Define children’s literature and why it is important for language development

Children’s literature is text created for children. Literature is simply writing and illustrations cleverly chosen to manipulate language and provide the reader with information, (Hill, 2008). Reading incorporates thought and is a cognitive process as well as a visual one. Lukens (2007) articulates, ‘literature is inherently artistic and imaginative creating a pleasurable invitation to someone else’s world’. Children’s literature provides an opportunity to indulge in the pleasure of using imagination to depict characters and their circumstances, relationships and context in minute, delectable detail and explore emotional states and experiences beyond the boundaries of the individual’s situation. Literature offers a glimpse into other worlds different from our own. There is a wonderful opportunity to view and explore other perspectives and connect depth of understanding. Children can make text to text connections and text to self linking own experience to the information, developing perspectives. Nikolajeva (2010), advocates, ‘Children’s literature possesses the powerful ability to shape and transfer ideologies to children which are often carried through to adulthood. The impact on a child’s development is significant and it is in this capacity that children’s literature should be taken seriously.’
Children’s literature is significantly vital for children’s language development. Mem Fox (2010) reiterates research findings, “The importance of reading aloud to young children in a child’s first year of life, particularly during the first four months”. Mem explains that reading to a new-born requires a sensory experience as the parent holds the child and the book, reads the text in soothing tones, and the child sees, hears, smells and feels the reading experience as connections are made for brain development. ‘It is a bonding experience between the parent, child, and books and child’, (Fox, 2010). Here is the link to Mem’s Reading Magic clip on You tube (2010), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4Lv9KRXV0Y

Reading aloud to children is an essential component of children’s literature and provides a language rich environment for children to absorb and imitate, (Hill, 2008). Children are immersed in an environment that models the complex uses and functions of language as well as stimulating the senses, improving their development of vocabulary and speech, through rhythm, rhyme and an awareness of sounds. ‘The Magic hat’, (Fox, 2008), demonstrates the linguistic arrangement of words that rhyme in a chant.

                                                                                      

Children can join in and read along and as they do, the senses are stimulated as they feel how the mouth forms the sound and makes the word, hearing the spoken word and making connections to the story and vocabulary. Shared reading is important for developing language. Understanding occurs as children connect sounds to the beat and rhyme of the words, “feeling the taste of words”, (Winch,  Johnston , March, Ljungdahl & Holliday, 2010).
Opportunities to explore the language of the text and predict, anticipating the wording of the story provides a wonderful experience for interaction as new insights to characters possibilities giving a highly engaging, focussed interaction. Students predict text and relate own or known experiences to the story. “Shoes from Grandpa”, (Fox, 2003), is a rhythmic melodic rhyme that is very similar to “The house that Jack built”. The story follows a rhythmic rhyme as the list of items gets larger and larger until Jesse firmly and kindly states that all she wants is a pair of jeans. Children can predict the rhyme as it is familiar format of a known nursery rhyme.

References:

Fox, M. (2003). The magic hat. Lindfield, NSW: Scholastic Press.

Fox, M. (2003). Shoes from Grandpa. Gosford, NSW: Scholastic Australia Pty Ltd.

Fox, M., (2011). Reading magic with Mem Fox. You tube Retrieved from  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4Lv9KRXV0Y

Hill, S. (2008). Developing early literacy: Assessment and teaching. Prahran, Vic: Eleanor Curtain Publishing.

Lukens, R. (2007). Literature: What is it? In R. J Lukens (Ed), A critical handbook of children’s literature (pp. 3-10). Boston: Pearson Education.

Nikolajeva, M., (2010, May 1). Children’s literature comes of age. Retrieved from http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/childrens-literature-comes-of-age

Winch, G., Johnston, R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L., & Holliday, M. (2010). Literacy: Reading, writing and children’s literature (4th ed.). South Melbourne, VIC:   Oxford University Press.