Children’s literature

Children’s literature

  September 17, 2018    Hole in the wall

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In this first post, I am going to introduce you Children's Literature. Very briefly, I will describe the main elements that make up this interesting topic. 

Children’s literature.
According to Kiefer and Tyson (2009), literature is “the imaginative shaping of life and thought into the form and structures of language” (p. 3). Hence, literature should be offered to the child as a way of enjoyment and fun. Children naturally enjoy reading and listening to stories that challenge their imagination. For this reason, parents and teachers should feed that curiosity and let them discover the world of literature. In addition, sharing literature with children provide personal and educational values that are crucial in the development of children. Among the personal values, the authors mention:

•  Imagination: literature allows children to discover new perspectives of facts and to create new possibilities. 
• Insight into human behavior: Children can be conscious of their own lives and other’s lives and problems through literature.
  
  
  
  Additionally, literature can also help in the development of educational values as the following:
  
   
• Learning to read: studies has shown that reading aloud to young children makes easier the process of reading. 
• Book language: through literature, children develop and extend their vocabulary. 
• Literature and writing: the relationship between reading and writing seems to be clear, children are influenced by the previous stories they have read or heard. 
• Critical thinking: literature allows children to make judgments and to be more creative, they usually decide the main idea and theme of the stories.
  
  It is important to mention that literature is not just a way of learning, it also provides enjoyment, fun, mental and personal development. Then, this project attempts to bring students closer to the literature world, realizing the impact that reading may have on children’s lives.
  

References:

• Kiefer, B. Tyson, C (2009) Charlotte Huck's Children's Literature: A Brief Guide. Children’s literature and Picture Books. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.