NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

COURSE CODE:PRD 433

COURSE TITLE:CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

COURSE
GUIDE

PRD 433
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Course Developer/Writer Mrs. Obi, C. Rebecca

Abia State University
Uturu

Programme Leader Dr. Ayanniyi Alhassan

National Open University of Nigeria

Course Coordinator Dr. U.S. Osuji

National Open University of Nigeria

NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

National Open University of Nigeria

Headquarters
14/16 Ahmadu Bello Way
Victoria Island
Lagos

Abuja Office
5, Dar Es Salaam Street
Off Aminu Kano Crescent
Wuse II, Abuja
Nigeria.

e-mail: centralinfo@nou.edu.ng
URL: www.nou.edu.ng

Published by
National Open University of Nigeria

Printed 2009

ISBN: 978-058-247-9

All Rights Reserved

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

CONTENTS PAGE

Introduction…………………………………………………..…… 1
Course Aims…………………………………………………….... 1
Course Objectives……………………………………………..….. 1
Working through the Course………………………………….….. 1
The Course Material…………………………………………..….. 2
Study Units……………………………………………….…….… 2
Text Books and References………………………………….…… 3
Assessment…………………………………………………..…… 3
Tutor-Marked Assignment…………………………………….… 4
Final Examination and Grading ………………………………… 4
Summary...…………………………………………………….… 4

Introduction

In this course, we shall discuss a very interesting topic, children's

literature. As a concept, children's literature is literature about children.
It refers mainly to novels, stories, poetry, rhymes, folk tales, and books
exclusively created for and addressed to infants, toddlers, and the young
people as the target audience. Children's literature as a class activity,
rather than primarily as individual reading offers the child enjoyment. It
extends the child's experience and knowledge. It aids the child's reading
ability and his use of language. It also stimulates the child's imagination.
As teachers, you should give children literature that would please them,
stimulate their imagination and build up their sensitivity and perceptive
powers to be responsive to the demands of their cultural environment.
You must decide what is appropriate for your class at any particular
time.

Course Aims

This Course Guide aims at providing you with the awareness of what
this course-Children's Literature, is all about. The course provides you
an understanding of the basic concepts, the value of children's literature,
the characteristics, types of children’s literature and the criteria for
choosing literature for children. The course will also teach you about as
guide helper and clarifier as you decide appropriate children's literature
for your class.

Course Objectives

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• explain the meaning of children's literature

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

• identify and discuss varieties of children's literature

• identify and explain the educational values of children's literature
• identify and explain the criteria for selection of children’s literature
• identify and discuss the role of the teacher in teaching children's
literature.

Working through the Course

First, before you start studying this course, keep ready on your table a
good dictionary, an exercise book for answering your self assessment
questions and assignments, a pen and pencil. You should look up
unfamiliar words in your dictionary.

Second, study the course, unit by unit. You would be required to spend a
lot of time to read through the units to get the best result out of studying
this course. You should also read, and note the very important ideas in
each unit. Try and observe all the rules stated. Attempt all the self
assessment activities given in each unit. Carry out all the tutor marked
assignments only after you have understood the entire unit.

Third, you are advised to avail yourself of he opportunity of attending

the tutorial sessions where you would have the opportunity of sharing
and comparing your knowledge with your peers. You should participate
actively in all discussions during your tutorials to achieve effective
learning.

The Course Material

You will be provided with the following materials:

• Course Guide
• study units

In addition, valuable textbooks which are not compulsory for you to buy
or read are recommended and listed as supplementary to this course
material.

Study Units

The following are the study units contained in this course.

Module 1 Basic Concepts of Children's Literature

Unit 1 The Concept of Literature and Children's Literature

Unit 2 Kinds of Children’s Literature
Unit 3 The Characteristics and Needs of Children's Development

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Unit 4 The Role of Children's Literature in children's

Development
Unit 5 Characteristics of Children's Literature

Module 2 Essential Factors in Developing Children's Reading

Skills

Unit 1 Reading Skill Readiness

Unit 2 Developing Reading Interest and Skills in Children
Unit 3 Purposes and Types of Reading
Unit 4 Library Use Skill

Module 3 Presenting Children's Literature

Unit 1 Strategies of Teaching Children’s Literature

Unit 2 Important Considerations in Planning and Literature
Lesson
Unit 3 Criteria for Selecting Children’s Literature
Unit 4 The Teachers Sanctions in Preparing Literature Lesson

The first module discusses the basic concepts of children's literature. It

further introduces you to the characteristics, values of children's
literature. The second module introduces the skills children need for the
successful reading of literature in school. It further describes how the
skill of creative reading and reading in the content areas could be
acquired to help children in effective literature reading.

This module also attempts to explain the skill of library use and how it is
very essential for successful literature reading by children.

In the last module of this course, you will learn the role of the teacher in
selecting and presenting children's literature. You will be exposed to the
aspects of Nigerian children's literature through some realistic fiction.

Text Books and References

More recent editions of these books are recommended for further

reading.

Alan Davies (1973). Literature for Children. Oxford: The Open

University Press.

Chidi Ikonne, Emilia Oko, Peter Onwudinjo (1992). Children and

Literature in Africa. Calabar: Heinemann Educational Book
(Nigeria) Plc.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Moody, H.L.B. (1971). The Teaching of Literature in Developing

Countries. London: Group Ltd.

Assessment

There are two components of assessment for this course. The Tutor-
Marked Assignment (TMA) and the end of course Examination.

Tutor-Marked Assignment

The TMA is the continuous assessment component of your course. It

accounts for 30% of the total score. You will be given 3 TMA's to do
before you are allowed to sit for the end of course examination. The
TMAs would be given to you by your facilitator and returned after you
have done the assignment.

Final Examination and Grading

This examination concludes the assessment for the course. It constitutes

70% of the whole course. You will be informed of the time for the
examination. It mayor not coincide with the university semester
examination.

Summary

This course intends to provide you with some underlying knowledge of

children's literature. By the time you complete studying this course you
will be able to answer the following types of questions:

What is the meaning of children's literature?

Why is it important that children should read literature in school? Can a

child in your class be his own judge of what to read? How much help,
guidance, censorship, does a child need in choosing books to read?
What are the comics that you have read and what have you got out of
them? In what ways do you think that comics have a part to play in
developing reading skills? Discuss the steps you will undergo to
stimulate readiness and willingness for every student in the class to read
literature.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Discuss the elements you may consider necessary and suitable for
teaching your class children the study of novel and the study of drama.
How would you locate a book written by Atilude William in the library?
How would you find a book you need on the origin of the Nupe people
in the library? You are entering the library for the first time to look for
books to read in your subject area. What is your best approach?

We wish you success in this course. In particular, we hope you will be

able to appreciate the importance of children's literature and the teacher's
role as a guide, helper and clarifier to maximize value from children's
literature.

We hope you enjoy the course.

Best wishes.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Course Code PRD 433

Course Title Children’s Literature

Course Developer/Writer Mrs. Obi, C. Rebecca

Abia State University
Uturu

Programme Leader Dr. Ayanniyi Alhassan

National Open University of Nigeria

Course Coordinator Dr. U.S. Osuji

National Open University of Nigeria

NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

National Open University of Nigeria

Headquarters
14/16 Ahmadu Bello Way
Victoria Island
Lagos

Abuja Office
5, Dar Es Salaam Street
Off Aminu Kano Crescent
Wuse II, Abuja
Nigeria.

e-mail: centralinfo@nou.edu.ng
URL: www.nou.edu.ng

Published by
National Open University of Nigeria

Printed 2009

ISBN: 978-058-247-9

All Rights Reserved

x
PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

CONTENTS PAGE

Module 1 Basic Concepts of Children's Literature……… 1

Unit 1 The Concept of Literature and Children's Literature 1

Unit 2 Kinds of Children’s Literature……………………. 6
Unit 3 The Characteristics and Needs of Children's
Development ……………………………………… 13
Unit 4 The Role of Children's Literature in Children's
Development ……………………………………… 20
Unit 5 Characteristics of Children's Literature……………. 25

Module 2 Essential Factors in Developing Children's

Reading Skills…………………………………… 31

Unit 1 Reading Skill Readiness………………………….. 31

Unit 2 Developing Reading Interest and Skills in Children 37
Unit 3 Purposes and Types of Reading…………………... 42
Unit 4 Library Use Skill………………………………….. 50

Module 3 Presenting Children's Literature………………. 59

Unit 1 Strategies of Teaching Children’s Literature……... 59

Unit 2 Important Considerations in Planning and Literature
Lesson……………………………………………... 63
Unit 3 Criteria for Selecting Children’s Literature ………… 68
Unit 4 The Teachers Sanctions in Preparing Literature
Lesson………………………………………………. 73

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MODULE 1 BASIC CONCEPTS OF CHILDREN'S

LITERATURE

Unit 1 The Concept of Literature and Children's Literature

Unit 2 Kinds of Children’s Literature
Unit 3 The Characteristics and Needs of Children's Development
Unit 4 The Role of Children's Literature in Children's
Development
Unit 5 Characteristics of Children's Literature

UNIT 1 THE CONCEPT OF LITERATURE AND

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objectives
3.0 Main Content
3.1 Definition of Literature
3.2 Definition of Children's Literature
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment
7.0 References/Further Readings

1.0 INTRODUCTION

In this unit, we are going to examine the meaning of the term literature
and children literature.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

• define and explain the meaning of literature

• explain the meaning of children's literature.

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Definition of Literature

The word literature is an umbrella term which covers a number of

different kinds of activity and this suggests that there are many
definitions of literature. At its widest, literature refers to all writings

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

relating to a matter in hand. For example, all writings on the entry

requirements to National Open University of Nigeria mean all the
literature on matters relating to entry requirements to National Open
University of Nigeria. At its narrowest, literature refers to a special kind
of writing of a country like Nigerian literature or French literature.
Literature here could also refer to a special kind of writing of a period
such as 18th century English literature or after the civil war, Nigerian
literature.

Literature refers also to the study of books, etc. valued as works of art eg
drama prose poetry, it refers, too, to books dealing with special subjects
like travel literature or the literature of poultry-farming. Literature
includes not only novels, but also certain stories, letters, biographies,
history, and example is Caesar’s conquest of Gaul. There is also
literature travels example travels on a donkey. Science example is,
Darwin’s “The voyage of the ‘Beagle’”. Literature also includes the oral
tradition, the legends, myths and sages from classical times right
through to the fold tales of non-literate societies e.g Brer Rabbit, Anansi,
stories, and the reworking of local folk tales by the Nigerian writer,
Amos Tutuola. Literature further includes our own living tradition of
children's games, songs and stories as in the Lore and Language of
school children by Peter and Lona Opia (1959).

You will see clearly that from these definitions and explanations the
word literature is used very widely and loosely. One way you will
distinguish literature from history is by method and language of the
artist. Literature is an art; literature is literature not because of what it is
writing about but because of the artistic point of view, the artist’s
transformation of ideas and notions.

It is worth noting that the word literature can be found in a number of

different kinds of statements and human activities. We can talk of
literature as something associated with, a characteristic of a particular
nation or people or groups of people; for example, Arabic literature,
American literature, African literature, Nigerian literature and so on.
You are to note that in such cases literature obviously has some kind of
collective significance, transcending the particular individuals who
produce and consume it. Then again we can talk of the literature of a
particular historical period or movement, which may often be found in a
number of different cultures; for example, Renaissance (French)
literature, Romantic literature, Colonial literature, the literature of
independent Africa, and so on.

In a rather different way, we can talk of the literature of a particular

subject or topic, examples are the literature of ship-building, literature of
linguistics, and the literature of child development. In this sense, of

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

course, literature means everything of significance that has ever been

written about that subject. We can also talk of literature as a school
subject on the school time table as a part of the school curriculum,
distinctly different from Economics, Mathematics or Chemistry.

From the above definitions, literature often refers to a subject of study, a

form of training or written work. In all these forms, the raw material of
literature is language either written or spoken. We can even say that
literature is language. It consists of certain rather specialized forms,
selections and collections of language. By language, we mean, those
distinctive speech sounds which are used in various kinds of systematic
pattern to communicate all necessary messages.

My Language, of course is based on forms of speech, but most.

Languages have developed systems for recording language in more
permanent, written forms. Now, language as a means of social
communication and control is used countless times each day for
greetings, enquiries, instructions, information, news, reports, proposals,
contracts and so on. Anyone who is concerned with literature is also
concerned with language because literature is constructed out of
language. It is with language that literary writers present their views to
the reader with one or two emphasis. The first emphasis is on his
experience and other people's experience, in which case the reader adds
something to his store of knowledge about the world; an extreme
example of this might be Daniel Dafoe’s ‘A journal of the plague year’.
The second emphasis is on the experience in such a way as to help the
reader learn something more about himself as a human being; an
extreme example here might be Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway. You
will note that we cannot learn more about ourselves in literature except
through someone else's experience which in itself enlarges our
knowledge about the world; and we cannot learn more about the world
without learning a little about humanity and therefore ourselves.
Language is the raw material with which literary writers articulate their
artistic point of view as a means of furthering experience of the world
and as a means of finding out more about oneself. This is the reason
literature is defined as language.

The two criteria are as follows; the first is whether the heroes are
children to teenagers.

The second is whether the theme, that is the ideas, relationships and
language are simple of complex. Literature is literature for children if
the heroes are children and the theme is simple and not complex.

Thirdly, when they teach moral lessens with a view to entrenching the
values of the society in them.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

3.2 Definition of Children’s Literature

Children's literature as a concept is defined as literature exclusively

about children. Children's literature refers mainly to stories, poetry,
rhymes, folk tales, drama, exclusively created for children such as
infants, toddlers and the young people as target audience.

Children’s literature which is exclusively written for children seems to

rest on three criteria: the first is whether the heroes are children or
teenagers, the second is whether the theme, that is the ideas,
relationships and language, are simple or complex. Simplicity of theme
is therefore the over-riding criterion that determines and defines
literature as children's literature. Literature is literature for children if the
ideas, relationship and language are simple. However, literature is not
children's literature if the ideas, relationship and language are found too
complex whether oral or written. For example, a classic literature like
Gulliver's Travels is admitted into children's literature because of
simplicity of its ideas, relationship and language. But the turn of the
screw or Lolila, let us say, would not be admitted as children's literature
because the ideas, relationship and language otherwise called the theme
are complex. Thirdly, children’s literature is often aimed at teaching
moral lessons.

