Course Outline

Course Description This course examines research trends and topics in children’s literature. Participants will examine and discuss the influence of various theoretical and conceptual issues in children’s literature on individuals’ beliefs and practices. Discussions of theoretical orientations, research trends, as well as a consideration of the literature itself, will include attention to various social, cultural and curriculum issues. Course Content The nature of the course content and the short duration of the course will contribute to a nonlinear approach to the topics outlined below. Course participants will have opportunities to: increase their knowledge of books created for children and the authors and illustrators who created them develop a critical appreciation and understanding of children’s literature examine various genres of literature explore the role of literary elements in various selections of children’s literature Other major topics include: theories and research trends in children’s literature the role of literature in both early and on-going literacy and language development reader-response theories and their influence on the reading and interpretation of literature pedagogical issues associated with the use of children’s literature in schools (e.g., organizational structures and instructional strategies) the influence of social and cultural factors in writing, reading, selecting, and responding to children’s literature the many issues involved in selecting literature for children including censorship, student interest, and literary quality the multiple tools and professional resources available to assist teachers in selecting literature Required Reading Required readings will be taken from a variety of sources and will be distributed in class. A duplication fee will be collected from each class member near the end of the course. Please note that the CANCOPY License Agreement increases the cost of photocopying. Course Expectations Class members are expected to attend all classes, come prepared to class, engage in independent reading on the various topics addressed in the course, and be active participants in activities and discussions. Course Assignments All assignments must be word-processed, and must be completed according to APA standards (5 th edition). Marks will be deducted for incorrect referencing and formatting. All papers are to be double-spaced and have unjustified margins of one inch. Please keep a hard copy of all work submitted for assessment purposes. Assignments are to be submitted at the beginning of class on the due dates. Deadlines are firm and in fairness to all, late assignments will be penalized 5% per day. Required Course Texts Creech, S. (1994). Walk two moons. New York: Scholastic Inc. Ellis, D. (2000). The breadwinner. Toronto: Groundwood Books/Douglas & McIntyre. Gardiner, J. (1980). Stone Fox. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. Konigsburg, E. (1996). The view from Saturday. New York: Aladdin Books. Meek, M. (1988). How texts teach what readers learn. Stroud, Glos: The Thimble Press. *We will be talking about the "Harry Potter Phenomenon" so please read (review) at least one of the books in the series. Rowling, J. K. (1997). Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone. London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing Place. Rowling, J. K. (1998). Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets. London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing Place. Rowling, J. K. (1999). Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban. Vancouver: Raincoast Books. Rowling, J. K. (2000). Harry Potter and the goblet of fire. Vancouver: Raincoast Books. Select and read one of the following: Doyle, B. (2000). Mary Ann Alice. Toronto: Groundwood Books/ Douglas & McIntyre. Goobie, B. (2000). Before wings. Victoria, BC: Orca Book Publishers. Johnston, J. (2000). In spite of killer bees. Toronto: Tundra Books. Slade, A. (2000). Dust. Toronto: HarperCollins Canada. Toten, T. (2000). The game. Red Deer, AB: Red Deer Press. TIME-SLIP FANTASY — depending on time, you may be asked to read a time-slip fantasy. I will provide copies of books to read. Response Journal You need to keep a response journal in which you write some of your ideas, questions, thoughts, reflections, and emotions to the children’s literature and the academic material you read for the course. I recommend keeping separate sections for the children’s literature and for the academic readings. The journal will serve as a place to record your thoughts and impressions, and as a medium to reflect on and analyze your reading. When reading the selections of children’s literature, stop three or four times and write about what is going through your mind. Please do not retell the plot. In the past, people have made predictions; expressed their opinions of characters, the narrative, and the author’s style; made connections to personal experiences; asked and answered questions; expressed emotions; wondered about possibilities; and described