A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Enjoy and Interpret Picture Books in a Child-Centered Way
Authors: Juli-Anna Aerila, Marja-Leena Rönkkö
Publisher: International Reading Association
Publication year: 2015
Journal: Reading Teacher
Volume: 68
Issue: 5
First page : 349
Last page: 356
Number of pages: 8
ISSN: 0034-0561
eISSN: 1936-2714
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1313
Literature supports children's literacy growth in many ways. It helps children extend their understanding and clarify different situations in their lives, recognize and deal with feelings, and be more empathetic. Hands-on activities based on stories support children in giving shape to their thoughts. These creative activities not only empower the children but also help teachers understand children's interpretations of literature better and build further on themes for discussions of literature. This article describes an instructional approach with a series of activities (stories, drawing, crafts and discussions) integrated with picturebooks. The activating methods can be used in classrooms to revitalize literature discussions while engaging different senses of all learners. This article gives teachers ready-made materials for use in early childhood education.