Republic of the Philippines

TARLAC STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Lucinda Campus, Tarlac City
Tel. No. (045) 493-0182; Fax No. (045) 982-0110
Accredited Level III by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities of the Philippines
(AACCUP), Inc.

ECED 10
WRITTEN REPORT
TOPIC: READING LITERATURE

Members:
Arceo, Shelley Micah B.
De Lara, Alyza Janine T.
Lanuza, Angelica M.
Narra, Kristine Joyce S.
Viesca, Jennylyn D.
Group #: 6
Lesson Objectives:
 Identify the different types of literature.
 Learn to improve language and communication skills.
 Develop critical thinking and analytical skills.
 Understanding the structure of a story.
 Determine students' reading interests and their attitudes toward reading.
Introduction
Reading is the process of interpreting and understanding written or printed symbols,
typically in the form of text. At its core, reading involves recognizing words and sentences,
comprehending their meaning, and interpreting the ideas, emotions, or information conveyed by
the author.
Literature refers to written works, particularly those considered to have artistic or
intellectual value. It encompasses a wide range of forms, including novels, short stories, poetry,
drama, essays, and sometimes non-fiction that possess a creative or expressive quality.
Literature is distinguished by its use of language in a way that goes beyond ordinary
communication to evoke emotions, convey deeper meanings, and explore complex ideas and
human experiences.
Reading literature is an enriching experience that goes beyond just understanding words
on a page. It involves engaging with complex ideas, emotions, and narratives that reflect human
experiences across time and cultures. Literature encompasses a wide range of forms, including
novels, short stories, poetry, drama, and essays. Each of these forms offers unique ways to
explore themes like love, power, conflict, identity, and the human condition. Reading literature,
not only deciphering the plot or the characters but also interpreting deeper meanings, symbols,
and stylistic choices that the author uses to convey messages. It invites to think critically, ask
questions, and make connections between the text and the world around you. This process of
interpretation can reveal new perspectives, challenge beliefs, and enhance understanding of
different cultures and historical periods. Moreover, literature can evoke strong emotions,
allowing to empathize with characters and situations that might be far removed from your own
life. This emotional engagement can make reading literature a deeply personal experience,
fostering a sense of connection with the text and the broader human experience.