images or memories stimulated by the reading. What do your reading transactions trigger? Try to recapture some of the responses you experienced both during and after the reading. With the academic material, capture your reflections, and your "ah-ha’s." Analyze, interpret, and ask questions. Make connections to other readings and course work, to your own life, and to teaching. Again, please do not summarize the material. Write in your response journal before we talk about the literature or readings in class. Once we have discussed the material in class, return to your journal and add further comments, questions, points, etc. Review your past entries and reflect on your initial thoughts after the material has been discussed in class. I will collect the journals at two points during the course — one mid-way and the other at the end. I will not be able to respond to your journals in depth, but I will make comments throughout. Personal response is idiosyncratic and there are no "correct answers." Note that writing conventions and grammar are important. Assessment of journal work will be based on your attempts to explore your thinking and feelings about the literature and the academic material. As you make sense of the readings, and make connections in the areas of children’s literature and education, remember that quality of exploration is key. Entries are to be frequent (according to the requirements above) but quantity is not the goal. Response journal evaluation criteria are attached. Some ideas to consider when reading the selections of children’s literature and the academic material. connect the material to your own life and related experiences, and to other resources critique the material ask questions interpret and analyze explain how your personal knowledge and experiences add to your understanding of material predict and provide explanations/reasons for predictions comment on characters — personalities, actions, motives discuss recurring images or descriptions explore themes explore literary elements and the role of these in the literature Due — July 25, 2002 Value — 35% Article Review Assignment This assignment requires you to review 6 articles published in peer-reviewed journals. The topics of the articles should address issues associated with research, theory or pedagogy in children’s literature. Resubmitting work that was completed for another course at the University of Victoria or another institution is not acceptable. Select 6 articles from a minimum of 4 different peer-reviewed journals. The articles are to be on at least 3 different topics. Each article should have a theoretical or philosophical foundation with substantive content (e.g., a 2 page article solely devoted to ‘teaching ideas’ on a particular novel or picture book is not appropriate). Please check with me if you are uncertain of the appropriateness of an article. For each article write 2-3 pages and complete the following: summarize the content succinctly critique the content — strengths, and cautions or concerns, connections to other material identify pedagogical implications The summary sections should constitute approximately one-third or less of the discussion for each article. Submit a copy of each article you review. The articles will be returned with your paper. Due — July 19, 2002 Value — 40 % Picture Storybook Evaluation OR Author or Illustrator Study *As each class member will evaluate a different picture storybook, or author, or illustrator, please let me know your choice at your earliest convenience. "The picture storybook combines the art of storytelling with that of illustration. Despite their apparent simplicity, good picture storybooks are very complex works dealing, as they do, with two distinct art forms" (Russell, 2001, p. 122). Select and examine one picture storybook that is written and illustrated by the same individual. Material distributed in class will provide you with information about the storytelling and artistic styles and techniques that are to be examined. The topics to be addressed in your paper include: Storytelling Characterization, plot, setting theme, style Illustrations Design — line, colour, light, shape, texture (combination of these elements called composition) Artistic Media — watercolour, gouache, oil, other paints, pencil drawing, collage, papermaking, cut paper, scratchboard, woodcut, photography, computer-generated, mixed media, chalk, pastel, stitchery Styles of Art — realistic or representational art, surrealistic art, impressionistic art, naïve art, cartoon art, expressionism, folk art Layout — single pages and double-page spreads, page turns, borders, number and placement of frames on a page Other — perspective, background, balance, repeated rhythms, variety, emphasis, spatial order Criteria For Selecting Picture Books (Temple, Martinez, Yokota & Naylor, 1998) Other Requirements Briefly describe each of the above topics before describing/evaluating each topic with respect to your particular picture storybook. At the end of the paper, identify the teaching and learning