4.0 CONCLUSION

Literature has been variously defined and explained in this Unit.

Generally, literature refers to writings relating to a matter in hand.
Specifically, literature refers to something associated with a particular
nation for example Arabic literature, Nigerian literature, literature also
refers to a particular historical period, for example colonial literature.
We have also literature of a particular subject or topic; for example
literature of ship-building. We also have literature as a subject studied in
school distinctly different from other subject like Economics and
Mathematics. Thus, literature could mean a subject of study, a form of
work or of training. The raw material of literature is language hence
literature is language. We also have literature for children or children's
literature. It means literature exclusively written about children for
children. It refers. to novels, books, stories, poetry, folk tales, prose
Fiction and Drama specially created for children as the target audience.
Its themes, i.e ideas, relationship and language are simple and not
complex, and the heroes are children.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

5.0 SUMMARY

In this unit, you have learnt that literature generally refers to anything
written relating to a matter in hand. Specifically, literature refers to
writings associated with a particular subject or topic for example
children’s literature.

Children's literature refers to literature exclusively for children. It refers

to Stories, Poetry, Rhymes, Folk tales, Drama to mention but these
specially created for children as target audience. The criteria that define
literature as children's literature are that: first the heroes are children and
two the theme comprising the ideas, relationship and language are
simple and not complex. Finally, they aim at teaching moral lessons.

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

1. What is literature?
2. What is children's literature?

7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS

Ian Davis (1973). Literature for Children. Oxford: The Open University
Press.

Chidi Ikonne, et al (1992). (eds) Children and Literature in Africa.

Calabar. Heinemann Educational Books (Nigeria), Plc.

Moody, H.L.B. (1971). The Teaching of Literature in Developing

Countries. London: Group Ltd.

Hindle, Alan (1971). The Literature under the Desk; Some exploratory
Notes on a College of Education Course. 5. (1), 46.

Zimet, Sara and Blom, Gaston, E. (1972). Recommendations in Sera G.

Zimet (ed.). What Children Read in School. New York: Grune
and Stratton.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

UNIT 2 KINDS OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objectives
3.0 Main Content
3.1 Kinds of Children's Literature
3.2 Short Stories
3.3 Folk tales
3.4 Myths and Legends
3.5 Novel
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment
7.0 References/Further Readings

1.0 INTRODUCTION

In unit 1 we discuss the meaning of the concepts of literature and

children's literature. In that unit/we defined literature as an umbrella
term which covers a number of different kinds of activity. Suggesting
that there are many definitions of literature one of such definitions sees
literature as something associated with a particular subject or topic;
examples are literature of linguistics, and children's literature. We also
defined literature as a school subject studied as a part of school
curriculum distinctly different from other school subjects like
mathematics, Economics, History and so on. In this connection sense of
course literature is sub-divided into various sub-categories like Poetry,
Fiction, Drama, Satire, Tragedy and so on.

In that unit too, we defined children's literature as literature about

children. It refers to Novels, Stories, Poetry, Fiction, Drama, Satire,
Tragedy, folk tales and so on exclusively created for children such as
infants, toddlers and teenagers as target audience.

In this unit, we shall discuss the various kinds of children’s literature

like; the Novels, Drama, Poetry, Folk tales, Myths and Legends, and real
life situations.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

• identify the different kinds of children's literature

• describe the three types of children's literature.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Kinds of Children's Literature

There are many kinds of children's literature; examples are short novels,
poetry, Drama, Folk tales, myths and legends and real life situations to
mention but a few

3.2 Short Stories

A short story is a kind of children’s literature. Story here means account

of past events or account of imaginary events. Short stories may be
found in special collection but may appear from time to time in
periodicals. Since they are short, stories of this kind are usually
somewhat restricted in their scope, number of characters, etc. Short
stories have the great practical advantage of being more manageable. A
story can often be read to a class at a single sitting or studied as a single
assignment whether in or out of classroom. The short story, also be
experienced simultaneously by the whole class, which often makes
discussion easier and invites comparison and imitation. To the child
reading means listening to stories acted as well as reading by oneself.

You will note that whenever we talk of children's literature we are

thinking of children in Elementary/Primary schools within the age range
of 6-14 years as well as those in junior secondary schools. The range of
what stories to write and the themes are limitless. Children love school
stories, family stories, stories' of adventure which are meant to entertain
and amuse, instruct, teach morals, history, geography and problems
solving. Children's stories are about what people do, why they do it and
what results from the doing and not what people think about what they
do for thought processes are generally a bore to the young.

Children too like familiar stories about animals, toys, pets, parents,
grandparents. Children also like themselves who get cross, play, play up,
get up, go shopping; and who are fed and scolded, loved, taken out and
put to bed. Children up to the age of four or time like stories of the
familiar. Indeed, at some stage, children love the made up story that is
obviously about themselves and their own recent activities. From this
delight in the familiar, children move on to the kind of story which
opens up in their familiar world a wider range of possibilities than they
normally exploit. Children too, like stories of actual children whose
behaviour is somewhat unconventional, and who break the rules or are
just unable to cope with them, who get into trouble, challenge authority,
and triumph over people who are bigger or older than themselves. My
Naughty little sister is an example of the kind of story book that bridges
the gap between the familiar world of the average child and the

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

unconventionally familiar world of little people such as Peter Rabbit,

little O and the urchin. Stories within this range of experience, and at
this level of simplicity, will continue to appeal to children at least up to
the age of eight.

3.3 Folk Tales

Folk tales refer to popular stories handed down orally from past
generation. Folk tales give children a sense of security as they find that
they belong to the life of the different environments that they have to
adapt to. Parents tell children these folk stories at home, and then when
they go to school, the teacher tells them too. The children go to a new
class and the stories are repeated or read or at least talked about. If the
stories should feature in the life of the first year of their junior school,
they will ease children's transfer from the infants and develop
confidence between them and the new teacher.

The child's first experience of the story will be through an adult who
tells or reads and shows him pictures. Later he will find himself able to
join in parts of the story, to tell parts or all of it himself, perhaps to act it
or write about it; and often the greatest thrill comes when he finds that
he can read the story for himself in his own book. The story of how the
child comes to posses a traditional tale through, perhaps, three years of
nursery and infant days may well reflect the history of his whole
development as a person during that time.

Children's tastes may move from the very simple rustic tale like ‘Jack
and the Boan stalk' to the more literary work of Walter de la Mare,
Oscar Wilde and Arabian Nights. Folktales like grants, monsters and
wicked step mothers for example, can become the source of a rather
stereotyped vicarious horror, while a story like 'Beauty and the Beast’,
which presents the horror figure ambivalently, can start a much needed
vein of new sympathy. Between the ages of eight/nine and eleven years,
allegorical stories of the type of pilgrim's progress, kind of the Golden
River, and The soldier and Death -often tales of moral struggle,
following the structure of an arduous journey -can take hold on the
imagination of children.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

Explain folktales as children's Literature.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

3.4 Myths and Legends

Myths mean person or thing, etc that is imaginary, fictions or invented.

It refers to unreal story, handed down from olden times, especially
concepts or beliefs about the early history of a race, explanations of
natural events, such as the seasons.

A mythical story is usually an illustration of the origins of life and death

and the fundamental pattern of nature. The stories of Persephone,
Prometheus and Loki, for example, are metical. Persephone was the
daughter of zeus, who allowed her to spend six months of the year on
earth and six months in the underworld, a symbol of the buying of the
seed in the ground and the growth of the corn. Prometheus made
mankind out of clay and when zeus in his anger deprived them of fire,
Prometheus stole fire from heaven for them and taught them many arts.
If myths embody beliefs about life and the nature of mankind, then
legends usually tell of the shaping of a nation through the exploits of its
heroes. Legends are often quasi-historical and their characters, their
actions and the environment in which they live and struggle are fully
realized. The action is rooted in recognizable human behaviour,
although this may be transcended from time the time by magic and
superhuman powers.

Myths are more abstract than most kinds of stories that the child will
meet. Their characters tend to be more unworldly, and the action is often
less firmly rooted in the circumstances of a particular environment. For
this reason they may seem remote from the child, but they will appeal to
some children at a level beyond concrete understanding and are well
worth telling to any age group.

The dividing line between myth and legend is blurred for two main
reasons. First, both kinds of stories express reflect and communicate a
picture of the human condition held more or less in common in the
minds of men. Second, myths pervade all language and literature,
including legend. In other words, many stories will have a mythological
centre, or their heroes will give rise to a myth, the embodiment of a
system of values and attitudes to life. For example, Ulysses becomes an
archetypal figure giving rise to the myth of cunning, man's
resourcefulness and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Legendary stories as those of Robin Hood can be told, suitably scaled to

junior school children of any age, but they can normally be explored
more successfully in the sustained and coherent way that makes for
deepening understanding, with children between the ages of nine and
twelve. Legends will provide children with endless material for their
own creative work.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

3.5 Novel

The novel is a kind of children's literature. It is a story in prose, long

enough to fill one or more volumes, about either imaginary or historical
people. The Novels by Dickens are examples Novels tend to have fairly
complex structures, in which some or other of the following element can
be recognized:

• setting,
• characters,
• plot,
• narrative,
• techniques and
• language.

Setting means the geographical, historical, social and political

environment or background in which the story is set. The setting of a
novel may be unchanged throughout; in many works, however, there
may be deliberate contrasts between two or more types of backgrounds.
Example could be between life in the urban big city and life in the rural
areas as in Cyprian Ekwensi’s Jagua Nana.

Character refers to an individual who takes part i.e as a dramatis

persona. Character also refers to indications of special notable qualities,
or characteristics of particular individuals. An important part of the
reading of any novel is the attempt to determine the valuation which the
author has placed upon each character, remembering that it will not be
always an absolute clear-cut distinction between bad and good. Very
often, it is important to follow the author's explanation of what makes
his character what they are:

The interpretation of a character in a novel can be a valuable exercise in

the collection and interpretation of evidence. Students should learn to
give consideration to the following in interpreting a character:

(1) What the author himself tells us.

(2) What a character himself says or does.
(3) What other characters say about each other.
(4) What a character is represented as thinking, feeling, doing or
Refraining from doing.

It may be useful to observe certain kinds of grouping or patterning

amongst characters or types of characters. Always, of course, the reader
will be bounded by what the author has put into the book and
represented in the words used. Sometimes, it is quite difficult to
remember that characters have no independent existence out side the

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

book. If the reader fails to remember this, his interpretation can easily
become distorted by his personal views.

Plot

This is the stay line. The order in which the stories narrated the
Narrative Technique is therefore concerned with how we learn what
happens for example events normally follow each other in some
chronological sequence.

Language

Language is the raw materials for writing novels. In some cases, authors
maintain a uniform style throughout. In other cases, authors modify the
language they employ, whether in direct speech or narrative, to reflect
the thoughts and feelings of particular character at particular moments.

Themes

The culmination of the study of a novel will be to recognize and express,

in terms which indicate that we have genuinely grasped the underlying
themes which it may embody. Sometime, the themes may be obvious, as
for example, in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart that there is an
inevitable conflict between old and new in a changing society.
Sometimes the themes may not always be easy to identify. Themes of a
novel should be given to the children by the teacher. Children must be
allowed to grow into consciousness, as a result of their experience of
living through the novel assisted by useful discussion. The children must
be seen to grasp relatively simple concepts, as of character, plot, cause
and effect, before going on to more high-level abstractions.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

Explain the Novel as children1iterature

4.0 CONCLUSION

There are many kinds of children's literature. These include: short

stories, folk tales, myths and legends.

5.0 SUMMARY

In this unit, we have discussed kinds of children's literature. Which

Include short stories, folk tales, myths and legends, and Novels?

11
PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

Folk Tales refer to popular stories handed down orally from past
generations. They give children a sense of security as they find that they
belong to the life of the different environments that they have to adapt
to. Parents and teachers tell children these stories at home and in the
school. The child's first experience of the story will be through an adult
who tells or reads and shows him pictures. Later he will find himself
able to join parts of the story, to tell parts or all of it himself, perhaps to
act it or write about it, and often the greatest thrill comes when he finds
that he can read the story for himself in his own book.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

A Novel is a kind of children's literature. It is a story in prose, long

enough to fill one or more volumes, about either historical people or
imaging. Novels tend to have fairly complex structures. The following
elements of a novel which can be recognized include; setting, characters,
plot, language and themes.

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

Name three kinds of children's literature and describe one of them.

7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS

Alan Davies (1973). Literature for Children. Oxford: The Open

University Press.

Chinua Achebe (1986). “What has Literature got to do with it? National
Merit Award Winner's Lecture ANA REVIEW VOL. 2 P.W.

Achebe, Chinua (1966). Chike and the River. Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

UNIT 3 THE CHARACTERISTICS AND NEEDS OF

CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT

CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objectives
3.0 Main Content
3.1 Characteristics of Children's Development
3.2 The Needs of Children
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment
7.0 References/Further Readings

1.0 INTRODUCTION

In unit 2, we discussed kinds of children's literature. You gathered that

children's literature is different from adult’s literature because children
have distinct needs and characteristics. You may be curious to know
those children's characteristics and needs which distinguish~ children's
literature from adult literature.

In this unit, we shall discuss the characteristics and needs of children,

and the importance of children's literature in meeting the needs.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

• describe characteristics of children's development

• identify and explain the various needs of children
• discuss various ways children's literature satisfies the needs of
children.

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Definition of Children and Their Developmental

Characteristics

Generally, the term ‘children’ has been defined by the United Nations
Organization as people under the age of 18 years.

Considering the psycho-biological changes that take place in children,

their developmental stages are as follows:

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

When a baby is born, after a short time (about 0-6 months) the mother
trains the baby to sit. She continues to do this until the baby is able to sit
alone without help. No sooner has the baby learnt to sit than he starts to
creep around the floor. From creeping, the baby, with time, starts to hold
things around and practice standing with the help of the objects. By the
end of the 12 months, the baby can stand and walk around in the room.
When the baby continues to perform these tasks we say that he is
developing. The baby develops physically, intellectually, socially,
emotionally and in other dimension. The periods of development could
be: (0-3) years infancy period, (3-5) years early childhood (6 -11) years
middle and late childhood (12-18) years adolescence period.

