Literary Appreciation

WHAT IT IS:

Appreciating literary qualities includes recognizing and responding to writing by noting how imagery, figurative language, author's voice, genre, structure, etc., convey meaning.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO TEACH:

When students are thinking about the literary aspects of writing, they are using analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, the higher level thinking skills. Students develop their personal aesthetic response to writing.

Classroom practices that help to develop literary appreciation:

• Read aloud to children every day and across the curriculum. Read picture books, realistic fiction, biographies, poetry, historical fiction, traditional literature, modern fantasy and science fiction, mysteries, and informational books. Share your enjoyment of the stories. Talk about characteristics of these different kinds of literature.
• Read several stories about the same character, e.g. Clifford, Franklin, Arthur or Amelia Bedelia. Make a chart of the characteristics of a main character. Use this list to help the children anticipate what the character might be like in a new book.
• Read several versions of the same story, e.g. Cinderella or The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Talk about how the stories are the same and how the versions are different. Think about the role of illustrations in helping the stories come alive. Make a Venn diagram comparing two of the versions.
• Study all the writings of a particular author or illustrator. Help the children to appreciate that author/illustrator's style. Make a class book emulating the author's style.
• Support the meaning of the story during the book introduction. As you explore the book with the children in the guided reading group, call attention to any special features that may be helpful to them as readers, e.g. a glossary or captions under pictures in an informational book or the role of illustrations in a folktale.
• Create a play from a favorite story.
• Read poetry. Enjoy the sounds of the language. Discuss how the poet made the poem scary, funny, sad, etc. Think about the formatting of the poem.
• Provide a rich classroom library so the children can reread books read aloud, enjoy books of a favorite author, or explore a theme being studied.
• Establish book clubs or literature circles where the children can discuss stories.
• Read books from different genres. As books from a genre are read and discussed, talk with the children about the characteristics of the genre, how they are manifested in the books, and how knowing about the characteristics helps the reader to be a more critical reader.

  
  Primary Literacy Instruction
  Focus on Reading

Update September 25, 2000
Editor & Publisher: Jeff Sutherland jsutherland@madison.k12.wi.us
Language Arts Coordinator, Mary Watson-Peterson mwatsonpeter@madison.k12.wi.us
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Madison, Wisconsin 53703 USA
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