Discussion:
Experiencing Literature
 Reading literature involves a dimension beyond reading ordinary material. If read
properly, a classic tale draws out a feeling of wholeness or oneness, a carefully drawn character
or situation evokes a feeling of recognition, and a poem that speaks to the heart engenders a
feeling of tranquility. Louise Rosenblatt (1978) called this the aesthetic response: "In aesthetic
reading, the reader's attention is centered directly on What he is living through during his
relationship with that particular text" (p. 25).
In contrast to aesthetic reading is efferent reading, in which the reader's attention is
directed to "concepts to be refined, ideas to be tested, actions to be performed after the reading"
(Rosenblatt, 1978, p. 24).
 In efferent reading, the reader "carries away” meaning.
 In aesthetic reading, the reader is carried away by feelings evoked by the text.
Text can be read efferently or aesthetically, depending on the reader's stance. For
example, we could read an essay efferently for ideas or information, but if we respond to its
biting satire or subtle humor, our stance becomes aesthetic. Thus it is not and either/or
proposition but falls on a continuum; with reader moving closer to one stance or the other
depending on her or his expectations and focus (Diana, 1990). As Rosenblatt (1991) explained,
"We read for information, but we are conscious of emotions about it and feel pleasure when the
words we call up arouse vivid images and are rhythmic to the inner ear” (p. 445)
Rosenblatt cautioned that it is important to have a clear sense of purpose when asking
children to read a particular piece. The purpose should fit in with the nature of the piece and the
objective for presenting it. By its nature, for instance, poetry generally demands an aesthetic
reading. But if the focus of the reading is on literal comprehension, then the experience will be
efferent. The reading is aesthetic if the focus is on experiencing the poem or story and savoring
the sounds, sights and that the words conjure up.
Reading aesthetically results in a deeper level of involvement for students (Cox &
Many, 1992). As they read aesthetically, children tend to picture the story in their minds. They
imagine scenes, actions, and characters. As they become more deeply involved, they may enter
the world that they have constructed and try to understand events and characters "in terms of
how people in their world would act in similar circumstances" (Cox & Many, 1992, p. 30).
Aesthetic readers also extend and hypothesize. They might wonder what happens to the
characters after the story is over and imagine possible scenarios or create alternative endings.
Students might also identify with a particular character and wonder how they might act if they
were that character and experienced the story events.
 An aesthetic response may also elicit a network of feelings. A child who feels sad at the
end of a tragic tale might relate the story-elicited feeling of sadness to a time in real life when
she or he felt sad. The child might relive the personal experience that caused sadness. Reading
about a story character's death, for example, the student might recall the recent death of a
relative and the sadness this death occasioned.
How might students' responses be fostered?
The research suggests several possibilities. Students might be allowed to choose the form
of their response: It could be a poem, a story, a letter, a journal entry, or, simply, an oral
reaction. It is important that students be encouraged to make connections with their personal
lives and other texts that they have read. Children also need time to respond, with ample
opportunity to share and discuss. As Cox and Many (1992) commented, "A lot of groping goes
on during this talking and again seems necessary to provide for quick flashes of personal
understanding that come suddenly and quickly during informal, open discussions" (p.32).
Individual response is at the heart of reading literature.
Literature has an aesthetic force: it evokes deep personal response (this is the basis of
reader response).
Literature is also seen as a force for enlightenment: we respond to its universal themes
and so come to understand ourselves and others better.
 Aesthetic reading refers to experiencing emotions evoked by a piece of writing.
 Efferent reading means reading to comprehend the information conveyed by a piece of
writing.
To promote aesthetic reading, "teachers should recognize, support, and further
encourage signs that the reader's focus of attention is on the lived- through experience of the
literary evocation. the signs of the aesthetic response may include: picturing and imagining
while reading or viewing; imagining themselves in a character's place or in story events;
questioning or hypothesizing about a story; making associations with other stories and their
own life experiences; and mentioning feelings evoked" (Cox & Many, 1992, pp. 32-33).
Reader response theory is a view of reading in which the reader plays a central role in
constructing the meaning of a text. The meaning is not found in the text or the reader but is
found in the relationship or transaction between the two.
Reader Response Theory