We shall group all in these categories simply, as children. During these

periods, children's development exhibits certain characteristics as
follows:

(1) Under physical developmental characteristics, growth in physical

dimension during infancy (birth to 2 years) is very rapid to enable
the child acquire some measure of individual capabilities.
However, in early childhood period (3-5 years) of age, growth
changes and slows down and never accelerates as in infancy. At
early childhood stage, the child begins to assume the body
proportions of an adult. He grows in size and weight. The larger
muscles and brain also develop. The child also develops a variety
of motor skills such as self-feeding, self dressing, bathing,
brushing the hair, playing with toys, jumping, hopping and
holding pencil normally.

(2) The intellectual developmental characteristics manifest in the

following:

• Verbal component i.e understanding and use of words

• Numerical component -working with numbers
• Spatial component seeing and manipulating figures and space.
• Social components -reasoning with problems in human relationships
• Mechanical component -working with objects.

According to Piaget, intellectual development progresses in four stages

namely:

• Sensory motor stage (0-2 years)

• Pre-operational stage (2-7 years)
• Concrete operational stage (7-11 years)
• The formal operations (11-18 years)
The early childhood period (3 – 5) years fall within the pre-operational
period of development characterized by rapid development of language

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

ability and of the ability to represent things symbolically. This is called

symbolic function. For example, children at this age would represent a
car with a steering movement. Symbolic representation of this nature is
called 'signifies' understood only by the child. This is the reason adults
have difficulty in communicating with the early childhood school
children. This explains the frustration on the part of the children
expressed with various outburst of anger which adults see as naughty
behaviour of children. For example, a 3-years old child represents a
concept in his mind with a bottle top and he as~ the mother to call its
name. The mother may call if bottle top which may be different from the
concept the child had in mind, the child may become annoyed and throw
himself to the ground and start crying. This shows that children at this
stage, represent the world in ways different from how adults represent it.

At this stage too, children are egocentric, that is, whatever the child has
like biscuit or cake must be his and his alone. At this stage too, children
are strongly attracted to physical properties of tasks and problems,
colour, size and arrangements are the good examples. Children at this
stage, tend to focus attention on just one single object or on a particular
problem or feature that attract him most. The child’s actions are based
on trial-and-error process. Representation of reality is distorted.
Problem-solving skills are at its rudimentary stage. Conservation ability
is absent. The child also lacks operational reversibility in thought and
action. The child does not think forward and backward.

(3) Social developmental characteristics indicate that the child is

born in a social environment where his personality development
is shaped.

The other characteristics are that:

• feeling of autonomy develops in children. And they begin to explore

their environment independently.
• children of both sexes play together without any discrimination.

They actively participate in group games in which physical energy is

used; example is hide and seek game. They learn to co-operate with
others and make friends on shared interests and similar personality
traits.

The child seeks social approval of his actions:

(4) Emotional development characteristics of children are various.

• The emotional expressions in children are intense, irrespective of the

intensity of the stimulus.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

• Emotions are frequent and are expressed in relation to the concrete

objects.
• Emotions are temporary. It means a child shifts very rapidly. For
example, a child of 3 years who is weeping, if given a biscuit will
stop crying and become happy.
• Children fail to hide their emotions but express them indirectly
through different activities such as crying, nail biting, thumb-sucking
and speech difficulties.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

Outline the developmental characteristics of children and explain one.

3.2 The Needs of Children

Children in general have their basic needs as growing individuals. Needs

here are necessities which must be satisfied for the continued survival of
the child. Children's needs tend to be physiological and psychological.
We shall now discuss these two major categories of children's needs.

The following are the physiological needs of children:

1. Need for food: Children need food for nourishment to grow and
develop normally. Children who are not properly fed but are sent
to school gain very little from the activities undertaken in the
school. They are often restless and very irritable. Children need
balanced feeding for growth and development and to become
effective in their learning at .school.

2. The need for activity, quiet time and rest. Children need plenty of
activities, thereafter they need enough hours of sleep and rest.
3. Need for elimination of body waste.
4. Children need good health habits and conducive home, school
and social environment and sound information about sex
differences.

The other needs of children are psychological. Examples are:

1. The need for affection: This refers to children's need to receive

love from those around them -such as parents, siblings, age-
mates, school mates, and teachers. Children tend to show love to
those who love them and show hatred to those they feel to be
their enemies. Children like to experience love demonstrated in
parental and teacher actions through companionship,
conversation, playing, answering their questions and involvement

16
PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

in household chores like dish washing, emptying waste bins,

reading with them and taking them out on trips.

2. The need for belonging. Children need to be reassured that they

belong to the group. They get this reassurance why they notice
that people around them need them and their services. Children
need to feel that they are accepted as members of a group.
Ridicule by adults around them can make them feel unacceptable.

3. The need to achieve and be recognized. Children have the natural

urge to achieve and be recognized as they achieve. Children
should be praised for very little effort exhibited to achieve.

4. The need for independence: Children need independence. They

reject adults meddling with their business. Parents and teachers
should encourage the children to tackle appropriate tasks when
there is no danger or physical injury involved in the task
performance.

5. The need for status: Here as children grow they develop

individually the concept of self-identity. With the development of
self-identity, every home the child needs the recognition of
parents. On the play ground he recognition from his teacher. Any
child who is denied this need of recognition and status may begin
to seek other ways for its gratification.

Generally, the child may resort to anti-social activities like bullying or

even stubbornness to the teacher, peers or parents. However, if the
recognition status, that is, recognition and attention is gratified, the child
will become satisfied and even spurred to further achievements.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

Explain the child's need for belonging.

3.2 Importance of Children's Literature in meeting the needs

of Children

What is children's literature? Children's literature refers to any book for

children which contain short stories, fables, legends, folktales, etc, to be
read, or acted or listened to. Children's book includes picture books for
young children. They are books written from the heart and from at least
some memory of and contact with childhood. Children's literature or
children's books are written to meet the needs of children. Such needs
are children's mental health, security, to love and be loved, to achieve,
the needs to know and the needs for aesthetic satisfaction.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Children's literature plays important roles in meeting the above needs.

For example, generally, children's literature creates a unique world into
which the child will go willingly and actively. They contain some
portions of adult comments delivered from one intelligent individual to
another without condescension.

Specifically, children's literature or books foster reading habits in

children to provide pleasure entertainment and enhance their educational
development. It is believed that success In many academic subjects later
In life is dependent upon the children's reading ability fostered by
children's literature. Literature written for children can help to fulfil a
child's need for security, to love and be loved, to achieve, to know and
the need for esteem, independence and aesthetic satisfaction.
Furthermore, other important outcome of children’s literature reading
are: extension and enrichment of children's experience of complex ways
of man's living. Gaining insight into one's personality and problems.
Giving opportunities to relieve and experience the adventure and ideas
of others. Providing materials which help to create an appreciation and
understanding of the problems of others. The development of love of
country and democratic ideas. The discovery of ethical values which are
common to different creeds and which form a foundation of good
character in the modern world. Providing opportunity for fun and
escape. The development of worthwhile tastes and a permanent interest
in good literature. A reading programme aided by children's literature
can contribute to positive mental health. Reading disability produces in
most cases personality maladjustments so that normal mental health
cannot be maintained.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 3

Explain the role of literature in meeting children's psychological

developmental needs.

4.0 CONCLUSION

Children have various needs and characteristics that are recognized and
satisfied by literature.

5.0 SUMMARY

In this unit, we have learnt that children have physical, social,

emotional, intellectual needs which literature satisfies.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Children's developmental characteristics include; physical development,

intellectual development, social development and emotional
development. Each of these is explained below:

Social Development Characteristics

Social development characteristics indicate that the child is born in a

social environment where his personality development is shaped. The
child actively participates in group games in which physical energy is
used. They learn to co-operate with others and make friends on shared
interests and similar personality traits.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

Children need to be reassured that they belong to the group reassurance

why they notice that people around them need them and their services.
Children need to feel that they are accepted as members of a group.
Ridicule by adults around them can make them feel unacceptable.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 3

Literature at different stage' affect children's interest and enthusiasm.

These in turn affect their readiness to co-operate, powers of memory,
willingness to make the efforts requested by the teacher and the
possibility of finding significance in what they are invited to read.

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

List (a) The physiological and (b) the psychological needs of children.

7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS

Chauhan, S. S. (1978). Advanced Educational Psychology. New Delhi:

Vikas Publishing House PVT LTD.

Eke, E and Esuman J. K. (1974). Child Development in a Changing

Cultural Contexts Ibadan: Heinemann (Nig.) Educational Books.

Piaget, J. and Inhelder B. (1969). The Psychology of the Child. London:

Routlege and Kegan Paul.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

UNIT 4 THE ROLE OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE IN

CHILDREN’S DEVELOPMENT

CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objective
3.0 Main Content
3.1 The Role of Children's Literature on the Development of
Children’s Perception
3.2 The Role of Literature in Meeting Children's
Psychological Development
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment
7.0 References/Further Readings

1.0 INTRODUCTION

In unit 3, we examined the characteristics and needs of children’s

development. It is assumed you gathered that children's intellectual,
physical, social and emotional developments have specific
characteristics. You also gathered that children have physiological and
psychological needs, which literature play some roles in providing for
children. In this unit, we shall discuss those roles literature plays to
satisfy children's developmental needs.

2.0 OBJECTIVE

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

• identify and discuss various roles literature plays to satisfy children's

developmental needs.

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 The Role of Literature in the Development of Children

(a) Perception

Literature can provide materials, opportunities and encouragement for

children's intellectual development.

For example, the study of literature can be used to extend the range of
perceptions of all the senses of sight, hearing, taste, scent and touch.
Following many literature writers’ insights and interpreting words they

20
PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

have used, children are led to recognize an ever-extending range of

perceptions and distinctions, as for example, between yellow and
golden, loud and stirring; fragrant and odorous and countless others.

(b) Sensory Motor

Similarly, literature can make a fundamental contribution in providing

sensory motor physical activity through drama to train the human body
to express itself.

(c) Intellect

Literature helps to train children's intellect. For example, literature trains

the child in the logical process which depends on such things as accurate
perception, precise interpretation of language, the grouping and
classification of data, the drawing of correct inductions and deductions,
judgements of various kinds and the formulation of appropriate course
of action. No child on entering secondary school is expected to confront
all these weighty responsibilities from the very beginning, however,
teachers of literature can encourage respect for facts, distinguishing
between what is certain and what is conjectural, establishing the
evidence for an opinion, recognizing fallacious methods of argument,
and so on. Literature is a discipline. Discipline is concerned with
learning to do something in accordance with a body of well-established
rules or standards. Literature as a discipline provides opportunities
expression, exploration and imitation. It helps children to learn to solve
problems, how to get things done right, and test the degree of success.

(d) Emotions

Literature helps in the training of children's emotions. Literature

certainly presents us with a wide range of situations and predicaments
which seem to stimulate some kind of emotional response; and also that
on the whole the writers of literature present these situations in ways
which enable us to explore and develop our feelings in an appropriate
humane way.

You will have to note here that the culture of the feelings, the training of
the emotions is more frequently associated with the study of literature.
Certain feelings are very complex and intricate element in human
behaviour. To a large extent, any society is concerned with the training
of the feelings of its members, inducing people to like what they ought
to like, and discourage them from liking what they ought not to like. For
example, the sight of a grown man beating a small boy seems to demand
our indignation, whereas the sight of the sea breaking upon a rocky

21
PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

coast demands our awe and admiration; and we can say that anyone who
fails to make these normal responses was less than human.

(e) Social Awareness

Social awareness here means to have a comprehensive awareness of

other people. Social awareness is effective understanding of other
people and this can only be based on understanding and appreciation of
oneself and of one's own culture.

A successful educated person is one who has achieved an attitude of

respect towards all other people in the world, which include at first his
own family, his own friends, his own village, his own tribe, but then
beyond that, all the other tribes, nations, and roles he may encounter in
the world. A mature attitude is based on understanding and interest, and
expresses itself in tolerance and friendliness. To be effective, this
understanding must embrace all aspects of the ways of other people,
including their work, their behaviour, their customs, their religion and so
on.

This social awareness attitude is not in children. A newly born infant has
no conception of the world apart from its own needs, and all its activities
are directed towards the satisfaction of its egocentric requirements. The
process of growing up for the human individual is a very long one
especially where it is, concerned with the recognition and appreciation
of other people, and of course, this is often quite a painful process
involving conflicts, clashes, and friction of many kinds.

Literature is used to produce a comprehensive awareness of other

people. For example, modern writers have done much to stimulate
interest in and sympathy for the problems of the unfortunate, the
oppressed, the unsuccessful, the deranged, the offender against society.
In literary writings, these writers have great capacity for identifying
themselves with other people, putting themselves into other people's
position for seeing into the heart of a problem. A teacher of literature, by
making a judicious selection, can do a tremendous amount to help his
students understand other people, and in the process understand
themselves also.

(f) Character

Literature shapes children's character. First, study of literature is likely

to develop a keener sense of values in children who gain an intimate
acquaintance with it. More than most other kinds of studies it acquaints
us with the whole range of possibilities of human life: from happiness,
achievement, ecstasy, joy, love, freedom, friendship, self-respect to

22
PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

greed, defeat, despair, apathy, hate, disintegration, death. We may

reason that a person who has been through the reading of a number of
works of literature is likely to have a better sense of what is worth-while
and what is not. The general probability is also that he will thereafter
look upon the complexities of life with much greater understanding
insight, tolerance and sympathy.

Secondly the character training possibilities of literary studies is that

they can contribute to the development of personal qualities which
include such things as perseverance, resourcefulness, imagination and
creativity. Literature therefore is an excellent means of children for
character development.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

Explain perception as one of the roles of literature in the development of

children.

3.2 The Role of Literature in Meeting Children's

Psychological Development
We appreciate that children are quite different in their psychological
make up and that they develop through fairly distinct stages. For
example, excluding the years of infancy, children (8 or 9 years of age)
are in the autistic stage. Here their imaginations are not yet initiated into
the world of reality, but delight in many kinds of fantasy.