opportunities afforded by the picture book. Describe two worthwhile pedagogical activities that would extend or deepen students’ aesthetic reading experiences of the book. You will share information about your picture book in an oral presentation. Prepare a handout for your peers (maximum two pages in length) that addresses each of the aspects identified above. Present the information in point form. You will evaluate the oral presentations of one or two class members. Author and/or Illustrator Study Select an author or an illustrator of picture books and examine that person’s work in some detail. You will share the findings of your author and/or illustrator study in three ways. You need to create a poster that presents a well-rounded profile of the selected individual. Criteria for poster evaluation: neatness, error-free, arrangement of information (logical and spacing), originality, and overall aesthetic appeal. You will share information about your author or illustration in oral presentation. You will prepare a handout (in point-form and maximum two pages in length) that addresses each of the aspects identified below. The profile should include all of the following (if possible): biographical sketch including what motivates the person to write and/or illustrate for children education, training related work experience details of style, technique, themes, etc. evidence of having read reviews of the individual’s work comments about any acceptance speeches if awards have been received (e.g., in Horn Book) other a list of works completed for children or young adults Use a variety of resources when researching the author or illustrator (i.e. not solely the author’s website). A bibliography of references is to be submitted to me with the two page handout and poster. Note: If little information appears to be available on the author or illustrator you have chosen, it may be necessary to select an alternate person to study. You will be responsible for assessing the poster and presentation of one or two class members. These evaluations will also be submitted. Due — July 11 & 12, 2002 Value — 25% A Selection Of Key Journals Language Arts The Reading Teacher Reading Research Quarterly Journal of Children’s Literature Reading Research and Instruction Reading and Writing Quarterly Reading Improvement Research in the Teaching of English Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy Journal of Literacy Research Journal of Research in Childhood Education Elementary School Journal Journal of Computing in Childhood Education Childhood Education Middle School Journal Gender and Education English Education Journal of Teaching Writing Children’s Literature Association Quarterly The New Advocate Theory Into Practice Reading Horizons A Selection of Relevant Readings Bainbridge, J., & Pantaleo, S. (1999). Learning with literature in the Canadian elementary classroom. Edmonton, AB: University of Alberta Press & Duval House Publishing. Barr, R., Kamil, M., Mosenthal, P., Pearson, P. D. (Eds.). (1991). Handbook of reading research: Volume ll. New York: Longman Publishing Group. Beach, R. (1993). A teacher’s introduction to reader-response theories. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English. Calkins, L. (2001). The art of teaching reading. New York: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc. Cooper, C. R. (Ed.). (1985). Researching response to literature and the teaching of literature: Points of departure. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation. Cullinan, B., & Person, D. (Eds.). (2001). The continuum encyclopedia of children’s literature. New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc. Dresang, E. (1999). Radical change: Books for youth in a digital age. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company. Eeds, M., & Wells, M. (1989). Grand conversations: An exploration of meaning construction in literature study groups. Research in the Teaching of English, 23 (1), 4-29. Finazzo, D. (1997). All for the children: Multicultural essentials of literature. New York: Delmar Publishers. Flood, J., Jensen, J., Lapp, D., & Squire, J. (Eds.). (1991). Handbook of research on teaching the English language arts. New York: Macmillan. Galda, L, & Cullinan, B. (2002). Literature and the child (5th ed). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. Gambrell, L., & Almasi. J. (1996). Lively discussions!: Fostering engaged reading.Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Graham, J. (1990). Pictures on the page. Sheffield, UK: The National Association for the Teaching of English. Hayhoe, M., & Parker, S. (Eds.). (1990). Reading and response. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press. Holland, K., Hungerford, R., & Ernst, S. (Eds.). (1993). Journeying: Children responding to literature. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Huck, C. (1987). Literature as the content of reading. Theory into Practice, 26 (5), 363-371. Jones, R., & Stott, J. (2000). Canadian children’s books: A critical guide to authors and illustrators. