Interpreting Literature With Children

by Wolf, Shelby A.

• ISBN13: 9780805845136
• ISBN10: 0805845135
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-10-01
• Publisher: Lawrence Erlbau

Summary

Clearly organized and beautifully written,Interpreting Literature With Childrenis a remarkable book that stands on the edge of two textbook genres: the survey of literature text and the literary criticism text. Neither approach, however, says enough about how children respond to literature in everyday classroom situations. That is the mission of this book. It begins by providing a solid foundation in both approaches and then examines multiple ways of developing children's literary interpretation through talk, through culture, class, and gender, as well as through creative modes of expression, including writing, the visual arts, and drama. The result is a balanced resource for teachers who want to deepen their understanding of literature and literary engagement. Because of its modest length and price and its ongoing focus on how to increase student engagement with literature, either pre-service or practicing teachers can use this text in children's literature, language arts, or literacy and language courses.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xiii
Prologue: Engagement Beyond the Edges of the Earth	1	(8)
Ruined by Reading	2	(1)
A Recipe for Engagement	3	(1)
An Outline for the Book	3	(6)
I: Salutations! Learning About Literature
1 Critical Perspectives	9	(35)
Literary Engagement	10	(11)
Literature: Sound, Metaphor, & Structure	11	(1)
Beyond the Delivery system	12	(2)
Limiting Engagement	14	(1)
Expanding Engagement	15	(6)
Children Are smart	16	(1)
Children Are Unique	17	(1)
Literary Engagement Is Cognitive Work	18	(1)
Literature Is an Available & Ready Resource	19	(2)
Critical Perspectives	21	(18)
Kinds of Criticism	23	(12)
Genetic Criticism	23	(1)
Table 1.1-Key Forms of Literary Criticism	24	(2)
Formal Criticism	26	(2)
Text-to-Text Criticism	28	(1)
Figure 1.1-"Building" a Literacy/Social Studies Unit on African American Heroism	30	(2)
Transactional Criticism	32	(1)
Figure 1.2-Rosenblatt's Continuum	32	(3)
Sociocultural Criticism	35	(4)
Summary	39	(1)
Books for the Professional	40	(1)
Chapter Touchstone Text	41	(1)
Recommended Tradebooks for Critical Perspectives	42	(2)
2 Literary Elements in Prose & Poetry	44	(49)
Figure 2.1-"Well, they've got to grow up some time!"	47	(2)
Literary Elements in Prose	49	(25)
Table 2.1-Components of Narrative	50	(1)
Genre	51	(3)
Figure 2.2-Central Genres in Literary Prose: Definitions & Examples	53	(1)
Theme	54	(2)
Character	56	(4)
Figure 2.3-Character Development Matrix & Double Entry Journal	59	(1)
Setting	60	(2)
Plot	62	(4)
Figure 2.4-Graphing Plot	64	(2)
Point of View	66	(3)
Style	69	(3)
Tone	72	(2)
Poetry	74	(11)
Figure 2.5-Key Features & Favorite Books of Poetry	75	(1)
Text-to-Text Poetry for Hansel and Gretel	76	(5)
Text-to-Text Poetry for The Watsons	81	(4)
Summary	85	(2)
Books for the Professional	87	(1)
Chapter Touchstone Texts	88	(1)
Recommended Tradebooks for Prose & Poetry	88	(5)
II: Ways of Taking From Literature
3 Talking About Literature	93	(38)
Talk: The "Tool of Tools"	94	(9)
The Read-Aloud: A Focus on the Unexpected	96	(7)
Read Aloud Everyday	98	(1)
Create a Community Atmosphere	98	(1)
Read With Panache	99	(1)
Encourage Literary Engagement	100	(1)
Comment on Craft	101	(1)
Figure 3.1-The Read-Aloud	103	(1)
Independent Reading: From self-Talk to sharing	103	(7)
Devote Time for Daily Independent Reading	105	(1)
Combine Choice With Recommendations	105	(2)
Create an Enticing Classroom Library	107	(2)
Review Reflective Record Keeping	109	(1)
Literature Discussion: Upping the Ante on Talk	110	(15)
Figure 3.2-Independent Reading	111	(3)
Figure 3.3-Literature Discussion	114	(1)
Lead As Well As Follow	114	(2)
Highlight Criticism	116	(3)
Encourage Coding of Comments & Questions	119	(2)