(About 10 -12 years of age), children are in their romantic stage where
they develop the grasp of reality, but see the world in highly simplified
categories. At this stage, children love stories of heroic exploits, during
adventures, dastardly villains, and so on.

(13 -16 years of age) children are in their realistic stage. By now
children have moved out of the stage of fantasy, and are keenly
interested in what really happens. Is it true? How does he do it, they
wish to know and are ready to follow up with the detail which seems to
explain actual affairs of life.
(From 16 onward) children at this stage are not only interested in
practical details, but are prepared to abstract, to generalize, to search for
the underlying causes of phenomena, to make moral judgements, and
generally to philosophize. Hence this stage is called generalizing stage.

These stages determine the works of literature that are chosen for
children because they affect children's interests, enthusiasms and
aversion. These in turn affect their readiness to co-operate, ginger their
powers of memory and willingness to make the efforts requested by the
teacher and the possibility of finding significance in what they are
invited to read.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Literature selected for study make their appeal at children’s stage of

physiological development which a particular class has reached.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

Explain the role of literature in meeting children's psychological

development.

4.0 CONCLUSION
Stages of children's development guide the teachers of literature in
choosing appropriate literary works for children.

5.0 SUMMARY
In this unit we have learnt the roles literature performs in the children's
development.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

Literature can provide opportunities and encouragement for children's

intellectual development. For example, the study of literature can be
used to extend the range of perceptions of all the senses of sight,
hearing, taste, scent and touch. Following many literature writers'
insights and interpreting words they have used, students are led to
recognize an ever-extending range of perceptions and distinctions, as for
example, between yellow and golden, loud and stirring fragrant and
odorous.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

Literature at different stage affects children's interest, enthusiasm and

aversion. These in turn affect their readiness to co-operate, powers of
memory, willingness to make the efforts requested by the teacher and
the possibility of finding significance in what they are invited to read.

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

List the areas literature can make contribution -in children’s
development.

7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS

Moody, H. L. B. (1971) The Teaching of literature in Developing
Countries. London. Group Ltd.

24
PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

UNIT 5 CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILDREN'S

LITERATURE

CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objectives
3.0 Main Content
3.1 Characteristic of Children's Literature
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment
7.0 References/Further Readings

1.0 INTRODUCTION

In Unit 4, we discussed the roles of literature that satisfy children's

developmental needs. You learnt that literature provides materials,
opportunities and encouragement for the development of children's
perception intellect, emotions, social awareness and character. Literature
too promotes the psychological development of children.

In this unit, we shall discuss characteristics of children's literature that

distinguish it from adult’s literature and enable it to help children's
development.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit, you should be able to describe the characteristics
of children's literature.

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Characteristics of Children's Literature

Children's literature is literature specifically about children. Two criteria

characterize children's literature. The first is whether the heroes are
children. The second is whether the themes i.e. the ideas, and
relationships as well as language are simple and suitable for children's
enjoyment.

Children's literature is produced largely with a child's interest and needs

in mind, one that deals honestly with children, portrays them candidly
and in a medium to which they can respond with imagination and
pleasure. A writer of children's literature is always aware of the mind,
psychology and understanding of the child. He recognizes the

25
PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

differences in the children's psychology, needs understanding and

interests of the various developmental levels. All writers of children
literature must of necessity be aware of children’s peculiar
characteristics and should not allow their own tastes and interests to
influence how a child will react to a particular book of short-stories, folk
tales and so on. The writer should be aware of the implications of
children's difference5and should be able to envisage the nature of a
child's world and predict his interests, responses and feelings. This is the
only way he can produce convincing pictures of children as beings
capable of distinct and individual experiences.

Literature that is written for children should not be junk or mediocre

material but should please them, stimulate their imagination, build up
their sensitivity to experiences of all kinds, develop their perceptive
powers and help them to grow up in a cultural environment responsive
to African and international world.

The themes should revolve around the local life stories which try at the
same time to project the African or Nigerian culture, pride and self
identify.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

Describe the characteristics of children’s literature.

Other Characteristics of Children's Literature

• Pictures stories for pre-reading age and beginners in reading are

usually colourful and attractive. Fantasy stories should stimulate
children's imagination. Humorous books should arouse laughter and
sense of humour in the children. Poetry should stimulate children's
imagination sense of beauty and inward vision of understanding.
Rhymes should teach children to appreciate the beauty of rhymes
and rhythm. Folk tales from oral literature should have moral
undertone, e.g good triumphs over evil.

• Fables, myths and epics are legends and stories of supernatural

events or long narrative poems meant to explain certain beliefs,
practices and natural phenomenon. Animal stories should be built
around animas, pets and wild creatures to show friendship, loyalty,
tragedy and sadness in some cases. They inculcate in the children the
desire to protect and care for others. Realistic stories should be based
on real life events and life history of real people to convey a sense of
historical past '8f"the children. Adventurous tales should be built
around action, suspense, danger, mystery, success based on courage,
perseverance of individuals. Information books should give

26
PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

information on data, facts and figures like handbook, experimental

and reference books etc.

One of the primary objectives of children's literature is provide pleasure

for the children. In order to achieve this, the author must consider the
audience and relate the theme to children's culture and age so that they
will benefit from what they read.

Additionally, children's literature helps in transmission and

reinforcement of customary values and attitudes to children. For
example, in a traditional society where schools are devoted to the study
of religious texts in foreign tongue, folk tales, proverbs, historical
legends and etiological narratives that represent approved and deviant
behaviours and their consequences are, virtually for lack of competition,
among the most influential instrument for transmission and
reinforcement of customary values and attitudes among children
growing up. You will note this point in Edgars “Hausa Tales and
Tradition”, in a traditional preliterate society folk education consists
mainly in the transmission and reinforcement of stereo-typed folk
attitudes, values and conceptions, rather than in the transfer of technical
knowledge, data or moral maxims. Children's literature could also foster
education of children early on institutions of our society, inter-ethnic
relations and social stratification, values, belief, social orientations,
social history, culture and development.

You will remember that folktale, as a particular genre of children’s

literature even when dealing with fabulous creature and events as in
“Amos Tutuola’s The Palm Wine Drinkard” serves as media for the
socialization of successive generation of children of an area who are
gradually inducted from realm of cultural fantasy in which animal talk
and act like adults into the love of white (good) and black (bad) spirits,
of magic and the mysterious, and so, with certain transformation and
changing stress, into the complex work in the society, when differential
of birth, status and power are often interpreted in mystical terms.

Similarly, Harold and Ruth aim of writing a collection of TIV tales were
to encourage interest in traditional culture as revealed in oral literature,
as well as provide stimulating reading practice for school children.

In a similar vein, Manton in his book of tales states that his motives in
writing the book were to enable the reader learn cause and meaning of
all things, how the earth and the stars were created or water divided
from dry land, how their own cities were founded, why some people
seemed by nature to be brave and generous and others small-minded and
mean.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Beyond these, children read folk tales, novels, myths, legends, etc. They
love books that reflect children's perception of the world in which there
are characters they can identify with. They read stories about other
children; those that deal with youthful problems and those concerning
their forbearers and these problems are solved. Such literatures add to
the status of the child who has read them. He is a little more capable of
enjoying new impressions and receiving new ideas which will illuminate
his next new experience whatever that may be. The child is able to gain
something permanent which can never be taken away from him.

Finally, a child's experience of life is confined within the narrow hints of

his environment. What he is looking for is a swift passage beyond its
boundaries. Children's literature books give him this opportunity for
transition. And he is able to gain something permanent which can never
be taken away from him or her.

Children's literature fosters creativity in children. It draws out

knowledge from children by encouraging creative thinking in our young
ones through imaginative writings.

Children's literatures are the books that children read to satisfy their
spiritual, emotional and intellectual needs irrespective of their content. It
provides pleasurable and instructional values to children and satisfies
children's curiosity.

Children's literature in Nigeria is reclaiming our lost pride, re-affirming

our cultural heritage in order to build a consciously aware future. It
feeds Nigerian children on their glorious history and culture with
recourse to the numerous myths, legends, and folktales in our traditional
societies.

You are to note that at (2-10 years age group) the Nigerian child is
exposed to foreign literature that demeans his humanity which makes
him bereft of a cultural base and personality. What today obtains in
many qualitative International Nursery/Primary schools speak volumes
of this situation. But, despite this sad state of affairs, modern Nigerian
writers have pursued vigorously the task of writing good literature for
children.

By their literary contribution, children are motivated to see themselves

as the pillar in the building of a solidly happy future. Also, children
gradually are becoming politically sharp, critica1 and witty. Children's
literature is waging a kind of cultural battle in raising generation of
school children as vessels of visionary optimism of the adult world with
promise of better tomorrow. This is one sure way of overcoming those
nightmarish years of denigration.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Children's literary works like Mamman Vasta’s Constitution, Soldiers’

Children as Poets and Anezi Okoro’s Education are stimulating,
educative and motivate children to see themselves as the pillar in the
building of a happy future.

The corpus of children's literature beginning from Cyprian Ekwensi’s

An African Night Entertainment. The Drummer Boy, The Passport of
Mallam Ilia, Samankwe and the Highway Robbers, Nkem Nwankwo’s
Tales out of School and Onuora Nzekwu's Eze Goes To School and so on
have honestly chronicled the historical past of their environment,
revealing the beauty and uniqueness of the Nigerian culture to recreate
the past epochs in the present, in order to instruct and entertain the child
and restoring his confidence in his cultural heritage.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

Write five other characteristics of children's literature.

4.0 CONCLUSION

Children's literatures have characteristics that distinguish it from adult

literature.

5.0 SUMMARY

In this unit, we have learned about the characteristics of children’s

literature.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

Children's literature is that which is written and published about children

for children. The themes should revolve around the local life stories
which try at the same time to project the African and Nigerian culture.
Children’s literature is deliberately written for children’s readership to
satisfy their specific individual’s interests, tastes and experiences, their
general features of development and their individual differences.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

Pictures stories, for pre-reading age and beginners in reading should be

colourful and attractive.

Fantasy stories should stimulate the children's imagination. Folk tales

from oral literature should have moral undertone those good triumphs
over evil. Humorous book should arouse laughter and sense of humour

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

in the children Rhymes should teach children to appreciate the beauty of

rhymes and rhythm.

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

Identify three characteristics of children's literature.

7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS

Datus, C. and Smith Jr. (1990). A Guide to Book Publishing Lagos:

Universally Press.

David Diop (1971). ‘Africa’ in a Selection of African Poetry (eds.)

Senanu and Vincent.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

MODULE 2 ESSENTIAL FACTORS IN DEVELOPING

CHILDREN'S READING SKILLS

Unit 1 Reading Skill Readiness

Unit 2 Developing Reading Interest and Skills in Children
Unit 3 Purposes and Types of Reading
Unit 4 Library Use Skill

UNIT 1 READING SKILLS READINESS

CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objectives
3.0 Main Content
3.1 Definition of Reading and the Concept of Readiness
3.1.1 What is Reading?
3.1.2 What is Reading Readiness?
3.2 Important Pre-Reading Skills
3.3 Developing Reading Readiness through Activities
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment
7.0 References/Further Readings

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The goal of any children's literature reading programme is to

successfully teach children how to read. As a teacher of children's
literature, you will ask yourself a number of questions: Are these
children ready to start the task of reading literature? How do I know
they are ready? How can I help them if they are not ready? This unit is
meant to help you in answering these questions. In this unit, we shall
examine the meaning of the terms reading and reading readiness and
identify some factors related to learning how to read.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

• define reading and the concept of reading readiness

• identify readiness factors related to learning how to read
• discuss activities to develop reading readiness in children.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Definition of Reading and the Concept of Readiness

3.1.1 What is Reading?

Reading is the interaction between the reader’s resources and the text
data. The reader's resources are his knowledge about his culture, his
family, community, their economic and social activities and his
language. The text data are the properties of the printed words such as
the words and the sentences, how words are linked together, to form
sentences and how they are organized in novels, short stories, folk tales,
myths and legends and soon.

3.1.2 What is Reading Readiness?

Reading readiness here means that children are psychologically and

intellectually ready to read. We may illustrate further the meaning of
reading readiness. Imagine you are a parent living in a rural village. You
have a strong, six-year old son whose task is to fetch water from a
stream about a half kilometre from your home. Every morning at 6 a.m,
he carries a plastic bucket along the path to the stream and fetches water
for you. This boy is fetching water for you because he is in physically
ready to fetch water for you.

But you did not send him to fetch water when he was three years old
because he was not strong enough to carry a bucket filled with water or
able to know his way to the stream. He was too young then to
understand that he must wait for his turn if many others were in the
stream before him. Here the boy is not ready to fetch water fro you.

In the example above, you as a parent observed the child’s physical

strength and social maturity before assigning the water fetching task to
him. As a literature teacher, you will also use different ways of
observing to determine when your pupils are ready to read children's
literature. You will first need to define the task of reading and then you
will consider which abilities or experiences are necessary for children to
be successful at the task of reading children’s literature.

3.2 Important Pre-Reading Skills

There are some skills that are important to consider when trying to
determine if a child is ready to read literature. These are the child’s:

(1) oral language ability

(2) experimental background

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

(3) auditory and visual discrimination skills

(4) intellectual ability
(5) positive attitude towards and interest in reading
(6) emotional and social maturity

Let us examine each factor

Oral Language Ability

The Nigerian child is expected to be fluent in his mother tongue by the
time he enters school. He may communicate a little or not at all in
English. You must ensure that your pupils are able to speak enough
English to recognize the wards in print. This is why you must make
every effort to encourage children to talk and use English in oral drills
and conversation in your literature class.
Experiential Background
When a child reads about what he has also experienced or done, he has a
greater depth of understanding about what he has read. The more
activities or experiences a child has had in life before coming to school,
the more stories he will be able to relate to because the story will be
about something he is familiar with. Therefore, he will find it easier to
read with understanding. Thus, his background knowledge will aid his
comprehension.
SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1
List the factors that are important to consider when trying to determine
if a child is ready to read literature.
Auditory and Visual Discrimination
The English alphabet contains 26 letters, but there are nearly twice that
number of consonants and vowel sounds. Most of the vernacular
languages in Nigeria which have a written orthography use the English
alphabet system with modifications to show where a sound is not
present in English but appears in the vernacular. It is easier for your
pupils to different sounds in English when they are also present in his
mother tongue (the vernacular). Problem arises when the similarity in
the sounds of many letters or word in the two languages is minimal.
Skill in identifying similantee and distinguishing differences in sounds
and was shapes is very important for decoding words in print when
learning to read.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Intellectual Ability
Although every child can learn to read, whether he is of low, average or
high ability, it is generally agreed that children of average or above
average intelligence will have less difficulty learning to read literature.

