is flexible and reversible.
Implications Interested in
biographies, life in the past, in other lands, and the future. Prefers fast-moving, exciting stories.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle Elementary (8 and 9) (cont.)
Characteristics Enjoys tall tales,
slapstick humor in everyday situations. Appreciates imaginary adventure.
Implications Teachers need to
recognize the importance of literature for laughter, releasing tension, and providing enjoyment.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle Elementary (8 and 9) (cont.)
Characteristics Cognitive growth
and language development increase capacity for problem solving and word play.
Implications Likes the challenge
of solving puzzles and mysteries. High interest in twists of plot, secret codes, riddles, and other language play.
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Books for Ages and StagesMiddle Elementary (8 and 9) (cont.)
Characteristics Improved
coordination makes proficiency in sports and games possible and encourages interest in crafts and hobbies.
Implications Interest in sports
books; wants specific knowledge about sports. Enjoys how-to-do-it-books.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle Elementary (8 and 9) (cont.)
Characteristics Sees categories and
classifications with new clarity; interest in collecting is high.
Implications Likes to collect and
trade paperback books. Begins to look for books of one author, series books.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle Elementary (8 and 9) (cont.)
Characteristics Seeks specific
information to answer questions; might go to books beyond own reading ability to search out answers.
Implications Enjoys books that
collect facts, nonfiction, identification books. Requires guidance in locating information within a book and in using the library.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesLater Elementary (10 and 11)
Characteristics Rate of physical
development varies widely. Rapid growth precedes beginning of puberty. Girls are about two years ahead of boys in development; both increasingly curious about all aspects of sex.
Implications Guide understanding of
growth process and help children meet personal problems. Continued differentiation in reading preferences of boys and girls.
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Books for Ages and StagesLater Elementary (10 and 11) (cont.)
Characteristics Understanding of
sex role is developing; boys and girls form ideas about their own and each other’s identity.
Implications Books can provide
identification with gender roles and impetus for discussion of stereotypes.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesLater Elementary (10 and 11) (cont.)
Characteristics Increased emphasis
on peer group and sense of belonging.
Deliberate exclusion of others; some expressions of prejudice.
Implications Book choices often
influenced by peer group; books can highlight problems with peer pressure.
Books can emphasize unique contributions of all. Discussion can be used to clarify values.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesLater Elementary (10 and 11) (cont.)
Characteristics Family patterns
changing; may challenge parents’ authority. Highly critical of siblings.
Implications Books may provide
some insight into these changing relationships.
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Books for Ages and StagesLater Elementary (10 and 11) (cont.)
Characteristics Begins to have
models other than parents drawn form TV, movies, sports figures, books. Beginning interest in future vocation.
Implications Biographies can
provide models. Career books broaden interests and provide useful information.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesLater Elementary (10 and 11) (cont.)
Characteristics Sustained, intense
interest in specific activities.
A peak time for voluntary reading.
Implications Seeks books about
hobbies and other interests.
Avid readers welcome challenges, repeated contact with authors, genres.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesLater Elementary (10 and 11) (cont.)
Characteristics Seeks to test own
skills and abilities; looks ahead to a time of complete independence.
Increased cognitive skill can be used to serve the imagination.
Implications Enjoys stories of
survival and “going it alone.”
Tackles complex and puzzling plots in mysteries, science fiction, fantasy. Can appreciate more subtlety in humor.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesLater Elementary (10 and 11) (cont.)
Characteristics Increased
understanding of the chronology of past events; developing sense of own place in time. Begins to see many dimensions of a problem.
Implications Literature provides
opportunities to examine issues from different viewpoints. Guidance needed for recognizing biased presentations.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesLater Elementary (10 and 11) (cont.)
Characteristics Highly developed
sense of justice and concern for others.
Implications Willing to discuss
many aspects of right and wrong; likes “sad stories,” shows empathy for victims of suffering and injustice.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesLater Elementary (10 and 11) (cont.)
Characteristics Searching for values;
interested in problems of the world. Can deal with abstract relationships; becoming more analytical.
Implications Valuable discussions
can grow out of teacher’s reading aloud prose and poetry to this age group. Questions can help students gain insight into both the content and the literary structure of a book.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle School (12-14)
Characteristics Wide variation in
physical development; both boys and girls reach puberty by age 14. Developing sex drive; intense interest in sexuality and world of older teens.
Implications Books provide
insight into feelings, concerns. Guidance needed to balance students’ desire for frank content with lack of life experience.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle School (12-14) (cont.)
Characteristics Self-concept
continues to grow. Developing a sense of identity is important.
Implications Books help student
explore roles, rehearse journey to identity. Many stories based on myth of the hero.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle School (12-14) (cont.)
Characteristics Peer group
becoming increasingly influential; relationships with family changing.
Implications Concerns about
friends and families reflected in books. School should provide chance to share books with responses with peer group.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle School (12-14) (cont.)
Characteristics New aspects of
egocentrism lead to imagining self as center of others’ attention and feeling one’s own problems are unique.
Implications Students begin to
enjoy introspection; might identify with characters who are intense or self-absorbed.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle School (12-14) (cont.)
Characteristics Cognitive abilities are
increasingly abstract and flexible, but not consistently so. New capacity to reason from imaginary premises, manipulate symbolic language, and make hypothetical judgments.
Implications Students read more
complex stories, mysteries, and high fantasy that call for complex logic; enjoy science fiction and high adventure. Metaphor, symbols, and imagery are understood at a different level.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle School (12-14) (cont.)
Characteristics Able to apply ideas
of relativity to questions of values; girls might see moral issues differently than boys do.
Implications Students need
discussion time to negotiate meanings in stories that pose moral dilemmas.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle School (12-14) (cont.)
Characteristics Sensitive to great
complexity in human feelings and relationships.
Implications Students seek richer
and more complex stories.
© 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved.
Books for Ages and StagesMiddle School (12-14) (cont.)
Characteristics Cumulative effects
of development and life experience produce wide variation among individuals in abilities and interests.
Implications Reading ability and
interests in one class could range from early elementary to adult.
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