Traditional Literature

Another term for traditional literature is folk literature or oral literature-it is the tales and stories passed down from generation to generation. Most of these type of stories have become part one ones culture or heritage. As a story gets passed down from generation to generation, it tends to be re-crafted over time to fit to the audible audience.  Because traditional stories were handed down from generation to generation orally, they were never written down, leaving the origin unknown of who told the story first.

Benefits and Considerations of Traditional Literature

• Helps children understand the personal dimension and standards of behavior of a culture and at the same time reduces stereotypes. 
• It provides children with a framework for the literature, dram, and art they will later encounter. 
• It provides entertainment and pleasure 
• It provides strong rhythm, rhyme, and repetitions of patterns. 

In traditional education many may think that reading apiece of traditional literature would be a waste of time and there is no educational purpose behind it being read to a class full of children. However I think it is very important to include pieces of traditional literature into curriculum. I say this because I believe it helps students in the long run with their own writing and reading. Think about writing a fictional story a child, how did you begin it and how did you end it? Once upon a time and they lived happily ever after the end, sound familiar? The beginning and end of a story can sometimes help us write the middle. Just like any story, traditional literature has its different component and relationships as well that can be pointed out to students and learned about to why they are there. 

Categories of Traditional Literature

• Fable
• Myth
• Legend
• Religious stories 
• Tall Tale
• Folktale

While some may think why is it important that my child learns the different types of traditional literature, I personally find it important for children to learn the different types because they need to know the difference and recognize what what of story they are listening to when being told a story or reading one. 

What We Noticed About Fairy Tales 

• Once upon a time
• End happily ever after
• Magic
• Have characters such as kings and queens
• Take place in faraway places
• Have a good character and a bad character
• sometimes characters are turned into animals
• Animals can talk
• Teach a lesson

 Learning about the different components to a fairy tale can help a student becoem a better writter. I say this becuase once they understand all the different things about fairy tales it gives the students a boost of what to creat their own fairy tale about. For example, just having a child look at the list above gives them a bunch of different ideas of what their story could be about with a variety as well. I think it is important that a child uses their imagination and creativity, however there is nothing wrong with them being given a little boost.

Top Ten Read Alouds: Traditional Literature 

1. Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella by Paul Fleischman (2007, Henry Holt) 
2. How the Stars Fell into the Sky: A Navajo Legend by Jerrie Oughton (1996, HoughtonMiffllin) 
3. The Hunter by Mary Casanova (2000, Atheneum)
4. Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkey ( 2009, Little, Brown)
5. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (2009 Little, Brown)
6. Peggony-Po:A Whale of a Tale by Andrea Pinkney (2006, Hyperion)
7. Rapunzel by Paul Zelinsky (1997 Dutton)
8. Silly & Sillier: Read Aloud Tales from Around the World by Judy Sierra (2002, Knopf)
9. The Three Princes: A Tale from the Middle East by Eric Kimmel (1994, Holiday House)
10. Why Mosquitoes Bozz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema ( 1975, Dial) 

Modern Fantasy

Modern fantasy is taking elements from the real world, but having magical elements that make things possible such as talking animals, toys, or going to a different realm. There are two categories in modern fantasy- low and high fantasy.

Low Fantasy
Stories to be considered fantasy take place in the real world but magical elements of fantasy make them impossible. Some examples of low fantasy would be Toy Story, Charlotte's Web, and The Velveteen Rabbit. 

High fantasy would be when information and experiences from he real world are taken into another world. High fantasy involves difficult journeys and supernatural characters.  Some examples of these would be The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe The Wonderful Wizard of OZ, and The Lord of the Rings. 


No matter if a story is considered low or high fantasy, this does not determine if a child has a low or high level of imagination. It is just simply how these modern fantasy are categorized. However I find it important that children learn the different between the two. I say this because they need to know the different elements, not just to be able to identify them but to be able to put them in use and write their own modern fantasy. Knowing the different parts of a high and low fantasy lets students know what to include when writing their own.

 Categories in Modern Fantasy

• Animals 
• Toys and objects
• Miniature Worlds
• Time Wraps 
• Unreal Worlds
• Ghost Stories
• Magic Powers 
• Preposterous Characters/Situations 
• Quest Tales  

Thinking back to all the different stories I have heard through my years and especially childhood years, majority of them all had to do something with one of the categories listed above. This is huge to me for these are the elements that make up a child's story imagination. These categories are a lot of what modern fantasy has in them but what a lot of people forget is that is it also what children base their play around. Ever pretend with a childhood friend you guys had special powers, or you played pretend with your toys talking to one another. How about Barbie, with her miniature world? These categories share with modern fantasy and child's play. 