Emotional and Social Maturity

Learning to read is done in a classroom environment. Part of classroom

etiquette requires that children accept direction and guidance from the
teacher. It also requires that the child cooperates with other children or
classmates. Examples of behaviours which show immaturity or
emotional problems are withdrawal, aggression, extreme shyness or
inability to sit quietly and listen. These negative characteristics can
prevent the learner from using the other five factors above and thus
hinder or even stop the learner from succeeding in the task of reading.

3.3 Activities for Developing Pre-reading Activities

Oral language and Experimental Background Activities

Every day, time should be allotted to discussion, first in the vernacular

and gradually in English. The activity of 'show and tell’ can encourage
children to talk. Each week different pupils can be asked to bring items
from home to class. These items are shown to the class while the owners
tell something about them. Examples are favourite toys, pets, a special
article of clothing for exhibition and discussion.

Visual Discrimination Activities

A variety of sorting activities which require pupils to sort objects/things

into similar groups gives visual discrimination practice. Different types
of bottle caps, buttons, seeds and other common objects from home or
school can be utilized. Sorting can be done on the basis of size (small or
big), colour (red, blue, or yellow, etc), shape (round, square, fat or thin,
long or short etc)) too~' use (in garden, kitchen, classroom or market).
The objects can be stored in the class in cartons or bags to be used over
and over again.

Auditory Discrimination Activities

This activity usually starts with listening to sounds of a general nature

and imitating sounds like animal sounds. What noise does a duck make?
A dog? A cat? A bird? A rooster? From general sounds, you move to
listening to the sounds of the English words. You can use words that
rhyme like red-bed, boy-toy, fish-dish, Jack-Jill. Or worlds with the

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

same beginning like children's names: Chioma-Chinyere, Moji-Moses,

and so on. Remember you are a model. Whatever you do, your pupils
will do it. If you practice so will your pupils.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

Describe some activities you will use to develop auditory discrimination

4.0 CONCLUSION

There are many activities you can do to increase your children’s

literature reading readiness. They include-oral language, visual
discrimination, and auditory activities.

5.0 SUMMARY

In this unit, you have learnt that:

• before children read literature, you need to check to see if they are in
fact ready to read.

• when your pupils speak well, have had a variety of experiences (rich
background), can tell the difference. between similar sounds and
shapes, are smart and alert, are interested in and excited by books,
get along well with classmates, they can be said to be ready to learn
to read children's literature. However, when they are not ready, you
have to develop the necessary abilities through a variety of activities
discussed in this unit.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

These factors are; 1. oral language ability 2. Experimental background
3. Auditory and visual discrimination skills 4. intellectual ability 5.
Attitude towards and interest in reading 6. Emotional and social
maturity.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

Making the pupils listening to sounds of a general nature and imitate

sound like animals’ sounds. From general sounds, you move to listening
to the sounds of the English words. You can with words that rhyme like
red-bed, boy-toy, fish-dish. Or words with similar beginning like
children's names; Chioma-Chinyere, Moji-Mose and so on.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

When will it be said that a child is ready to read?

7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS

Burron A.A. and Claybaugh, A.L. (1977). Basic Concept in Reading

Instructions: A Programmed Approach (2nd ed.) Columbus:
Merril Publishing Co. pp. 23 -39.

Karlin C. (1975). Teaching Elementary Reading. New York: Harcourt

Brace Jovanovich. Inc.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

UNIT 2 DEVELOPING READING INTEREST AND

SKILLS IN CHILDREN

CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objectives
3.0 Main Content
3.1 Developing Reading Culture in Children
3.2 Stimulating Reading Interest
3.3 Developing Reading Skills in Children
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment
7.0 References/Further Readings

1.0 INTRODUCTION

In unit I, we examined the concept of reading and reading readiness.

You learnt that reading is the interaction between a reader’s resources
and the text data. You also learnt that reading readiness refers to the
reader having essential pre-readings skills such as oral language ability,
auditory and visual discrimination skills intellectual ability etc.

In this unit, the skills that win help you develop and sustain reading
interests in your pupils are dealt with.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

• discuss the need for developing reading interest in children

• explain ways of developing reading interesting in children
• identify skills that will help you develop reading interest in children.

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Developing Reading Culture

Reading can be fun, a source of pleasure and for language development.

As a student, you need to read to obtain information and ideas to enable
you pass your exams. As a professional, you need to read to update your
knowledge of facts and ideas to help you develop on the job. As a
citizen, you, need to read to keep abreast of news and events of your
country and the world. For these reasons you need to imbibe the reading
culture. In other word, you should become interested in reading various

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

texts. The choice should be a personal one. It should arise out of

voluntary force of habit.

By making reading a regular and happy habit, you are directly and
indirectly establishing dose links with minds far and near, minds high
and developed, pleasant and pleasurable, serious and humorous.
Reading provides useful diversion, away from the strains and stresses of
modern living. You may be alone in the home, farm or bus, but you are
in good company, the company of the writer or those taking part in the
events you are reading. That is the intellectual thrill that reading
provides for you. All these should lead you to developing various
reading interests in children.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

Explain the needs for reading.

3.2 Stimulating Children’s Reading Interests

(a) Allow the Child to Read What He/She Likes

Children have their own tastes and interests. Choose the reading
materials that interest them most to read. If a child finds a piece rather
boring after spending a short time reading through, guide him to put it
aside and look for something else. Children should enjoy what they
read, particularly at the early stages of forming the reading habit, and
when they are new to the reading culture.

(b) Choose Materials within - Level of Language

You need not start with difficult texts that require frequent reference to
the dictionary. It will become tedious and boring for the children. Select
materials that they can easily comprehend and enjoy. Select simple
readable texts that would help develop their vocabulary and power of
expression.

(c) Allow Children to Read Whenever They Like

Allow children to read when they feel like reading, but encourage them
to develop the habit of reading frequently and regularly. Encourage
them to read anywhere, in the library, at home.

(d) Sourcing Reading Materials

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

You could buy some whenever you can afford to. You could register
with some nearby libraries and make regular borrowing to read and
return a habit. If there is a book club nearby, join it and use its facilities.
Borrow reading materials from friends but always keep your promise to
return and keep the date. Teach and encourage your pupils to borrow
from libraries too.

(e) Encourage Children to Develop the Desire to Read More

Try to develop in children the will and the desire to read more. It
requires a deliberate effort at the early stages of their reading habit
formation. Reading is like travelling, a sort of excursion into other
worlds. Children are transported beyond their actual environment, into
experiences beyond their physical reach. Reading enables children to
enlarge their ideas and their personal experience. The more children
read, the wider their experience and their outlook, because their minds
become more open to deal with the problems and prospects of life and
living.

(f) Encourage your pupils to mix reading for academic purposes with
reading for general information, pleasure and recreation. They should
read novels, plays and poems, story books, cartoon strips as well as
simple articles in the Newspaper and Magazines; discourage them
reading obscene texts that do not add anything positive to the
development of their mind.

3.3 Developing Reading Skills in children

You should train the children to distinguish between fact and opinion,
objective and subjective or biased reporting. Teach them to distinguish
between real events and fantasy, serious and humorous comments, irony
and straight forward implications. Guide children to ask questions based
on what they have read. This has to do with reading and thinking. These
are self-probing questions which may arise from children’s reactions to
the piece of text they have just read. Pay attention to language, children
may use the dictionary occasionally, where they have the opportunity to
do so. Help and encourage them to become sensitive the way language
is used in the texts. Allow their minds to rest fairly well at points
containing usual expressions, new words, and new structures. Teach
children not to spend too much time labouring or striving for
comprehension of difficult words. It is better and more rewarding for
them to take on larger units of meaning than small bits if a word blocks
their way because it is new. Children may look up difficult words later
in the dictionary, when they take a break from reading the text.
Encourage children to read extensively and intensively.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

How do you develop reading Skills in children.

4.0 CONCLUSION

To enjoy and learn from literature, you must help yours pupils to
develop the culture of reading for pleasure and academic purposes. This
will require that you stimulate their interest in reading.

5.0 SUMMARY

In this unit, you have learnt some things about developing reading
interest and skill. It is hoped you gathered that.

• Reading habit can develop into a whole culture of reading which is

needed by children.
• Reading interests can be developed for general knowledge,
information, intellectual and professional development.
• There are various reading skills to be developed and applied to
reading activities based. on the interest areas like children’s
literature.
• There are various ways of developing children’s reading.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

Reading can be a fun, a source of pleasure and for language

development. As a student, you need to read to obtain information and
ideas to enable you pass examinations. As a professional, you need to
read to update your knowledge of facts and ideas to help you develop on
the job. As a citizen, you need to read to keep abreast of news and
events of your country.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

You can develop reading skills in children through developing critical

skills such as:

i. asking Children questions based on what they have read,

ii. asking children to pay attention to language,
iii. advising children not to labour or strive for comprehension as
they read extensively
iv. Guiding children to practice extensive reading and intensive
reading.
6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

1. Make a list of seven ways by which you can develop reading

interests in your pupils.
2. Make a list of five ways in which reading can help you develop
your language ability.

7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS

Kai-Fat, Lue and Fleming, P. (1978). Better Reading Skills. Hong Kong:
Oxford University Press.

Francoue Greller (1981). Developing Reading Skills. Cambridge:

University Press.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

UNIT 3 PURPOSES AND TYPES OF READING

CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objectives
3.0 Main Content
3.1 Purpose and Types of Reading
3.2 Factors Affecting Reading Comprehension
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment
7.0 Reference/Further Readings

1.0 INTRODUCTION

In unit 2, we examined developing reading interests and skills. In this

unit, we shall discuss purposes and types of reading. The unit also
provides you with a number of ways to developing vocabulary skill.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

• discuss the various purposes for reading

• identify the four types of reading
• describe each type of reading
• explain some of the practical skills required for each type of reading.

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Purpose and Types of Reading

Purposes of Reading

We may begin our discussion here by posing some relevant questions

such as:

Why do we read? Why do I read? Why am reading this course book?

The answers to our questions may be that most people who read do so
for the following reasons:

• To obtain information.
• To acquire new ideas and new knowledge and skill.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

• To derive pleasure from new experiences.

• To be critical of other people's ideas, thought-and actions.

We may ask another question such as:

What do we do when we read? Our answer to this question may be that

when we read our eyes come in contact with words which are made up
of symbols. These are letters of the alphabets. They are the living words
of the language when we listen and hear a person speak we do not listen
to individual words, but full statements or utterances. Therefore, when
we read the language that is written down our attention is not on
individual words but on a stretch of words that gives us some
information.

You should notice that in one sense, reading is like hearing the writer
talk to us when we read. We could hear the sounds of words and
stretches of words and statements which carry information to us. We
think of the message or information and we react to it in our minds. We
can not talk to the writer immediately, because he or she is not
physically present in this situation. In this sense, the writer is
communicating with the reader, even though the reader does not respond
as in a face to face conversation.

The implication is that the writer of what we read do so for a number of

reasons which include the following:

• to give information to people they cannot talk to directly, because

they are separated by distance and time
• to affect minds and behaviour of others who are reading their
material
• to give their thoughts and ideas some permanence.
• to keep permanent records (e.g. of business religion, politics etc.)

You must notice here that there is a kind of close relationship between
people who write and people who read as they enter into some form of
communication.

Thus the writer has purposes for writing and the reader has purposes for
reading.

For students like you, your purpose engage in reading activities is to get
information and new knowledge.

This means that we all have our purposes for reading. Our purposes of
reading determine the type of reading activity we undertake. We shall
discuss four major types of reading activities here. These are:

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

i. Skimming
ii. Skimming a Text
iii. Scanning,
iv. Reading to study/learn
v. Beading critically
vi. Intensive reading
vii. Extensive reading.

Types of Readings

1. Skimming

To skim in reading means to look at briefly. Skimming involves the act

of the book or page quickly in order to have a general idea of the
content. The purpose of skimming is to identify information in its broad
from quickly.

2. Skimming a Text

The text may be a chapter of a book or just a page. The purpose here is
to look for what it contains briefly. You may look at the title of the
chapter to see what topic is discussed in that chapter. Then you read
through to see if the chapter is divided into sections and whether each
section has a sub-title or sub-topic discussed. You check the end of the
of the chapter is given. If the chapter is presented in continuous
paragraphs without labelled subsections, you look at the opening
sentence of each paragraph to have a general impression of what the
paragraph deals with. If there is a summary, you look at the beginning
and end sentence of the summary.

By the time you do these activities, you are skimming. At the end of the
skimming activities on the text, you should be able to say in one or two
sentences what the chapter or page about. This will be able you to
decide whether you need its detailed information or not.

Here are 'examples of skimming activities:

• Mma wants to buy only one newspaper and she stops the vendor who
puts three different newspapers in her hand Mma opens each
newspaper quickly and skims its pages, looking news headlines. A
news item in one of the papers attracts her but it contains a long
detailed report. She chooses to buy the paper and returns the others
to the vendor.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

• Adulugwa is a student visiting a book shop. He looks through the

shelves of books 'displayed. He comes to the Economics section and
skims the titles. One title reminds him of the list of recommended
books from the lecturer. His purpose is to decide whether the book is
relevant to his course. That purpose required him to look for the
following information from the book:

_ Author – is he a familiar authority on the subject? – Year of

publication – could its information be outdated or recent? –
Edition – is this copy the latest edition?- Table of contents – what
are the topics not listed in the table of content? – Adulugwa
selects some randomly pages – to see If there are useful
Illustrations – A few sentences from the preface to see if the
author indicates the level of readers or students for whom the
book is intended. Finally, Adulugwa skelling may decide to buy
the book or leave it, on the strength of the information he has had
by skimming the book. Note that again knowledge by skimming
books at bookshops, newspapers and magazine stands.

ii. Scanning

To scan in reading is to look for a specific information discussed in a

text with minimum of time. Before you set out to scan a text, you must
be sure what items of information you are looking for. Scanning requires
rapid reading of the text in order to reach the information you require. In
this way, it is possible for you to assemble a number of points you need
about a given topic. For example, if you require the definition of
inflation in economics, you can scan three or four different books to see
how each, author defines it. In this case, you are not looking for the
consequences of inflation but – the definition. You do not stay your eyes
on that information when you are scanning definition. Scanning is like
looking for your child in a large crowd. You watch out for your child’s
features. You do not see other children’s faces at that moment.