Emphasize Multiple Modes of Response	121	(1)
Extend the Conversation to the Community	122	(12)
Figure 3.4-A "Book Bag" Letter from a Primary Teacher	123	(2)
Summary	125	(3)
Books for the Professional	128	(1)
Chapter Touchstone Texts	129	(1)
Recommended Tradebooks for Talk	129	(2)
4 Culture & Class in Children's Literature	131	(36)
The Right to Write	134	(5)
Figure 4.1-Major Multicultural Awards and Web
Sites	137	(2)
Surveying the Numbers, studying the Images	139	(3)
Analyzing Authenticity & Aesthetic Heat	142	(8)
The Use of Metaphor	144	(1)
The View of Sociopolitical Realities	144	(1)
The Use of Spanish	145	(1)
The Focus on Family	145	(1)
The Need for Authentic Native American Texts	146	(4)
Talking About Culture & Class With Children	150	(13)
Talking About Esperanza Rising with 11- & 12-year-olds	151	(6)
Figure 4.2-Cristina's Interpretation of the First Half of Esperanza Rising	155	(2)
Talking About Amelias Road with 7-, 8-, & 9-year olds	157	(6)
Summary	163	(1)
Books for the Professional	164	(1)
Chapter Touchstone Texts	165	(1)
Recommended Tradebooks for Culture & Class	165	(2)
5 Gender in Children's Literature	167	(34)
Typical & stereotypical Gender Patterns	172	(7)
Traditional Fairy Tales	172	(5)
Women Against Women	172	(1)
The Fairest of Us All	173	(1)
From Incest to Innocence	174	(1)
Pluck & Sheer Dumb Luck	175	(1)
Men & Women Say, "I do."	176	(1)
20th Century Children's Literature	177	(2)
The Shift from stereotypes	179	(8)
Feminist, Gay & Lesbian, Fractured, & Multicultural Fairy Tales	180	(1)
Feminist Fairy Tales	180	(4)
Gay & Lesbian Fairy Tales	182	(1)
Fractured Fairy Tales	182	(1)
Multicultural Fairy Tales	183	(1)
Modern Fiction	184	(20)
Figure 5.1-Recommended Gender-Bending Books	186	(1)
Talking With Children About Gender	187	(6)
Summary	193	(2)
Books for the Professional	195	(1)
Chapter Touchstone Texts	196	(1)
Recommended Tradebooks for Gender	196	(5)
III: Ways of Doing Literature
6 Interpreting Literature Through Writing	201	(24)
Literary Response Journals	204	(8)
Summing Up	205	(2)
Puzzles & Predictions	207	(2)
Critiquing Craft	209	(3)
Figure 6.1-Analyzing Craft in Because of Winn-Dixie	211	(1)
Leaning on Literature	212	(9)
Mentors Standing in the Shadows	212	(3)
Moving Mentors Out Into the Open	215	(4)
Figure 6.2-Stay Up Late!!!! by Ann Marie	218	(1)
Mentors Leading From the Heart	219	(2)
Summary	221	(1)
Books for the Professional	222	(1)
Chapter Touchstone Texts	223	(1)
Recommended Tradebooks for Writing	223	(2)
7 Interpreting Literature Through the Visual Arts	225	(30)
Seeing Picture Books	228	(9)
Picturing Words	228	(9)
Where to Look	229	(3)
What to Look For	232	(2)
How to Feel	234	(3)
Creating Images	237	(14)
Envisioning Words	237	(2)
Composing Images	239	(4)
Figure 7.1-Children's Visual Art From Because of Winn-Dixie	240	(3)
Critiquing Images	243	(16)
Figure 7.2-A Teacher's Visual Art From Because of Winn-Dixie	244	(3)
Figure 7.3-Children's Visual Art From The Giver	247	(4)
Summary	251	(1)
Books for the Professional	252	(1)
Chapter Touchstone Texts	253	(1)
Recommended Tradebooks for the Visual Arts	253	(2)
8 Interpreting Literature Through Drama	255	(35)
Text-Centered Drama	259	(13)
Warming Up	260	(2)
Scene Selection & Script Writing	262	(1)
Rehearsal	263	(4)
Figure 8.1-Young Children's Character Portrayals for Classroom Theatre Rehearsals	265	(2)
Critical Space	267	(2)
Performance	269	(3)
Figure 8.2-Written Response in Critical Space	270	(2)
Text-Edged Drama	272	(6)
Multiple Roles/Multiple Forms	273	(2)
Teacher-in-Role	275	(2)
Critical Space	277	(1)
Summary	278	(3)
Figure 8.3-Dramatic Possibilities for Chapter 2 Touchstone Texts	279	(2)
Books for the Professional	281	(1)
Chapter Touchstone Texts	281	(1)
Recommended Tradebooks for Drama	282	(2)
Epilogue How Like the Mind	284	(6)
References	290	(16)
Academic References	290	(8)
Adult Literature References	298	(1)
Children's Literature References	298	(8)
Credits	306	(3)
Index	309