Literature and the Child

Learning Resources

Required Resources

• Course Text: Literature and the Child
• • Chapter 11, “Literature-based Instruction: Kindergarten through Third Grade,” pp. 341–342 (begin with “Reading Aloud”)
  • Chapter 2, “Literature in the Lives of Young Readers”
  • Chapter 3, “Picturebooks: A Unique Format in Children’s Literature”
• For this week’s assignments, read:
• • Two picture books from the following theme categories listed on pages 123–126 of your text: Family Relationships, Fears, Feelings, Friendship, Humor
  • One of the Caldecott Medal or Honor Books listed on pages 379–387 (Appendix A) of your text or at the
    Caldecott Medal Winners or Honor Books, 1938–Present, Web site:
    http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecotthonors/caldecottmedal.cfm
  • Five additional picture books (for this week’s Annotated Booklist)
• Article: America Reads at Bank Street College of Education. (1997). Hints on how to read aloud to a group. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/60?theme=print
  Used by permission of Bank Street College of Education.
• Excerpt: Trelease, J. (2001). Read-aloud do’s and don’ts. In The read-aloud handbook. New York: Penguin Books.
  Used by

  Reading Aloud to Children

  Sharing a beloved book with a child involves much more than reciting the author’s words. The experience of reading a book together can create a bond between the readers and the book, and between the readers themselves. More than introducing new words, helping children develop a sense of story and motivating them to become avid readers, reading aloud is a unique way to foster a love of literature, as the interaction of readers and text literally make the book come alive.

  Reading aloud to children can be a delightful shared adventure. The books that you choose to share will have a great deal to do with whether the experience is meaningful for everyone involved.

  To prepare for this Discussion, review the following:

  • “Reading Aloud,” pp. 341–342 in your course text
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  • “Hints on How to Read Aloud to a Group” or “Read-Aloud Do’s and Don’ts”
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  • “Considering Quality in Picturebooks” (Figure 3-3, p. 69)

  Then, based on what you have learned so far in this course, carefully choose two picture books from the booklist on pages 123–126 of your course text that you would like to read aloud to a child or a group of children. Make sure to choose books that you think are appropriate for the child’s (or children’s) age level(s) and interests, and that possess the characteristics of quality literature.

  After choosing the books, arrange to read one book aloud to a child or group of children. You may read to your own child, a friend’s or neighbor’s child, a grandchild, or any other child who is open to the experience. Consider recording the read-aloud and use the recording or notes taken immediately afterward to help you reflect on the following:

  • Were you as prepared as you thought? Why or why not?
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  • How did the child/children relate to the book you chose?
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  • How did the child/children relate to you?
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  • How could you have improved the experience?
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  • What would you do differently next time with regard to book choice, preparation, the reading experience, and so on?
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  • What insights about reading aloud to children did you gain from this experience?

  By Day 3

  Post:

  • The titles of the books that you chose and why you chose them
  • What you were hoping that you and the child or children would gain from this experience
  • Insights about reading aloud to children that you gained from this experience