 

Motifs in Modern Fantasy 

• Magic 
• Other Worlds 
• Good vs. Evil
• Heroism
• Special Character Types 
• Fantastic Objects 

It is important that children of all ages understand that at heart all fantasy lies the truth about ourselves and the world around us. In the younger ages it may be appropriate to have a discussion with the students as far as what was real and what not, and why it was not real, nor could be.

Top Ten Real Alouds: Fantasy

1. Gossamer by Lois Lowry (2006, Thorndike)
2. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman ( 2008, HarperCollins)
3. I, Coriander by Sally Gardner (2005, Dial)
4.  The Invention of Hugo Carbet by Brian Selznick (2007, Scholastic)
5. Savvy by Ingrid Law (2008, Dial)
6. The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillio (2003, Candlewick)
7. Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins ( 2006, Schwatz & Wade)
8. Tuck Everywhere by Natilie Babbiee (1975, Farrar)
9. Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing ( 1986, Houghton Mifflin)
10. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (2009, Little, Brown)

Historical Fiction

Books that fall into the category of historical fiction are neither fantasy nor nonfiction, but they are realistic in the sense that they could happen. The setting, characters could have or do exist, and the plot is believable. However it is important to remember that historical information can be gained, a book of historical fiction is first and foremost a story.

Authors achieve a sense of realism in a variety of ways:

• The use of a distinctive narrative format, such as a journal or diary entries.
• An authentic setting and dialogue of the time period
• The characters responses to historical events 

I think that it is important for children to learn the variety of ways that an author creates a sense of realism in historical fiction. By a child knowing this they are ultimately able to write their own piece of literature in historical literature.  Knowing the difference between real and fictional history is important as well. Children need to know if they are reading a non fiction piece of history or historical fiction. Once they have archived what they are reading they can start to figure out what parts in the historical fiction are based upon a true event and what are made up.

There are benefits to consider when using historical fiction in a classroom such as the following:

• Conveys a sense of life as it was lived
• Happens to ordinary people 
• Broadens perspectives 
• Helps children understand the present and future are linked to actions of the past

I find it exciting that students learn what life was like in a diffident time period or how an event took place and what the people who experienced it felt. It is important for people to know history so it does not repeat itself, but even more so to really understand what the people of that history had to go through. There are so many neat things that could be done in a classroom with historical fictions, from acting out or going on field trips. 

Some categories of historical fiction are the following:

• Ancient Times 
• Medieval times 
• Colonial Times
• Revolutionary Era
• Early Frontier Era
• Civil War
• Post-Civil War
• World War I
• Great Depression 
• World War II
• Post World War II
• Civil Rights Movement 

These different categories are all covered throughout grade school, some more focused on than others, however  they are all covered. What I focus on though is how effective were students taught about these different times. I believe students are more likely going to be able to retain the information of history if they do a hands on activity. A field trip to Salem, a medieval bazaar, or a trip to a battle ground if time permits. Students are going to remember the past better this way than reading out of a textbook and being lectured on.

Top Ten Read Alouds: Historical Fiction 

1. Blood on the River:Jamestown 1607 by Elisa Carbone (2006, Viking)
2. Catherine, Called Birdy, by Karen Cushman (1994, Houghton Mifflin) 
3. Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson (2000, Simon & Schuster)
4. Esperanza Rising by Pam Munzo Ryan (2000, Scholastic) 
5. I Am the Mummy Heb-Nefert by Eve Bunting (1997, Harcourt) 
6. The Ledgend of Bass Reeves:Being the Ture Ficional Account of the Most Valiant Marshal in the West by Gary Paulsen (2006, Random House) 
7. The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick (2009, Scholastic) 
8. One Crazy Summer by Rita Garcia Williams (2010, HarperCollins) 
9. Whittington by Alan Armstrong (2005, Random House) 
10. Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy (2006, Cavendish) 

Diverse Perspectives in Children's Literature

Before anything a child needs to understand what diversity means. They need to understand that it is the ability to see other cultures and life experiences as well as their own cultures and life experiences. A child needs to be able to recognize all the different areas of diversity such as the following:

 

• Culture
• Language
• Religion
• Social Class
• Age
• Family Structure 
• Exceptionality

 The list above is things that students are faced with in everyday life, whether it is at home or at school, and with that said diverse perspectives need to be addressed. This isn't an area to where it should be ignored.

When looking into further educating children in the area of diversity, there tends to be a lack of diverse backgrounds and sometimes when their is the children pick up taught behaviors or not sure as to how to react.  The following needs to addressed to students:

• Discrimination
• Inferior education
• Linguistic differences 
• Cultural differences 
• Higher-level thinking 

Weather children think they have or have not been exposed to any of the above, I think the teacher needs to address them, and perhaps have student walk in someone else s shoes for a day, accompanying this lesson with a book on multicultural literature. Just because a child is Caucasian does not mean they have not been a victim to any of the above, which is commonly though of as not true. 

