EVENING

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EDUCATION 465-4

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Children's Literature

SPRING SEMESTER 1995

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M. Zola

PREREQUISITE:

60 credit hours.

OBJECTIVES:

The course will introduce you to: a survey of the scope and selected aspects of literature

for children; the use of literature with children.

OUTLINE OF TOPICS:

The study of the scope and selected aspects of literature for children will exemplify a

variety of approaches, viz:

- the historical and cross-cultural approach (e.g. the examination of children's comics,

magazines and annuals throughout the English-speaking world during the last

century)

- the genre approach (e.g. the examination of oral tradition, myth, legend, fable, folk

and fairy tales, etc.)

- the theme and issue approaches (e.g. the exploration of such themes as the family,

friendship, school, etc., and of such issues as old age, death, war, etc.)

The use of literature with children will focus on ways of planning for learning

environments, and developing strategies, techniques and materials in the use of

children's literature in the school curriculum.

TYPICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The course will comprise of a broad range of experiences (lectures, seminars, discussion

groups, etc.) organized in such a way as to model a student-centered approach and to

maximize individualization of learning. The general requirements are as follows:

- Attendance and participation in all parts of the program.

- Completion of readings, completion of journal, completion of assignments.

- Demonstration of competency in the fulfillment of a selection of assignments.

- The purpose of the assignments, of which only a selection is required, is to initiate

you into some of the roles, processes, and activities that a teacher of literature

engages in, namely:

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P.T.O.

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* Reading - you will read, study, and annotate a broad range of children's

literature according to criteria determined by your personal and professional

needs and interests.

* Communicating - you will engage in a variety of experiences in communicating

literature with your peers or with children (e.g. storytelling, reading aloud,

reader's theatre, improvisation, etc.) with or without accompanying media and

visual aids as appropriate.

* Creating - you will create an original work (e.g. a picture book, a concept book,

an ABC, a collection of verse, a short story, a play, a factual book, etc.) with or

without accompanying illustrations.

* Teaching - you will plan and prepare a teaching unit focusing on a genre, a

theme, an issue, an author or a book.

REQUIRED TEXT:

Barton, Bob.

Tell

Me Another.

Pembroke, 1987.

Chambers, A.

The Reading Environment.

Thimble Press, U.K.

Sinclaire, Carollyne.

Looking for Home: A Phenomenological Study.

SUNY State University:

New York.

Trelease,

J.

The Read-Aloud Handbook.

Penguin, 1979, Rev.

Yolen, Jane.

Touch Magic: Fantasy, Fairies & Folklore.

Philomel, Putnam, Publishers.

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Centre for Distance EducaS

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Simon Fraser University

EDUCATION 465-4

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

The two main purposes of this course are:

1.

To introduce you to a small representative sample of the range of literature

available to children today and to give you an opportunity to explore and

understand children's literature in greater depth, e.g. children's traditional

literature, folk and fairy tale.

2.

To introduce you to ways of bringing children and books together through

such strategies as: reading aloud, and other simple forms of presenting

literature; storytelling and dramatic presentation; setting up and running

independent reading programs.

PREREQUISITE: 60 credit hours.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Barton, Bob.

Tell Me Another.

Pembroke, 1986.

Betteiheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of

Fairy Tales.

Vintage, 1989.

Butler, Dorothy.

Cushla and Her Books.

Penguin, 1987.

Chambers, A.

The Reading Environment.

Thimble Press, 1991.

Landsberg, M. Michele Landsberg's Guide to Children's Books.

(2nd ed.)

Penguin Books, 1991.

Trelease, Jim. The New Read-Aloud Handbook, 2nd edition.

Penguin Handbooks,

1989.

OPTIONAL

1EX1'

Yolen, Jane.

Touch Magic: Fantasy, Faerie & Folklore.

Putnam Pub., 1981.

COURSE REQUJREMENI'S:

To complement your professional readings in the Study Guide and the texts,

you will be required to:

read and annotate a broad range of children's books, according to course

guidelines and in the light of your needs and interests.

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engage in a variety of practical experiences with children; e.g., reading aloud,

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storytelling, book talks and discussions.

There are four assignment submissions each worth 25% of the final grade.

03/15/94