To help the reader to scan easily, authors usually present texts in certain
patterns. Examples of such patterns are:

- Text contents are organized in paragraphs, each paragraph deals

with an aspect of the topic discussed. In a paragraph, one of the
sentences usually gives out the main point of the paragraph.

- Varying of font size e.g, some are in italics or bold letters to

direct attention to important points. Varying of colours, letters
and diagrams in a piece of advertisement in such a way that some
parts catch the eye of the reader before other parts.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

iii. Reading to Study/Learn

This is the most important type of reading activity in which the reader is
required to read and search text slowly in order to:

- gather information by looking main points and supporting.

Details;

- organize the Information In form of notes and make It part of his

new knowledge;

- apply his new knowledge to deal with immediate and subsequent

problems;

- learn to discriminate between facts and irrational propositions

and mere opinions.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

What does reading to learn involve?

iv. Reading Critically

Critical reading means reading and thinking about what the writer wrote
using your power of reasoning to identity false information, facts fiction
or opinion as well as identify true information.

Critical reading requires you to take the passage you are reading to
pieces, analyse the parts, by interpreting the writer’s thoughts and
arriving at your own conclusions leave out un-required details, reject
weak points and so on.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

What does reading critically involve?

v. Intensive Reading

This is a deep reading of the text requiring that you get as much
information from the text as possible. Unlike for skimming and
scanning, intensive reading requires you go at a slower speed.

This is the type of reading you do when you are studying to learn or to
critically analyse the author’s ideas or thoughts.

vi. Extensive Reading

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

This is the method used in the training for fast reading. The purpose may
be to enhance fluency, faster reading or for pleasure. It is a private
reading activity which involves silent reading and is purely done by the
individual. Extensive reading is used in teaching children literature
especially at the beginning stage. Speed is a very important aspect of
this type of reading.

3.2 Factors Affecting Reading Comprehension

Comprehension Breakdown

Comprehension breakdown here means lack of understanding of what is

being read. Comprehension breakdown may set in when the reader is not
familiar with the topic or theme of the text. It may also be due to length
and complexity of sentences, too many unfamiliar words, organization
of the material, complexity of idiomatic expressions, and difficulty of
the concepts presented by the author.

Comprehension breakdown may also be caused by failure to identify

author’s attitude and mood as well as insensitivity to author’s ironic
humourous, deadly serious or light hearted attitude.

Additionally, some practices by the reader such as sub-vocalising, finger

pointing and regression can make reading whether alone or in groups
slower and delay comprehension.

Sub-Vocalising

Means murmuring the words you read to the hearing of the other person
next to you. It is a mark of poor reading.

Finger Pointing

This is using the finger or any pointer (Pencil, ruler, etc) to point at the
word being read. It leads to word by word reading which slows reading
and also comprehension and understanding.

Regression

This is the habit of letting your eyes to move backwards over what you
have read instead of going forward. It is done sometimes for the purpose
of discovering a particular answer to a question, but it is a mark of
laziness and aid to poor comprehension or understanding because it
interrupts progress in thinking.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Effective Reading Technique

One of the popular techniques used in achieving effective reading is the

SURVEY, QUESTION, READ, RECITE AND REVISE (SQ3R)
technique.

Survey

You read the whole text so that the general picture of the material and
the subject matter is identified.

Question

Here you raise questions on the subject matter eg about main and
supporting ideas, author’s purpose attitude, relationship of ideas,
seamence of events etc.

Read

You now read the text. And read it again to find the answers to the
questions posed

Recite

Here, you discuss with friends and colleagues so that you become more
familiar and more knowledgeable with material.

Revise

You re-read the text again, ensuring that you have answered the
questions you posed above.

4.0 CONCLUSION

There are various purposes of reading and various types of reading. You
must as a teacher of children’s literature under stand this so as to know
how best to teach your pupils how to read and enjoy literature.

5.0 SUMMARY

In this unit, we have learnt that there are six types of reading namely
skimming, scanning, reading to study, reading critically, reading
intensively and extensively. We also learnt that there are factors that
impede reading comprehension as well as a procedure for effective
reading.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

Reading to learn involves doing any or all of the following:

i. Gathering information by looking for main points and supporting

details.

ii. Organizing the information in form of notes and making it part of

your new knowledge. Applying your new knowledge to deal with
immediate and subsequent problems. Learning to discriminate
between facts and irrational propositions and opinions.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

Critical reading enables you to use your power of thinking and

reasoning to identify facts, false information, fiction or opinion. Critical
reading requires you to analyse the passage you are reading by
interpreting the writer’s thoughts and arriving at your own conclusions.

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

1. Give three reasons why you read?

2. Name and describe four types of reading.

7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS

Dawson M. A. and Henry A Bamman (1959). Foundations of Basic
Reading Instruction. Longman.

James, Sybil (1984). Reading for Academic Purposes. Edward Arnold.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

UNIT 4 LIBRARY USE SKILL

CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objectives
3.0 Main Content
3.1 The Meaning, Objectives and Functions of Library
3.1.1 Types of Libraries
3.1.2 Types of Library Materials
3.1.3 Use of the Library
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment
7.0 References/Further Readings

1.0 INTRODUCTION

In this unit, we shall discuss the meaning and the use of the library.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

• explain the meaning of library

• describe the objectives and functions of a library
• identify types of libraries and their organisational structure
• explain types of library materials
• describe the use of the library.

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 The Meaning, Objectives and Functions of a library

A. What is Library?

- Library is a collection of materials such as books, journals,

newspapers, magazines, monographs and non-books materials
such as films, microforms, tapes, film stripes, compact discs,
computer soft wares and photographs. A library is a place where
people go to source information in virtually every area of life.

- A librarian is a person who is trained to provide library and

information services to library users.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

- Library users are persons who make use of a library collection or

services. Library users are also called readers, clients, and
patrons.

B. Objectives of the Library

Every library is usually established with certain objectives in mind. The

following are some of the objectives of the library:

- To determine the information needs of users through user study

- To identify and select books and other non-book materials

through purchase, bequeath, donation, legal deposit or gift and
exchange.

- To properly organize these materials so as to make them

accessible to use.

- To ensure that people are assisted to use these materials by

drawing their attention to then.

- To provide materials promptly to satisfy the information needs of

the people.

- To preserve for future generation all information materials stored

in it.

C. Functions of the Library

The functions of different libraries are usually geared towards achieving

the objectives for establishing them. The Encyclopaedia Americana.
(1980) has categorized library functions into four broad areas as shown
below:

(i) Development of resources, resources here means the totality of

information materials in the library.
(ii) Organization of materials
(iii) Services to users
(iv) Administration

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

Explain some of the objectives of the library.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

3.1.1 Types of Libraries

There are different types of libraries serving different categories of

users. Libraries are often grouped according to the category of people
that are meant to serve. Generally, six different types of libraries exist.
They are as follows:

(i) Academic Libraries

This refers to all libraries that are found in institutions of learning.

Libraries that are established in Primary and Secondary School,
Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of education are all known as
academic libraries. Examples are Abia State University library, Nnamdi
Azikiwe library of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Kenneth Dike
library of the University of Ibadan, Alvan Ikoku College of Education
Library, Owerri etc.

Academic libraries serve the library and information needs of the

undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma students, lecturers and non-
academic staff of the universities. The libraries take into considerations
the different courses offered by the institutions in rendering its services,
so that every student or staff has books and other materials relevant to
his or her course of interest.

(ii) National Libraries

National libraries are established and managed by a State or Federal

government. Their main purpose is the collection and preservation of the
nation's cultural heritage for future generation. To achieve this purpose,
every national library attempts to achieve the following objectives:

- to acquire all materials published within the country

- to acquire all materials written by citizens of the country

regardless of place of residence. To acquire all materials written
and published about the country including those by citizens of
other countries.

There is usually one national library in every country. The National

Library in Nigeria is located presently at Abuja with branches in some
state capitals. The National library for United State of America is called
the library of Congress, that of Britain is called the British library and
France calls its owe Bibliotheque Nationale.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

(iii) Private Libraries

Libraries owned by individuals are known as private libraries. Private

libraries usually reflect in their collection of books the subject areas of
interest of their owners. For example, a private library owned by a
politician will contain mainly books on politics and that of a lawyer will
contain mainly law books and materials.

(iv) Public Libraries

These are established with public funds and maintained by state

governments. There is no restriction to those who use public libraries.
The public library uses mobile library van to take books and information
bearing materials to prisoners, hospital patients and rural dwellers who
may not be able to visit the library. It uses video films and television to
serve those who cannot read and provides Braille materials for the blind
users.

There is also a section of the public library known as CHILDREN’S

LIBRARY. It provides books for children and offers story hours. Public
library services are essentially free of charge as they are sponsored by
the government. Most states in Nigeria maintain public library services.
Examples of public libraries in Nigeria are the Abia state public library
in the capital city, Umuahia. Lagos and Kano states each has hers.
Public libraries are expected to have branches located in towns and
villages of each state.

(v) School Libraries

Libraries located in primary and secondary schools are called school

libraries. They are meant to house materials that promote learning in the
schools. Every school library has its main users: the students or pupils,
the teaching and non-teaching staff of the school. It provides materials
for them to do their homework and class assignments, further reading,
self development and relaxation. It also provides a conducive reading
place for students and staff. Students' of one primary or secondary
school do not enjoy automatic right to use another school’s library. They
require special letter of introduction before they are admitted. Libraries
are usually managed by professional libraries. However, In the case of
some school libraries in Nigeria it is different. As a result of
insufficiency of funds, many school libraries in Nigeria engage
classroom teachers to perform the duties of librarians. These teachers
who combine their jobs as teachers with the management of the schoos
libraries are called teacher librarians. They are often assisted by library
prefects.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

(vi) Special Libraries

Libraries are called special when the collection and users are restricted
to certain types and categories. Special libraries are established and
funded by corporate bodies such as banks, companies, institutes, media
houses, government ministries, agencies and parastatals. The main aim
is to acquire and disseminate information to their staff. The collections
of special libraries are dominated by the subject matter in which the
funding organization is interested. A bank library for example will
consist of a collection of books on banking, finance and related. A
Ministry of Agriculture library will be made up largely of books on
farming, fishing and horticulture.

In Nigeria, special libraries are the best funded type of libraries and
some of them have taken advantage of that to computerize their
operations. Examples of special libraries are the libraries of international
institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan; Nigerian Institute of
International Affairs, Lagos. Others are Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja,
Ministry of Justice special library, Umuahia etc.

3.1.2 Types of Library Materials

Library materials include books, serials, microforms, tapes and discs

among others. The importance of library materials can be seen from the
fact that if they are removed, the library ceases to exist as what will be
left is only a building. The library is made up of both the building, staff
and the materials and none of them can function effectively without the
other. There are many types of library materials. They are usually
categorized into two broad terms of print and Non-print materials.

Print materials consist of:

• Books

A book is a print material usually bound in one or more volumes. Books

are categorised into two groups, reference and non-reference books. The
reference books are those that are meant to be consulted or referred to
for a definite piece of information as their nature and size do not make
for cover to cover reading. Examples of reference books are:

(1) Encyclopedia which provides background information for both

the specialist and the layman.
(2) Dictionary: e.g Advanced Learners 'Dictionary
(3) Directory: is a reference book that lists persons, companies,
institutions and organizations giving their names and addresses.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

(4) Almanacs and year books

(5) Handbook and manuals are reference books
(6) Serials -they are materials published daily, weekly, monthly,
quarterly or annually and intended to be continued indefinitely
serials are also called periodicals. They include journals,
newspapers and magazines.
(7) Maps, Atlases, pamphlets and clippings. A pamphlet is a booklet
or piece of writing appearing with soft covers that deal with an
issue of current interest. Clippings are piece of paper cut out from
newspapers or magazines. Clippings which are also called
cuttings contain very important information of current interest
such as job advertisement.
(8) Manuscripts: These are books or papers written by hand or with
typewriter intended for publication. It is from manuscript that
books are subsequently published.

The Non-reference materials are those that are meant to be consulted or

referred to cover to cover in search of information education and
inspiration. Examples are textbook and novels.

Non-Print Materials

These are library materials that are not printed on paper. They include:-
Audio materials -audio tapes, phonodiscs, radio cassette, record player.

- Visual materials -example: Transparences with images that can

be seen only when light is passed through them. They include
slides and filmstrips.

- Microforms: These are materials that contain information in

greatly reduced form. Microform is composed of microfilm,
microfiche and micro cards. Microfilm saves space for
computerized libraries as it is used to store back stock of
newspaper with minimal space.

Audio -Visual Materials

These are materials that combine both the audio and visual effects in the
transmission of information. They include television (TV), motion
pictures (sound films), Video films and video discs, computer aided
compact ideas (C.D) and video compact discs (VCD). Equipment
required to use these materials include film projectors, video players,
compact disc players and computers. You should note that due to the
high cost of these equipment and audio- materials are not commonly
found in libraries of developing countries like Nigeria.

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3.1.3 Use of the Library

The library offers many services and opportunities for the intending
users and it becomes the choice of users to decide the type of use they
may wish to make of the library. The use to be made of the library by a
library user is determined by a number of factors including his level of
education, occupation, status in the society, environmental influence and
lately computer literacy. For example, the manner of use of the library
by a professor will be different from that of a student or a farmer. The
different ways of using the library and materials include the following:

(1) Internal Use: This is the use of library books and materials within
the library building without any intention of borrowing them.
This type of use involves those that visit to read library books for
class assignments, research, preparing for examinations.

(2) Reference use and consultation: Here readers use the library for
reference purposes and for consultation.

(3) Relaxation: Libraries can be used as a place for relaxation and

leisure spending. Some of the materials used for leisure and
relaxation are novels, newspapers and magazines.