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press Canada. Kamil, M., Mosenthal, P., Pearson, P.D., & Barr, R. (Eds). (2000). Handbook of reading research: Volume III. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers. Keifer, B. (1995). The potential of picture books: From visual literacy to aesthetic understanding. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Langer, J. (Ed.). (1992). Literature instruction: A focus on student response. Urbana, IL: NationalCouncil of Teachers of English. Lehr, S. (Ed.). (1995). Battling dragons: Issues and controversy in children’s literature. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Luken, R. (1999). A critical handbook of children’s literature (6th ed.). White Plains, NY: Longman Publishers. Many, J., & Cox, C. (Eds.). Reader stance and literary understanding: Exploring theories, research and practice. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation. Meek, M. (1988). How texts teach what readers learn. Exeter, UK: Thimble Press. Nickolajeva, M., & Scott, C. (2001). How picturebooks work. New York: Garland Publishing. Nodelman, P. (1996). The pleasures of children’s literature (2nd ed.). White Plains, NY: Longman Publishers. Probst, R. E. (1991). Response to literature. In J. Flood, J. Jensen, D. Lapp, & J. Squire (Eds.), Handbook of research on teaching the English language arts (pp. 655-663). White Plains, NY: Macmillan Publishing Company. Purves, A. C., & Rippere, V. (1968). Elements of writing about a literary work: A study of response to literature. National Council of Teachers of English Research Report No. 9, NCTE, Illinois, U.S.A. Rosenblatt, L. (1978). The reader, the text, the poem: The transactional theory of the literary work. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press. Rosenblatt, L. (1991). Literary theory. In J. Flood, J. Jensen, D. Lapp, & J. Squire (Eds.), Handbook of research on teaching the English language arts (pp. 57-62). White Plains, NY: Macmillan Publishing Company. Roser, N. L., & Martinez, M. G. (Eds.). (1995). Book talk and beyond: Children and teachers respond to literature. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Russell, D. (2001). Literature for children: A short introduction. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. Spiegel, D. (1998). Reader response approaches and the growth of readers. Language Arts, 76 (1), 41-48. Temple, C., Martinez, M., Yokota, J., & Naylor, A. (1998). Children’s books in children’s hands: An introduction to their literature. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Theory into Practice. (1999). Special issue. 38 (3). Thomson, J. (1987). Understanding teenagers’ reading: Reading processes and the teaching of literature. Maryborough, AU: Australian Association for the Teaching of English Inc. Wilhelm, J. (1997). "You gotta BE the book": Teaching engaged and reflective reading with adolescents. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English. Response Journal Grading Scheme Grade Point Value — A Excellent work that exceeds task requirements. Work demonstrates a deep and comprehensive understanding of subject matter, and clear and elegant exposition of ideas. Work consistently displays insight, initiative, and original thinking. Work demonstrates critical thinking and shows a deep appreciation of issue complexity and pedagogical implications. The unique voice of the writer is present and sustained. * An A+ journal would be exceptional in the degree to which the above criteria were met. Grade Point Value — A- Highly successful completion of task requirements. Work demonstrates a very good understanding of subject matter, prose style is clear and fluent, thinking displayed is coherent, and word choice is precise. Reveals perceptive reading and considers various viewpoints and perspectives. Reflects on significant issues and concerns. Grade Point Value — B+ Work successfully meets task requirements. Work demonstrates a good understanding of subject matter. Reflects on important issues from readings. Content may be somewhat conventional, or may lack depth and development in one or more areas, or connections may be weak. Thinking and expression are clear. Grade Point Value — B Work demonstrates satisfactory understanding of subject matter and task requirements. Some of the content is conventional, and lacks depth and development. There are weak or unsupported connections. Writing is somewhat pedestrian in nature. Grade Point Value — B- Work demonstrates a basic understanding of subject matter and task requirements. Some deviations from the specified task requirements are evident. Some inconsistencies in thinking are noted, and writing is pedestrian. Grade Point Value — < C+ Unsatisfactory performance. Lack of adherence to task requirements. Assignment contains superficial understanding, omissions in content, lack of clarity in expression and/or inconsistencies in thinking. Presentation shows lack of attention to detail and major deviations in language conventions are persistent throughout. Graduate Grading Scale top of page