 Benefits to Multicultural Literature

• It provided enjoyment of quality literature that meets the criteria of literacy and artistic merit. 
• It presents information and knowledge about the historical and continuing contributions of the people of diverse cultures who live in the United States. 
• It connects children to the world by exposing them to diverse viewpoints other than the mainstream.
• It fosters awareness, appreciation, and understanding of people who are different from and similar to themselves. 
• It promotes critical inquiry into issues of equal representation of how people of diverse cultures are depicted in all books.

When children read multicultural books they are exposed to a different life of their own or able to relate with characters in a book, regardless the child is involved into the book. They are understanding what is going on or learning something from the first time. It also can open the eyes for many children that may come from a sheltered life. 

Top Ten Read Alouds: Diverse Perspectives in children's Literature

1. El Barrio by Debbie Chocolate by David Diaz (2009, Holt)
2. Faith by Maya Ajmera, Magda Nakassis (2006, Scholastic)
3. I Lost My Tooth in Africa by Penda Diakite (2006, Scholastic) 
4. Jazzy Miz Mzetta by Brenda Roberts (2004, Farrar, Stratus, and Giroux)
5. Only One Year by Andrea Cheng (2010, Lee & Low)
6. Poems to Dream Together/ Poemas Par Sonar Juntos by Francisco X (2005, Lee & Low)
7. Rickshaw Girl by Mitalo Perkins ( 2007, Charlesbridge)
8. Saltypie: A Choctaw Journey from Darkness into Light, by Tim Tingle (2010, Cinco Puntos Press)
9. Uncle Peter's Amazing Chines Wedding by Lenore Look (2006, Atheneum) 
10. We by Alice Schertle (2007, Lee & Low)

Reading by Children:Independent Reading and Writing and Literature Circles

Independent Reading

Preparing for independent reading a teacher or parent should understand the children's literacy personalities and evaluate the classroom library.Independent reading starts with a child being read to, they take what they know from watching someone read aloud to them into their own reading. everything from, speed, acknowledging new vocabulary, the emotion they read with and what they retain. For all parents out there remember that independent reading starts with reading aloud to your child.

Understanding a child's literacy personality can come from:

• observations of students during read/write aloud
•  shared reading and writing
• guided reading 
•  one on one conferences 
• Reading response journals

When one uses different ways to evaluate a child to find insight into what catches their eye and they will enjoy the most, it is important to remember everyone has different thoughts and ideas into choosing what they want to read. Not all students literacy personalities can be found through one way either, several tactics may have to be executed. Getting to know a student, along with their likes and dislikes are crucial for a teacher, for it becomes how a student learns best and their process of picking what to read. While not all children can deiced what to read on their own, that is where the parent or teacher comes into play to help a student find a book that is best suited for them.

A Classroom Library Should Include:

•  Your personal interests
• Your professional interests
• Course objectives 
• large range of students interests, preferences, and genres 

While most teachers starting out may not have a veyr extensive classroom library, one can use the help of grants and parents to extend the classroom library. For example have each student bring one book that they fancy and are willing to donate to the classroom. If a teacher does this every year, by year two she will already have fifty new books to her class. 

Should Be Organized:

• Reading levels
• Topics
• Authors
• Genres  

Having an organized classroom is always impratn but to have the books in a classroom organized as well is very important. For if a child just goes and grabs a book off the shelf that looks good, the book may be to easy for them with no challege or too hard and bring about a very frustrated reader. As we teachers know time is crucial as well in a classroom, and when students know what type of book they want to read or a specific author, it limits the time of searching for a book when the classroom library is well organized.

Self selecting a book can be difficult especially if the child is not a very good reader. Which can create a real challenge if they go to library without you, or are picking out a book with their parent. There are two methods educators use to help children pick out a book. They are called the Goldilock method and the five-finger method.

 

• To Hard: A book you would like to read, but you do not have strategies for figuring out unfamiliar words and/or unfamiliar concepts 
• Just Right: A book you are interested in and you have strategies to figure out most unfamiliar word and/or unfamiliar concepts.
• Too Easy: Books you like to read for fun books you've read before.

Top Ten Read Alounds: Reading by Children:Independent Reading and Writing and Literature Circles 

1. Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair by Patricia Polacco (1996, Philomel) 
2. Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton (2006, Delecorte) 
3. Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge ( 2006, HarperCollins) 
4. The House of Wisdom by Florence Parry Heide and J. Heide Gilliland (1999, Dorling Kindersley)
5. The Library Card by Jeff Spinelli (1997, Scholastic)
6. Please Bury Me in the Library by J.Patrick Lewis (2005, Gulliver)
7. Read and Rise by Sandra Pinkey (2006, Cartwheel Books)
8. Richard Wright and the Library Card by William Miller (1997, Lee &Low) 
9. Shelf Life:Stories by the Book by Gary Paulsen (2003, Simon & Schuster)
10. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (2003, Candlewick)