(4) Reading Place: Libraries provide good places for reading. It

provides reading tables, chairs, good lighting and noiseless
environment.

(5) Borrowing of materials: Most libraries allow users to borrow

library books for home use. It is only references and reserved
books that cannot be taken outside the library.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

Explain different uses of the library

iii. Relaxation: libraries can be used as a place for relaxation and

leisure spending.
iv. Reading place: library provides good places for reading.
v. Borrowing of materials: most libraries allow users to borrow
library books for home use.

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4.0 CONCLUSION

Library means a collection of books and other materials properly

organized for effective use. There are six types of libraries and two
major types of library materials; Print and non print-materials. Users of
library use it for many purposes and in different ways.

5.0 SUMMARY

A library is a collection of books and non-book materials orderly

arranged for accessibility to users. Every library is established with the
basic objective of providing library and information services to the
people who use the library. There are six types of libraries: academic,
national, private, public, school and special libraries, library users use it
for internal use, references, relaxation, reading place and a source of
borrowing of book or non-book materials.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

The following are some of the objectives of the library.

i. To determine the information needs of users through user study

ii. To identify and select books and other non-book materials
through purchase, donation, legal deposit or gift and exchange.
iii. To properly organize these materials so as to make them
accessible to user.
iv. To ensure that people are assisted to use these materials by
drawing their attention
v. To preserve for future generation all information materials stored
in it.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

The uses of the library include the following:

i.. Internal use: it involves the use of library books and materials
within the library building without any inters ion of borrowing
them.
ii. Reference use and consolation: Here readers use the library for
reference purpose and for consultation.

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

1. Describe libraries that admit every to use their collection.

2. Identify 2 main types of services a library can render to users.
3. What are the objectives and functions of a library?

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7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS

Kent, A & Lancour, H. (1969). Encyclopedia of Library and

Information Science vol.2 New York: Marcel Dekker.

Nwokocha, U. (1999). A foundation Text in Use of the Library. Owerri:

Whyley Prints.

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MODULE 3 PRESENTING CHILDREN'S

LITERATURE

Unit 1 Strategies of Teaching Children’s Literature

Unit 2 Important Considerations in Planning and
Literature Lesson
Unit 3 Criteria for Selecting Children’s Literature
Unit 4 The Teachers Sanctions in Preparing Literature
Lesson

UNIT 1 STRATEGIES TEACHING CHILDREN'S

LITERATURE

CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objectives
3.0 Main Content
3.1 Strategies for Teaching Children’s Literature
3.2 Controlled Reading
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment
7.0 References/Further Readings

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Modules 1 and 2 of this course material dealt with basic issues about
Children’s Literature Module I dealt with Concepts of Children’s
Literature and Module 2 dealt with ways factors in developing
children’s reading skills.

In this module, the emphasis is on presenting children’s literature. Thus

unit I of this module deals with strategies of teaching children’s
literature.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

• compare individual reading, group reading and controlled reading

strategies
• identify and deal with reading problems.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Strategies for Teaching Children’s Literature

Successful teaching of children’s literature must be based on two
important factors. The first is that the teacher must be knowledgeable
about different purposes and types of reading. You should read again the
content of unit 3 of module 2 of this course material which dealt with
this to refresh your mind. Another important factor concerns choosing
appropriate strategies in form of relevant meaningful activities to use to
teach the pupils. The purpose of this unit is to present to you some
strategies/activities you can use to teach literature.

Individualized Learning

This is one person pupil reading with same guidance. The attributes of
individualized learning include children assuming responsibility for
their learning, proceeding with activities and materials at their own level
or rate in school, home, elsewhere. Choice of learning experiences is
made by the children.

The role of the teacher involves:

- stating lesson object pre-testing the children to permit skipping

objectives known by them, including activities to elicit children’s
active participation Correction of performance is immediately
made available to children. If evaluation result is not satisfactory,
the child may re-study and be retested by the teacher.

- Giving follow up projects to permit children to apply learned

knowledge and skills.

Groups Reading

Group reading means a number of persons placed or gathered together

and assigned to read about a topic and give a report after. You have to
note that whether it is group reading or individual reading it is the
individual in the group who reads.

3.2 Controlled Reading

The literature teacher should at any given time control the reading
activity of the class through the following:

Control of individual reading

The teacher could provide guided questions which will provide clues to
what he wants the individual to read. With these questions, the pupils

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

can real for specific information from the text. Such questions are
usually given before the text or passage is read so that they stimulate,
encourage and guide the individual reader on the directions the teacher
wants him or her to go.

Examples of guided questions are

- What does the passage or text say about Mr. X? How many
children has he? Which school did he attend? Is he lazy or
hardworking? Etc. Individual pupils should find the answers to
these questions as he or she reads the passage or text at home.

Control of Group Reading

The teacher can control the group reading activities of his or her class by
grouping the class. Various group leaders can be assigned to take control
of the groups. The various group leaders may act as the speakers of the
group. The teacher can assign a text or novel or poetry to each group.
Children will read the assigned books at home or the class. The group
leaders will summarise the books they have read to the whole class. The
groups can be asked questions on differences and similarities existing
between one group and another.

Formation of Discussion Groups

The teacher can also decide to organize discussion groups on what was
read from a text or passage or novel, or poetry or short stories. The
teacher may give a guide question like "What would you have done if
you were in a similar situation? The teacher can decide to allocate marks
to the groups. This will create healthy competition and lively discussion
in the class.

Formation of Drama Groups

The teacher can form drama groups in the class and every member of the
group would be given a portion of his or her reading which he or she
will memorize. Pupils are given specific roles to play so as to dramatise
the characters in the novel or story read.

In all these activities, the teacher of children's literature is a guide. The

teacher should not dominate the activities, but bear in mind that the
children are learning and participating actively. He initiates, motivates
and encourages the children to ask question, participate in discussions,
and act their roles in plays. His or her involvement at intervals is to
ensure the literary activities of children do not derail.

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

The teacher should take care of individual differences e.g sex, age,
background etc. He should create a positive attitude in the minds of the
reader. He should provide interesting novels, texts, short stories, etc. He
should train children to read a variety of texts.

He should motivate children to read, let the children see the purpose of
reading.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE

Explain formation of discussion group as a class control activity of the

teacher.

4.0 CONCLUSION

Individual reading is one person reading while group reading refers to a

number of persons gathered together and assigned to read a stay or text
and give a report after. Controlled reading refers to the teacher
controlling the reading activities of the class.

5.0 SUMMARY

The following are some important reading methods:

• Skimming, scanning, intensive reading, extensive reading.

• The reading problems are: sub-vocalising, finger pointing and
regression.
• The individual or group reading is controlled by the teacher.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE

The teacher can organize discussion groups on what was read from a
text or passage or novel, or poetry or short stories. The teacher may give
a guide question. He can also decide to allocate marks to the groups.
This will create healthy competition and lively discussion in the class.

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

Compare and contrast individual and group reading.

7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS

Abbort G and Wingard, P. (1981). The Teaching of English as an

International Language: A Practical Guide. lbadan: Collins.

William, D. (1990). Language Teaching: An Integrated Approach.

Ibadan: Spectrum Books. .

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UNIT 2 IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS IN

PLANNING AND LITERATURE LESSON

CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objectives
3.0 Main Content
3.1 Factor to Consider in Presentation to Literature Children
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment
7.0 References/Further Readings

1.0 INTRODUCTION

In unit 3, we discussed suitability, enjoyment and. availability as

criteria, among others that influence choice of children's literature in
school. It is hoped that you gathered that criterion of suitability helps us
to determine the extend literature theme, treatment of ideas, level of
language, characters and plot, suit the children's developmental levels,
maturity, needs, interests, personal problems, social situations, feelings
and creative abilities etc. The criterion of enjoyment determines
literature children enjoy to read and availability determine and provision
of children's literature. These criteria should influence choice of
children's literature and not teachers taste and preconceptions.

In this unit, we shall discuss the criteria for choosing children’s

literature

2.0 OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

• identify the criteria for choosing children’s literature

• discuss the criteria for choosing children’s literature.

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Factor to Consider in Presentation to Literature

Children

One factor to consider in presenting literature to children is for the

teacher to be widely read in children's literature. This will enable him to
match the literature to the individual child's needs and interests. Another

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

factor is for the teacher to systematically plan the lesson so as to satisfy

the needs and interests of the children. Successful literature lesson plan
would start with posing and answering the following questions:

1. What types of literature should I teach the children? – Short

stories, novel, folk tales, myths and legends, Real-life situations,
poems and drama etc? The scheme of work will help the teacher
to choose the topic if there is one.

2. The second question is: To whom do I teach this topic? To find

answers to this question demands the teacher conducting a needs
analysis of learners by examining the characteristics of his pupils
such as their names, age, developmental levels, gender, socio-
economic background, literacy level, urban/rural status, etc.

3. The third question is: What are the literary content tasks to be
treated. This would lead to the subject content task analysis of the
content of the literature material. This is followed by the
question: What do I want the children to learn or be able to do
after the literature lesson? The answer to this question demands
stating the objectives of the lesson in behavioural terms in the
three domains (Cognitive, Affective and Psychomotor)

Through pre-testing the teacher determines the readiness of the children

for studying the chosen topic. From the stated objectives, the teacher
will select what teaching methods, media and teaching skills that needed
for the presentation of the literature lesson. The teacher will now decide
how to encourage literature reading through drama, creative writing,
poetry or tape-recorded versions of episodes. He will now decide
whether the lesson will be presented to a group of children or to the
individual child. What useful activities (improvised drama in the
classroom, television and radio, poetry; children's writing, and reading
stories aloud etc) should be provided to encourage children's interest?
The books theme, treatment of ideas, language level, character and plot
must suit the maturity, interest and emotional capacity of the children.
For example, children up to the age of five like stories of animals, toys,
pets, parents, grandparents, and children like themselves who get across,
play, get up, go shopping and who are fed and scolded, loved, taken out
and put to bed. Sometimes, children love made up stories that are about
themselves and their own recent activities.

From this delight in the familiar animals etc, children move up to the
kind of story which opens up in their familiar world a wide range of
possibilities than they normally exploit. They like little people -
sometimes animals and fairy creatures; but often actual children –whose
behaviour is some what unconventional, who break the rules; or are just

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PRD 433 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

unable to cope with them, who get into trouble, challenge authority, and
triumph over people who are bigger or older than themselves. My
Naughty little sister is an example of the kind of book that bridges the
gap between the familiar world of the average child and the
unconventional familiar world of little people such as Peter Rabbit. A
book such as the Seven White pebbles identifies situations where the
child's fears and anxieties are very real, and this is a preparation for the
naturalism that will come into his stories as he grows older. Stories
within his range of experience, and at this level of simplicity, will
continue to appeal to children at least up to the age of eight.

Between the ages of nine and ten years, children enjoy folktales of the
kind found in the collections of Joseph Jacobs and Andrew Lang. They
give the child a sense of security as he finds that they belong to the life
of different environments that he has to adapt to. The child's first
experience of the story will be through the teacher, who tells or reads
and shows him pictures. Later he will find himself able to join in the
parts of the story, to tell parts or all of it himself, perhaps to act it or
write about it; and often the greatest thrill comes when he finds that he
can read the story for himself in his own book. The story of how he
comes to possess traditional tale through the, perhaps, three years of
nursery and primary school days may well reflect the history of his
whole development as a person during that time.

In finding stories for his class, the teacher can explore collections of
folktales from many sources. Many teachers find that children enjoy the
repetition of a small selection of old favourites, but there is a need to
bring variety to the child's experience of story, if only to move away
from fixed responses from time to time.

At 11 years, allegorical stories of the type of Pilgrims Progress – often

tales of moral struggle, following the structure of an arduous journey
can take hold on the imagination of the children.

The teacher should note that an average child's experience of literature

in school is very largely a shared experience. Consequently, the teacher
and the class children should regularly and frequently share stories.
With selection of literary materials over, the teacher will pose and
answer the last question in his lesson plan.

How do I determine the extent to which the learning has been achieved?
To answer this question, the teacher prepares to evaluate students
learning in terms of the achievement of set lesson objectives, with a
view to re-planning, re-teaching and re-evaluating any phases of the
lesson plan that need improvement.

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SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE

Explain the teachers' role in presenting literature to children.

4.0 CONCLUSION

There are three broad methods within which most learning takes place:

(1) Presentation of information to large class group of students

(2) Self-paced study or individualized learning with each student

studying at his or her own rate or pace.

(3) Small group discussion/interaction between teacher and student

or among students. There is now a shift from large class teaching
to more emphasis on self-paced learning or individualized
learning.

5.0 SUMMARY

The teacher's role in planning literature presentation to children starts

with systematic planning of the lesson. The lesson plan assists the
teacher to identity the needs and interests of children so as to suit
children's literature to their needs and interests.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE

The teachers have to be widely read in children's literature. This will

enable him or her to match the literature to the individual child's needs
and Interests. Another aspect is for the teacher to systematically plan the
lesson so as to identify the needs and interests of the children.
Successful literature lesson plan would start with posing the following
questions:

i. What type of literature do I teach children?

ii. To whom do I teach?
iii. What are the literary content tasks to be treated?
iv. What do I want the children to learn after the literature lesson?
v. How do I determine the extent to which the learning has been
achieved?

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

Identify and describe elements of planning a literature lesson for

children.

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7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS

Moody, H.L.B. (1971). The Teaching of Literature in Developing

Countries. London: Group Ltd.

Jerrold Kemp and Dayton Deane (1980). Planning and Producing

Instructional Media. New York: Harper and Row, Publishers.

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UNIT 3 CRITERIA FOR SELECTING CHILDREN’S

LITERATURE

CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objectives
3.0 Main Content
3.1 Criteria for Choosing Children’s Literature
4.0 Conclusions
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment
7.0 References/Further Readings

1.0 INTRODUCTION

In unit: 2, we discussed the importance of children's literature in meeting

children's needs. It is hoped that you gathered that children's literature
among others, satisfy children's curiosity, security needs, affection
needs, spiritual, emotional and intellectual needs. It provides also fun for
children and restores children’s confidence in their cultural heritage.