The teacher's first purpose, then, should be to evoke a response. Because literature is a
transaction between reader and writer, that response must be personal. Using poem, story,
novel, or other literary work as a blueprint, readers can create their own work. A class of
twenty-five students reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Lewis, 1950) will create
twenty-five different versions of that classic story. This does not mean that readers are free to
interpret a literary selection in any way that they want. Their interpretations must be based on
the blueprint, which is the text. However, to build from that blueprint, readers bring their life
experiences, perspectives, experiences in reading literature, cognitive ability, attitudes, and
values, of which become part of the final meaning that they construct. As a practical matter,
readers often agree on some common meaning in their response to a piece of literature.
However, there is also considerable personal interpretation and reaction (Beach & Hynds,
1991).
Essentially, therefore, teaching literature is a matter of planning activities in which
students respond to a selection and then clarify the impact of the selection in terms of itself and
its meaning in their lives. It is important to create an environment in which students feel free to
first deal with their own reactions and then work out, through reflection and discussion, a
personal meaning for the piece. Although in the early stages, the reader's response to literature
may be highly personal, reader’s gradually learn to become more evaluative. As Rosenblatt
(1991) explained, personal response becomes the basis for "growth toward more and more
balanced, self-critical, knowledgeable interpretation"(p. 100).
Huck (1989) stated, "Most of what children learn in school is concerned with knowing;
literature is concerned with feeling..." (p. 254).
As Lukens (1995) explains, "Literature at its best gives both plea- sure and
understanding. It explores the nature of human beings, the conditions of humankind. If these
phrases seem too pompous and abstract for children's literature, rephrase them in children's
terms: What are people like? Why are they like that? What do they need? What makes them do
what they do?" (p. 8 )
Transaction is the process whereby the reader is part of the reading act so that the reader
is affected by the text and the text, in turn, is affected by the reader. Reader, text, and the act of
reading all have an impact on each other and are, in turn, impacted.
Readers who make aesthetic responses enjoy a richer experience and produce more
elaborated written responses. When elementary school students write from an aesthetic stance,
the students' responses are more fully developed and more likely to show connections between
the text and their lives. Efferent responses are more likely to consist of a barebones retelling of
the tale and a brief evaluation of literary elements (Many, 1990, 1991).
 Traditionally, there has been a sense in the classroom that a poem or other piece of
literature has a certain meaning, and that the teacher is-the final judge as what that meaning is.
Realizing now that children are active constructors of mearing, know that they are the ultimate
interpreters. They must be helped to see that a story or poem does not have a right or wrong
interpretation but takes on meaning of their experiences and subjective feelings. The foster
children's interpretation book's characters, theme, and events will reflect their experiences.
Students' individual interpretations and responses should not only be accepted but actively
encouraged Although there is no single, correct interpretation, those interpretations made
should be grounded in text. Students should be prepared to justify theme response could be
based on a misreading or erroneous information and would to be revised.
How does one go about eliciting reader response? Probst (1988) described following general
steps:
1. Creating a reader response environment. Establish a setting in which students feel
free to respond and each response is valued so that students are free of worry about
rightness or wrongness.
2. Preparing to read the literary piece. Preparation for reading a literary piece is
basically the same as that for reading any text: A DRA framework might be used. In the
preparatory stage, a schema is activated, new concepts and vocabulary words are taught,
interest in reading the selection is engendered, and a purpose is set. The purpose
generally is open-ended, to evoke a response. As an alternative, the teacher might read
aloud and discuss the firs portion, especially if it is a chapter book or novel.
3. Reading the literary piece. The work is read silently by students. However, it is a
poem, you may elect to read it aloud, as the sound of poetry is essential to its impact.
4. Small-group discussion. The literary piece is discussed by groups consisting of four or
five students. In small groups, each student has a better opportunity express her or his
response to the piece and compare it with that of others. Discussion is essential because
it leads to deeper exploration of a piece.
To foster a fuller discussion, students might be asked to take a few moments to jot down
their responses before they discuss them. Writing facilitates careful consideration. Questions
that might be used to evoke a response include the following some of which were suggested by
Probst (1988). Select from the questions. Four or five questions should be sufficient to evoke a
full discussion.
 Which part of the selection stands out in your mind the most?
 Picture a part of the piece in your mind. Which part did you picture? Why?
  Was there anything in the selection that bothered you?
 Was there anything in it that surprised you?
 What main feeling did it stir up?
 What is the best line or paragraph in the piece?
 Does this selection make you think of anything that has happened in your life?
 As you read, did your feelings change? If so, how?
 Does this piece remind you of anything else that you have read?
 If the author were here, what would you say to her or him?
 What questions would you ask?
 If you were the editor, what changes might you suggest that the author make?
 What do you think the writer was trying to say?
 What special words, expressions, or writing devices did the author use? Which of these
did you like best? Least?
 If you were grading the author, what mark would you give her or him? Why? What
comments might you write on the author's paper?
5. Class discussion. After the small groups have discussed the piece for about ten minutes,
extend the discussion to the whole class. The discussion should center on the responses,
beginning with those made in the small groups. Ask each group, "How did your group
respond to the piece? In what way were responses the same? Is there anything about the
work that we can agree on? How were the responses different? Did your response
change as your group discussed the piece? If so, how?"
Throughout the discussion, you, as the teacher, must remain neutral and not intervene
with your interpretation. Students have to be empowered to construct their own interpretations,
and they need opportunities to develop their interpretive skills.

Lesson 8.1 shows how a reader response lesson might be presented using the poem 'The Land
of Counterpane"(Stevenson, 1885).

