Teaching with Children’s Books

Chapter 18

Elizabeth Goode

LIBR 263

Basal vs. Trade

What was the first book that ever grabbed you as

a reader?

Why? Was it an assigned book?

Trade Books

“The purpose of both fiction and nonfiction trade books is not so much to inform, which they do very well, as it is to excite, to introduce, to let the reader in on the irresistible secrets of life on Earth.” p. 233

Why choose Trade over Textbook:Trade Textbook

• Individual language that creates meaning and perspective

• All sizes, formats and length

• Richer understanding of topic

• Written and published more often-latest info

• Personal viewpoint, individual voice

• Different reading levels

• More detached disjointed style

• Less appealing illustrations/diagrams with industrial appearance

• Unable to develop a single idea with any depth

• Published only every 5-10 years and expensive, old info

• Written by committee, detached/distant

• One reading level

Research Support:• More access to trade books improv ed pre-school

age reading scores (Books Aloud Program).• Children struggle with informational text simply

because they do not have enough experience working with it.

• Exemplary teachers were found to be teachers who provided a literacy-rich environment for kids.

• Literature-based instruction helped children catch up after entering school with limited literacy experience.

• Children’s motivation to read is strongly influenced by access to books. P. 236-238

Using Trade book in the Curriculum

• Talking about Books

• Creative Response• Use in other Subjects

Grand Conversations

• Characterized by teachers participating fully in the conversation

• Model and share thought processes and personal interpretations of the story

• Open-ended prompts• Discussion of literary

merit and technique

Literature Circles

• Provide an opportunity for small groups of children to talk together about a text

• Make their own questions and lead the dialogue

• Groups choose own books

• Time isn’t structured

“If assigned responses detract from the reading experience and diminish the desire to read, they

need to be rethought.” p. 240

• Students choose book they want to respond to, choose activity and read without any obligation to respond

• Reconsider the traditional book report• Reconsider the whole class novel

Creative Responses

Book Reports• Rewrite part of the

story• Draw portraits of the

main characters• Research music

from the time period• Give a party for the

characters

Whole Class Novel“In a class of 30 students, it seems unlikely that any one book will satisfy the interests of more than, say, half of the children.” p. 243-provide choice with limits in small book groups

Other Subjects

“Children won’t see how books from the library fit into daily instruction unless teachers include them as a natural part of the classroom learning.” p. 244

Tunnell, M. O., Jacobs, J.S., Young, T.A., Bryan, G. (2012). Children's Literature, Briefly, (5th

Edition). Allyn & Bacon.