In this unit, we shall discuss the criteria for choosing children's

literature.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

• identify the criteria for choosing children's literature

• discuss the criteria for choosing children's literature.

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Criteria for Choosing Children’s Literature

The following are the criteria for choosing literature for children:

(i) Suitability
(ii) Enjoyment
(iii) Availability

We shall examine these three criteria.

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Suitability

The most evident general criterion for choosing literature for children is
suitability. The criterion of suitability poses the question: How do the
literature theme and treatment of ideas, characters and plot and the level
of language suit the child's or children's maturity and interests, personal
problems, social situations, creative abilities, understanding, responses
and feelings? Overall, this means the suitability or the appropriateness
of the literature (novel, short stories, drama, folk tales, legends, myths
poultry etc) to the child or children.

The criterion of suitability demands that a book or novel, short stories,

drama, folk tales, legends, myths poetry and so on should be produced
largely with a child's developmental needs. Indeed, such literature must
be one that deals honestly with children, portrays them candidly and in a
medium to which they can respond with imagination and pleasure.

You will recall that children present different levels of development,

maturity and interest as well as different relations to the written
language of 4 – 5 years, 7 – 8 years and 9 – 12 years. At 7 – 9 years the
child's mind is not just impressionable but also stores experiences
capable of building up associations when properly stimulated. At 12 –
18 years, as the child approaches adulthood, his psychology,
understanding and interest become mature and distinctive more than his
linguistic skills and conceptual powers have by now developed
sufficiently to enable him derive aesthetic pleasure from his literature
reading. All teachers of literature must be aware of these children's
characteristics and should not allow their own tastes, interests and
preconceptions to influences choosing children's literature.

A teacher must determine the stage of a child's development before he

chooses literature that will suit, stimulate and please the child in any
genre of literature given to him.

Enjoyment

Enjoyment is the second criterion of choosing literature for children.

This is because literature for children or anyone else is to be read
because it is enjoyable; if it is not enjoyed it won't be read. For example,
books specially written for adolescents should deal with their everyday
concerns and problems of adjustment to approaching adulthood, like
problems about love, parent-child conflict, careers, and drugs are
enjoyable to adolescents.

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SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

Explain suitability as a criterion for choosing literature for children.

Availability

It is one thing to select a wide range of literature to suit needs and

experience of children, it is another to see that they are available and
they reach the children. A look at book stands, schools and public
libraries up and down the country will reveal a dearth of children's
literature by Nigerian authors. If the situation is poor in the urban cities,
the situation in the rural schools could better be imagined. Many of our
children come from impoverished reading background with no
opportunities and encouragement to widen their background in primary
schools. Those who show initiative have constrain by the unavailability
of libraries.

It is also pertinent to ask where the bookshops are in Nigeria, where the
Nigerian child can buy books, especially if he lives in the rural area.
How many books can he buy with limited funds? And at school how
does the child gain access to a library perhaps locked up in principals,
offices. Where are the neighbourhood libraries to which he can go to
borrow books outside school hours. The answers to all these questions
are depressing as the library facilities and bookshops are very few where
they exist. There are not adequate children's sections in public libraries.
This results in the scarcity of children's books or literature. The result is
that children have now very little to read outside their textbooks. They
therefore have little to talk about commonly. Since children do not have
enough to read, they spend their leisure hours in other undesirable ways.
They are easily frustrated and their intellectual growth is stunted.

Remedy

In order to make more suitable reading materials available to children,

families, communities, schools and Government should strive to
establish more libraries for children at least in every Local Government
Area. Authors and publishers could also take the wind out of the sail of
apathy towards children's literature by organizing symposia, writing
workshop and seminars for authors.

Finally, government has a part to play towards improving the present

supply of children's literature. This will encourage reading. Reading is
the key to wisdom. If we want good resourceful citizens, then we should
provide them good children's literature.

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It is desirable for a teacher to allow these criteria to influence his choice

of children's literature instead of his own tastes. The teacher is a guide,
helper, and clarifier. To be able to decide what literature is suitable or
appropriate for his class children at any point in time, the teacher should
be widely read in literature for children. It implies that the teacher's task
too, is to familiarize himself with a wide range of children's literature, so
as to be able to match the literature to the individual child's needs and
interests. In doing this, the teacher is putting himself in the best position
to know what is exactly right as literature for the direct experience of the
children in his class, both as a group and as individuals.

You should note that the range of literature for children either to read or
to learn about oneself and others, or for information, fun and for escape
is so wide that it is possible to suit the literature to children's needs and
experience. The implication is that it is only the literature that satisfies
identified criteria that children should be reading and if such literature
that meets these criteria for all children are not available then they
should be written.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

Enjoyment is a criterion for choosing literature for children, Discuss.

4.0 CONCLUSION

The criteria that influence the choice of children's literature are many.
These are: suitability, enjoyment, and availability to mention but these.

5.0 SUMMARY

The literature children read must be varied enough to appeal to the many
reasons for reading; reading to learn about one self and others; reading
for information, or for fun and escape. What literature to read to
precisely suit personal needs and experience, personal interests,
particular creative abilities and social situations etc. makes suitability
the first criterion for choosing children's literature. This is followed by
other criteria like enjoyment. Literature chosen can only be read by
children if it is enjoyable. Then what is suitable and enjoyable should be
available. To answer this question makes availability an important
criterion for choosing children's literature.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

Suitability means how literature theme and treatment of ideas, characters

and the level of language suit children's maturity and interests, personal
problems, social situations, creative abilities etc. This also means the

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appropriateness of the literature to the children. It demands that a book

or novel, short studies etc. should be produced largely with a child
developmental needs such literature must be one that deals honestly with
children, portrays them candidly and in a medium to which they can
respond with imagination and pleasure.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

Enjoyment is the second criterion of choosing literature for children.

This is because literature is to be read because it is enjoyable, if it is not
enjoyed it won't be read. The literature must relate to the children and be
enjoyable to them.

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

1. List three criteria for determining the worth of literature to be

chosen for children.
2. Explain (a) One thing the teacher must avoid and (b) One thing
he must do in choosing literature for children.

7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS

Alan Davies (1973). Literature for Children. Oxford: The Open

University Press.

Chidi Ikonne. (1969). Emelia Oko, Peter Onwudinjo (1992) Children

and Literature in Africa. [ed] Calabar: Heinemann Educational
Books (Nigeria) Plc.

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UNIT 4 THE TEACHER’S FUNCTIONS IN PREPARING

LITERATURE

CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objectives
3.0 Main Content
3.1 Teacher's Role in Novel Presentation of Literature to
Children
4.0 Conclusion
5.0 Summary
6.0 Tutor Marked Assignment
7.0 References/Further Readings

1.0 INTRODUCTION

In unit 4, we discussed important considerations in planning

presentation of literature to children. It is hoped that you gathered that
literature lesson planning starts with identifying the type of literature to
teach student from the literary scheme of work; examining the
characteristics of the learners and assessing their needs so as to suit the
literature to the learners’ needs and interests. This is followed by the
subject content task analysis, statement of objectives, which determine
the teaching methods, materials, teaching skills and evaluation criteria.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

• explain the teacher's functions in presenting literature (Novel) to

children.

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 The Role of the Teacher in Novel Presentation to

Children

The novel is a form of prose fiction literature capable of providing

learning experience of unique value. If well selected and imaginatively
taught, this form of literature can develop considerable enthusiasm and
interest in students and will easily lead to extensive personal reading at
the natural speed of the individual reader.

The teacher's role in teaching students novel is first to accept that prose
fiction is a field which demands a good deal of flexibility from the

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teacher and that some degree of individual and group work may be
necessary. The teacher should encourage intensive and extensive
reading so that everybody is actively participating with nobody left
inactive. The teacher is expected to foster a general reading habit in the
children. The teacher observes certain basic principles to solve problems
usually involved in the development of general reading habits. These
basic principles are as follows:

(1) Teacher must give children demonstrations and examples

(2) Give suggestions
(3) Make provisions,
(4) Reinforcement

We shall explain these concepts:

EXAMPLE: The teacher imparts the habit of general reading by a

process of demonstration and example to stir the basic interests and
readiness of his students. The teachers example will comprise producing
from time to time a new story, essay or poem which surprises children
by its appropriateness to what concerns them (their personal problems,
social situations and the world in general as they see it). The teacher will
also judiciously make use of allies among his students. Those who show
most resourcefulness should have opportunities of presenting their
discoveries to the class, and if spontaneous admiration is evoked in the
class, the teacher should praise the effort. To encourage a readiness to
contribute, it is good a idea to make occasions for every student or child
in the class to produce something he or she has come across, of interest,
allowing perhaps an average of 5 minutes each or even less and showing
appreciation of everybody's efforts, no matter how modest.

Suggestion

The teacher must do more than give examples to students. In proportion

as he manages to stimulate willingness, he must also suggest how it can
be followed up. The teacher must suggest what books, stories etc might
be read, and also where they can be found. The most helpful thing he
can do is to provide a reading list of authors, titles, and topics which are
likely to have a genuine appeal to students at any particular level. The
reading list should be duplicated so that each student can have his or her
copy, and may perhaps kick off items as he or she reads along.

Provision

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Reading lists should always be linked as closely as possible with what

students can be expected to find available in the library or bookshops
without undue trouble or expense. In some places, there may be public
libraries, and teachers should make it their business to know what IS
available there, and make suggestions to the school authorities of what
they would like to see added. In other cases, the school itself should
endeavour to purchase these books.

Government, school authorities and teachers should ensure that funds,

premises and personnel are available, according to local means, for the
provision of libraries which are well cared for, well stocked and
convenient. Efforts must be made to encourage the use of libraries for
general reading, not only for the writing of assignments. In some cases,
teachers may be able to establish class libraries as well, so that the
supply of books for general reading can be closely linked with the rest
of the programme of study. The books available must be of a kind that
students can easily cope with on their own to promote compulsive
reading.

Reinforcement

The enthusiastic teacher will find various ways not only of creating a
reading habit, but of maintaining and extending it. Not making it seem
too much of labour. What is meant here is that the teacher works with
students by praise and encouragement rather than by blame and
compulsion. The teacher can get students to keep records of what they
read, and even provide special exercise books or loose – leaf folders for
the purpose. This can be made into a practice which promotes a degree
of personal pride in achievement. Such students' records could include
information such as:

1. Title 6 Principal characters or topics

2. Author 7. Brief outline of story theme
3. Publisher 8. Points of interest or disapproval
4. Date of 9. Memorable quotations or extracts
publication
5. Date read 10. Opinions expressed about the book others
etc.

The teacher should create a healthy interest in students when they read
books for the sake of reading not for examinations and marks or grades.
Students should read for fun, for enjoyment and information. Teachers
may also consider various ways of socializing the reading habit of
children, for example, by encouraging children's membership of literary
societies and related activities both inside the school and in a wider
societal basis. Teacher may organize various kinds of inter-school

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literary functions, possibly a famous literature writer can be invited to

school to talk to say final year students in a particular locality.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE

Explain suggestion as a role of the teacher in the presentation of a novel.

The Teacher and the study of a novel:

The teacher should explain the structure of a novel to students as

follows:

- Setting – this means the geographical, historical, social,

sometimes political environment or background in which the
story in the novel is set.

- Character here refers to the persons in the story.

The teacher should teach about the characters using the following:

1. What the author himself said

2. What the main character himself says or does or who he/she
relates with others
3. What other characters say about one another
4. What a character’s presented as thinking, feeling, doing or
refraining from doing.
5. How is the story in the novel presented? Teacher should teach -
the students need to be to observe matters of personal attention as
well as note that events can be influenced by social machinery
like in the duties of police officers, flood or a plague.
6. Use of language – teacher to explain the use of language e.g sub-
families, dialects, registers and personal idiolects which may be
employed in the course of a single novel.

The teacher aids the study of a novel with:

- choice of edition getting off to a good start by reading passages

from the book before students ever see it: any visual aids is
introduced at the right time. Providing a structure of the study. In
the course of his preliminary assessment, the teacher will have
considered how the book can best be divided into sections.
Making it real -The need for helping students to grasp a work of
literature by making sure that they have an adequate and correct
idea of any fundamental problems or concepts that have been
emphasized.

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- Varying the method: since the reading and study of a novel is

often an extensive journey, the teacher can help a great deal by
.using different methods in dealing with various parts. The bulk
of the reading will be done by students individually or privately.
The teacher may decide to read some parts aloud to the class,
especially if there are effects of drama or humour which he can
bring out. The teacher can introduce variety in the methods used
to test or assess the reading of various sections. Keeping stock –
As a book is of some length and complexity, it is necessary for
students to retain some impressions of what has gone before and
it is usually helpful to compile the list of characters, with a few
comments on each.

Discussion, and the leading of discussion, is one of the subtle arts which
a teacher of literature needs to develop to a high degree. The teacher
should avoid monopoly of the discussion by one or just a few
individuals in the class or by himself. Discussion should be guided by
two important principles. First, to arrive at the truth, as far as possible –
and second, to bring in as many individuals as possible. Discussion best
arises out of questions and a Skilful teacher will devise sets of questions
which pass from factual, to the interpretative and finally to the
speculative. It is important to the teacher to know how to formulate the
fundamental issues present in a book. The teacher should bear in mind
that critical books are a means to study, not an end in themselves.

4.0 CONCLUSION

The teacher of literature performs various roles in the course of teaching

children’s literature.

5.0 SUMMARY

The roles that teachers of children’s literature perform include:-

• Encouraging students to do intensive and extensive reading.

• Giving students demonstrations and examples, suggestions,

provisions and reinforcement. Explaining the setting of novel
character’s narrative, the language, making it real and talking it over
so as to achieve set objectives.

ANSWER TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE

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As the teacher manages to stimulate willingness in the children, he must

also suggest how it can be followed up. The teacher must suggest what
books, etc, might be read and also where they can be found. The most
helpful thing the teacher can do is to provide a reading list of authors,
titles and topics which are likely to have a genuine appeal to students at
any particular level. The reading list should be duplicated so that each
student can have his or her copy, and may perhaps kick off items as he
or she reads along.

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

Take a published novel or story for children and describe four you will
teach the content to your pupils.

7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS

Moody H.L.B. (1971). The Teaching of Literature in Developing

Countries. London: Group Ltd.

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