Lesson 8.1 Reader Response

Step 1. Preparing to read the literary piece
 Ask students to tell what they do when they aren't feeling well and have to spend the
day in bed. Explain that the author of the poem they are about to read, Robert Louis
Stevenson, was a sickly child and often spent time in bed. Also explain that counterpane
is an old-fashioned word for bedspread.
Step 2. Reading the literary piece
 Have students read "The Land of Counterpane" or listen as you read it. Their purpose
should be to see what feelings, thoughts, or pictures the poem brings to mind.
The Land of Counterpane

When I was sick and lay a-bed,

I had two pillows at my head,
And all my toys beside me lay
To keep me happy all the day.

And sometimes for an hour or so

I watched my leaden soldiers go,
With different uniforms and drills,
Among the bed-clothes, through the hills;
And sometimes sent my ships in fleets
All up and down among the sheets;
Or brought my trees and houses out,
And planted cities all about.

I am the giant great and still

That sits upon the pillow-hill,
And sees before him, dale and plain,
The pleasant land of counterpane.
Step 3. Responding to the piece.
Have students write a brief response to each of the following questions using their thoughts and
feelings:
 What feelings, thoughts, or pictures come to mind as you read the poem?
 After reading the poem, what stands out most in your mind?
 Was there anything in the poem that bothered you or surprised you?
 Does the poem remind you of anything that has ever happened to you?
 Have you ever had a day like the boy had?
Step 4. Small-group discussion
 Students talk over their responses in groups of four or five. Each question should be
discussed. Students will have been taught previously to accept everyone’s responses,
 but they can ask for explanations or justifications. Each group have a discussion leader
and a spokesperson. The leader keeps the discuss moving and on track. The
spokesperson sums up the group's reactions.
Step 5. Whole-class discussion
 Have the whole class discuss the responses. Being careful not to inject own
interpretation, guide the discussion to obtain a full range of responses, her by making it
possible for students to hear them all. You can first take a quick survey of reactions by
calling on the spokespeople for each group. Probe and develop those responses by
calling on other members of the class. Encourage students to justify their responses by
reading phrases or lines from the poem. As the opportunity presents itself, discuss how
the language of the poem helps create feelings, images, and thoughts. Also talk about
the mental pictures poem evokes. Students might want to discuss mental pictures they
have form of the boy.
Step 6. Extension
 Have students read other poems by Robert Louis Stevenson. Many of his poem for
children can be found in his classic collection, A Child's Garden of Verses.
Using Journals to Elicit Responses
Response journals, or literary logs, can also be used to evoke responses to literature.
reading a chapter in a novel, students might write their thoughts and reactions in a literary log.
These responses could be open- ended or could be the result of a prompt. Parsons (1990)
suggested the following types of questions, some of which have been altered slightly:
 What surprised you about the section that you read today? How does it affect what
might happen next in the story?
 As you read today, what feelings did you experience in response to events or characters;
for example, did you feel anger, surprise, irritation, or disappointment? Why do you
think you responded that way?
 What startling, unusual, or effective words, phrases, expressions, or images did you
come across in your reading that you would like to have explained or clarified?
 What characters and situations in the story reminded you of people and situations in
your own life? How are they similar, and how do they differ?
Two other response prompts that might be used are "What if..." and "If I were in the
story..."
  In the "What if..." response, readers speculate what might have happened if a
character had taken a different course of action or if a key event in story had been
different.
 In the "If I were in the story..." response, readers tell what they would have done if
they had been a part of the story's action (Raphael & Boyd, 1997).
Generally, students would be provided with just one or two prompts but should free to
respond to other concerns or situations. Gradually, the prompts should be faded so that students
can come up with their own concerns. Responses in the logs become the basis for the next day's
discussion of the selection read. In supplying prompts for literary journals, Meyers (1988) took
a different tack. She supplied students with a list of twenty questions, similar to those listed
above and earlier in this chapter. They were free to choose two or three questions from the list.
Two other kinds of journals include the literary and the dialogue journal.
 In the literary journal, the student assumes the role of one of the characters in a
selection and writes as though he or she were that character.
 In dialogue journals, students write to the teacher and the teacher responds, or pairs of
students might write to each other.
Dialogue journals help the teacher keep close contact with her students and also extend
their understanding of selections. The journal writing should be a genuine exchange between
teacher and student and not simply a means for checking on students' reading. If viewed as a
checking device, journals may lose their vitality. In a Study by Bagge-Rynerson (1994),
responses showed more life after the teacher modeled the kinds of responses that might be
written and also made her responses to the journal entries more personal and more affirming.

Other Forms of Responsive

 Open mind - is a visualization activity in which an individual small group analyzes a
character in depth, and, using an outline drawing of the back of head.
 Postcard - a character from the story writes a postcard to another character to the
reader.
 Duologue - pairs of students select a scene from a story and then have a conversation of
the type that two characters from the story might have had.
 Press conference - one or more characters from a novel or the subject of a biography
hold a press conference to announce a new discovery, invention, retirement, or other
momentous news.
 Story rap - students summarize the whole selection or a portion of it in a rap.
Book Club
 Books are selected.
 Students are organized in groups of 4 or 5.
 Procedures are explained.
 Students are taught how to respond to their reading.
 Book club discussions are held.
DEVELOPING AESTHETIC JUDGEMENT- as children gain depth in their response to
literature, they should also develop standards by which to judge what they read.

 CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT- in most pieces of fiction, character development is

key.
 PLOT- children thrive on action and adventure, so well-plotted stories will gain and
maintain their interest.
 THEME- the theme may be implicit or directly stated, but as the main idea or central
meaning of a work.
 AUTHOR’S STYLE- is simply the way an author writes.
 SETTING- includes the tine and place of tge story and the mood that the author creates.

ENVISIONMENT- the understanding the reader has a text.

1. INITIAL UNDERSTANDING- ask typical reader response questions, which enable
students to share their reactions to the piece.
2. DEVELOPING INTERPRETATION- ask questions that encourage students to think
more deeply about the story.
3. REFLECTING ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE- ask questions that help students
relate what they have and to personal knowledge.
4. EVALUATING- once students have responded to the work and refined their
interpretations and looked at the work in their own background knowing.
Types of Literature
Folklore
A good place to start the study of literature is with folklore, which includes folk tales,
myths, rituals, superstitions, songs, and jokes. Folklore follows an oral tradition. Every culture
has produced its own folktales. Students can investigate those drawn from the culture of their
ancestors.
Folklore refers to the tales, rituals, superstition, nursery rhymes, and other oral works created
by the people
Folktales are stories handed down orally from generation to generation. Folktales include
fairytales, myths, legends and tall tales.
Reinforcement Activities Folktales
 Because folktales were meant to be told orally, have a volunteer retell a tale. Students
can pretend to be members of the storteller's ramily or villace. They can decide when
and where the tale was told and how the listeners might have reacted.
 Have a storytelling festival, with students retelling a tale that they located on their own.
Have older students create a semantic map of major types of folktales and their
elements.
 Encourage students to ask parents and grandparents to retell favorite folktales they
remember hearing. If possible, parents or grandparents might tell the stories to the class.
 Students can retell folktales through puppet shows and other dramatizations. Older
students might but on shows for primary-grade students.
 Point out allusions to folktales as these occur in newspapers. magazines. or books.
Discuss. for instance, terms like cried wolf and Cinderella team.
 Above all, acquire collections of folktales for the classroom library so that students may
have easy access to them. Also, continue to read folktales aloud to the class
Poetry
Ironically, the highest form of literary expression is the least liked by the majority of
students. According to McClure, Harrison, and Reed (1990), poetry is viewed by many children
as the literary equivalent of liver.
Presenting Poetry
Research suggests that teachers' enthusiasm for particular poems can influence what
children like Terry, 1974 The first step that teachers should take is to become acquainted or
reacquainted with children's poetry, as presented in the following sources:
Bauer, C. F. (1995). The poetry break, An annotated anthology for introducing children
to poetry. New York: H.W. Wilson. More than 240 poems and suggestions for
presenting them

Cole, J. 1984). A new treasury of children's poetry: Old favorites and new discoveries.
New York: Doubleday (1984). A breathtaking array of children's poems from
Shakespeare to Prelutsky.
 Cullinan, B. (Ed.). (1996). A jar of tiny stars, Poems by NCTE award- winning poets.
Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mill Press. Features poems by David McCord, Aileen Fisher,
Karla Kuskin, Eve Merriam, and others

Harrison, M., & Stuart-Clark, C. (1995). The new Oxford treasury of children's poems.
New York: Oxford. A number of classic works.

Hopkins, L. B.(1987). Pass the poetry, please! New York: Harper & Row. Good, solid
information about poets and poetry and many excellent suggestions for teaching poetry.
Prelutsky, J: (1996). A pizza the size of the sun. Poems by Jack Prelutsky. New York:
Greenwillow. Features dozens of humorous poems.

Haiku is a form of poetry that consists of seventeen syllables divided into three lines. The
subject is usually nature
Using technology Children's poetry is published on the Poetry Gallery: htp://www.kidlir@
mgix.com Read
poems as though you were the same age as the students in your class. Read those that
you most eniov to vour students. Remember that children like poetry that has humor and
a narrative element and that rhymes. include both light verse and more thoughtful
pieces. before reading a poem to the class, practice it so that your reading is strong and
dramatic. Briefly discuss vocabulary words or concepts that might interfere with
students understanding or enjoyment. Give students a purpose for listening, such as
creating images in their minds, awaiting a surprise to hearing unusual words.
After reading the poem, discuss it but do not overanalyze it. The teacher should
model how he or she reads a poem, especially one that is complex. The teacher
should explain how the images create a certain mood or meaning for him or her.
Much of the magic of poetry arises from its language.
Help students discover the richness of metaphor in poetry. Discuss, for instance,
how poets can use figurative language to create powerful images. Some of these
visual, as in "The Eagle" by Tennyson (Denman. 1988
He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
 Ringed with the azure world, he stands he wrinkled sea beneath him
crawls:
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.

Reinforcement Activities
Poetry appreciation
 Set aside time for students to talk about their favorite poems in small groups. Groups
can be arranged by topic or author.
 Students can give dramatic readings of their favorite poems. These can be simply
animated recitations or more elaborate events with music and costumes.
 Arrange for choral readings for poems that lend themselves to it
 Encourage pairs of students to read poems. Use poems that lend themselves to being
read in two parts.

• Tie poetry in with the study of content area subjects. For instance, students can read
"Arithmetic" (Sandburg) in connection with the study of math. While studying insects, read
poems about bugs In The Beauty of the Beast, Jack Prelutsky (1997) includes a number of
poems about insects.
• Last, but not least, encourage children to write poetry. An excellent guide for students in
grades four through six is Ryan. M. (1991 How to read and write poems. New York: Watts.

Chapter Books and Novels

In a literature-based program, chapter books or novels are often set aside as a separate
unit of study Before embarking on a chapter book or novel, students should receive some
guidance to build background essential or understanding the text Their interest in the book
should also be piqued. Place particular emphasis on understanding the first chapter. It students,
especially the poorer readers, have a thorough understanding of the first chapter, they will have
a solid foundation for comprehending the rest of the text. It will also build their confidence in
their ability to read the rest of the book (Ford, 1994).
Setting
 Where does the story take place?
 When does the story take place?
 How important is the setting to the story?
  Could the story have happened in a different place at a different time? Why or why
not?
Characters
 Who are the main characters?
 What kinds of people are they?
 Do they seem like real people? Why or why not?

Plot
 What event started the story?
 What is the main problem?
 What is making the problem better?
 What is making the problem worse?
 What has been the most exciting part of the story so far?
Point of view
 How is the story told?
 Is it told by a narrator who is a part of the story and who calls himself"I"?
 Is it told in the second person, using the pronoun the story told by someone outside, a
person who can see all and tell all
 How does the author seem to feel about the characters?
Theme
 What seems to be the main or most important idea in the story?
 What main idea do vou take away from the story?
Style
 What are some especially well-written passages?
 What are some examples of colorful words that the author uses?
 Does the author use figures of speech or images? so. give some examples. What special
writing techniques does the author use Give some examples.
Story Element Activities
Several activities help students gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of story
elements.
Character Analysis. A number of devices can be used to analyze characters in a story. One
such device is an opinion/proof, in which readers write an opinion about a character and cite
proof to back it up. The proof could be the character's actions or comments made about the
person by other characters or the author (Santa, 1988). Figure 8.2 presents an opinion/proof for
Chibi from Crow Boy (Yashima, 1955).
A literary sociogram can be constructed to show how the characters relate to each other. The
name of the main character is written in a circle in the middle, another characters' names are
written in circles surrounding it. Arrows are drawn between the circles. On the arrows are
written words that describe how the characters feel about each other, how they get along, or
how they are related Santa, 1988).

Plot Analysis
Plot Analysis
Understanding the structure of a story aids comprehension and gives students a
framework for composing their own stories. A plot chart shows the story problem, the main
actions or events leading up to the climax, the climax, the resolution of the problem, and the
ending.
Drama
Plays are a welcome change of pace but require some special reading skills. Although
designed to be acted out or at least read orally, plays should first be read silently so that
students get the gist of the work. Students need to be taught to read stage directions so that they
can picture the setting. They also require practice in reading dialogue, which does not contain
the familiar transitions and descriptive passages of their usual reading. If possible, students
should see plays put on by local professional or amateur groups to give them first-hand
experience with theater.

Story Theatre
Is a form of dramatization in which participants pantomime a selection while a narrator
reads it aloud.
Dramatizations
To dramatize à story, actors must understand the action and must think carefully about
the characters they are portraying. Instead of passive comprehension, readers as actors must put
themselves into the piece. They must make the characters come alive by giving them voice,
expression, and motivation.
Reader’s Theatre
Is a form of dramatization in which the participants read aloud a selection as thought it
were a play reader’s theatre. In reader’s theatre, participants dramatizate a selection by
reading.it aloud. A whole selection or just one portion of it can be dramatized. Pieces having a
generous amounts of dialogue work.
Nonfiction Biographies
Although biographies generally rank poorly when students are asked to tell what types of
books they like best, the lives of interesting and relevant subjects are often runaway favorites.
Biographies of sports heroes and singing stars are among some of the most heavily circulated
books in the children's departments of libraries.
Voluntary Reading
The key to improved reading achievement in elementary school is very simple.
Encourage students to read ten minutes a day on their own. According to carefully conducted
research, these extra ten minutes' result in significant improvements in reading (Fielding,
Wilson, & Anderson, 1986). Unfortunately, a nationally administered questionnaire revealed
that fewer than half the nation's fourth-graders read for Fur every day, and 13 percent never or
hardly ever read for fun on their own time (Mullis, Campbell, & Farstrup, 1993). A study of
fifth-graders had an even gloomier finding: Only 30 percent of the students read for ten minutes
or more a day (Anderson, Wilson, & Fielding, 1988). Responding to the Motivation to Read
Profile (Gambrel et al., 1996), 17 percent of the students reported that they would rather clean
their rooms than read, 10 percent said that people who read are boring, and 14 percent stated
that they would spend little time reading when they grew up.
Determining Interest and Attitudes
A good starting point for creating a voluntary reading program is to determine students'
reading interests and their attitudes toward reading Close observation of your students yields
useful information about these areas-you probably have a good sense of who likes to read and
who does not.

The Classroom Library

*Building a class library involves students in the process, promoting voluntary reading through
propinquity. Closely located, easy-to-check-out books encourage students to read more,
building a community of readers and increasing motivation.

Obtaining Books on a Variety of Levels

*Students prefer reading material that is interesting and competent enough for them to read
independently. While they may read beyond their level if they have a special interest, a steady
diet of such books can be discouraging. Both good and poor readers finish books on the same
level, suggesting that closer selection could lead to better completion.

Setting Up the Classroom Library

*Create an appealing classroom library by displaying books with cover showings and special
displays on high-interest topics. Regularly update the collection and add new titles to keep
children interested. Students learn how to choose books from a library, as they struggle with
browsing. Obtain books that are genuinely interesting to promote wise selection among
students.

Managing The Classroom Library

* Wilson (1992) suggests involving poor readers in classroom collection management to help
them become familiar with the collection. Simple check-out procedures and rules can
discourage borrowing. Addressing lost or damaged books and encouraging responsibility can
help alleviate hardships. Students can contribute replacement books and be responsible for
checking in, out, and putting books away.

Using technology
*Classroom library management can be done using a filing system like FileMaker Pro or
Microsoft Works. Sustained silent reading (SSR) allows students and teachers to read materials
of their choice, promoting reading enjoyment and exposure to high-quality literature through
skillful guidance.

Setting Aside Time for Voluntary Reading

*Recreational reading helps students understand the importance of readings. Initially, it can be
five minutes, but can be extended to twenty or thirty minutes. Self-Selected Reading (SSR) is a
popular program in classrooms and schools. Research suggests that students learn more from
reading when they can share it with peers. Young children may require special provisions
during SSR, such as multiple books, easy-to-read books, and taped books.

Rules for SSR:

1. Each student is involved in reading.
2. The teacher reads.
3. Books to be read should be chosen before the session starts. (Students should choose two
or three books; in case the original selection does not work out.)
4. A timer is used.
5. Absolutely no book reports are required

Modeling the Process of Selecting and Discussing Books

*Discuss how students select books by examining the cover, author, blurb, jacket, and reading
parts. Post book selection suggestions for younger students. Model the process by discussing
your own book and asking about others, demonstrating that reading is a community and people
share their experiences

The Importance of Sharing and Instruction in Developing Avid Readers

*Children become avid readers by having someone to discuss books with, such as family and
friends. Systematic teaching fosters voluntary reading by teaching students various
comprehension strategies, which help them comprehend materials at school and at home.
Emphasizing the importance of comprehending and learning from books creates greater
interest in books and fosters students' motivation to read. Talking about reading is highly
motivating, as it becomes an important activity shared with others. Both teacher and peer
conference groups show improved attitudes toward reading, as reading becomes part of the
classroom culture and becomes an important part of students' social relations.

Adapting instruction for struggling readers and writers

*Struggling readers often choose difficult books to read with friends, despite their capabilities.
Classroom libraries should have interesting, easy books available, and shared with everyone to
avoid stigma. Students are more likely to read when recommended by friends, so providing
informal group discussions is crucial.

Activities for Motivating Voluntary Reading

*Motivate voluntary reading by being enthusiastic, accepting, and flexible, presenting reading
as a vital activity, including comics and classics, sharing reading with students, and being a
reader yourself.
Some activities for motivating voluntary reading:
 Match books with interests.
 Use the indirect approach.
 Pique students' interest.
 Use videotapes to preview books.
  Substitute voluntary reading for workbook or other seatwork assignments.
 Use electronic databases, such as BookLink, to help students find titles that are on their
level and which match their interests.
 Encourage partner reading.
 Recommend books by a popular series author.

Helping for Struggling Readers and Writers

*Struggling readers may struggle with literary selections due to their reading below grade level.
Additional help with vocabulary and concepts, reading parts of the selection, or obtaining
audiotapes or CD-ROMs can help them read successfully. Quality selections on their reading
level can enhance their reading experience.

Essential Student Objectives

First through third grades
 Students will understand and appreciate a variety of types of literary selections.
 Students will respond to literary selections in writing and in discussion groups.
 Students will learn basic literary techniques such as using dialog and action to develop
 characters.
 Students will read and enjoy a variety of books and periodicals.
 Students will read to acquire information that is important to them.

Assessment
Assess students' appreciation and aesthetic response to literature, their knowledge of
literary techniques, and their standards for judging literary selections. Monitor their reading
habits, including self-reading, book discussions, and favorite authors, and review their reading
logs and journals.