Children's literature promotes understanding

BY MELISSA THIBAULT 

TEACHERS FACE DIFFICULT SITUATIONS DAILY. Students come to the classroom with very different experiences and circumstances, yet all are expected to transcend those differences, focus on the curriculum, and meet the objectives established by the state. They need help if they are to transcend this wide range of socio-economic, cultural, family, and health circumstances, build understanding, and succeed in school.

Using children’s literature, teachers can help their class through difficult situations, enable individual students to transcend their own challenges, and teach students to consider all viewpoints, respect differences, and become more self-aware. Two approaches will help you get the most out of children’s literature: bibliotherapy, which uses books to help children deal with specific situations; and building critical literacy, the ability to consider various points of view.

Bibliotherapy: dealing with personal situations

When faced with a difficult situation, many parents and teachers look for a book to help explain, to provide a conversation-starter, or to fill in the gaps in their own understanding so as to better address the situation at hand. Bibliotherapy is a term for this strategy, but the name really isn’t important. What matters is that when used correctly, books can heal. Books can promote understanding, provide context, and facilitate conversation.

USING BOOKS TO SPARK DISCUSSION

Some issues, such as bullying or disabilities, affect the entire class and should be discussed as a group. It is essential that you use the book not as a substitute but as a catalyst for discussion. In the ERIC digest article "Using Literature To Help Children Cope with Problems," Wei Tu provides guidelines for selecting and using literature in the classroom and summarizes a five-step approach appropriate for whole-class participation at any grade level:

1.     Identify. Determine and discuss the problem. It should be meaningful, interesting, and appropriate for children.

2.     Brainstorm. Encourage children to think about possible solutions. Listen to and respect all of their ideas. Keep a record of the solutions suggested in case the children want to try more than one.

3.     Select. Help children examine the advantages and disadvantages of various solutions and then choose one that seems workable.

4.     Explore and implement. Let children gather the necessary materials and resources and then, if it is feasible, implement the solution they select.

5.     Evaluate. With the children, observe and discuss whether the solution to the problem was successful. If appropriate, help the children think of changes in the solution implemented, or encourage them to explore new solutions. 

This problem-solving technique provides the catalyst for discussion which is essential to supporting students through traumatic events in their home or school lives. Through guided problem-solving, students can build the capacity to solve problems on their own when they arise.

Taken from: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/635

KWL

K	W	L
Ayuda a los niños a comprender ideas abstractas. Son de gran apoyo para padres y docentes en temas a veces difíciles de abordar.	¿Realmente son útiles los libros para enfrentar situaciones que vive el niño? ¿Cómo debo abordar la lectura para que cumpla con lo que me interesa abordar?	Los estudiantes vienen a clase con experiencias muy diferentes lo que representa un desafío importante para los docentes. Sobre todo cuando debemos cumplir con un plan de estudios, y cumplir con los objetivos establecidos por el Estado. En muchos casos se dan cuenta que necesitan ayuda para que los alumnos puedan superar esta amplia gama de circunstancias socio-económicas, culturales, familiares y de salud para poder tener éxito en la escuela. Usando la literatura infantil, los profesores pueden ayudar a su clase a través de planteo de situaciones difíciles pero cotidianas que permiten a los estudiantes de forma tanto individual como grupal  superar sus propios retos,  enseñan a los estudiantes a considerar todos los puntos de vista, respetar las diferencias, y así volverse más conscientes de sí mismos.  Es esencial que se utilice el libro no como sustituto sino como un catalizador para el debate: Identificar. Determinar y analizar el problema. Debe ser significativa, interesante y apropiada para los niños. Anime a los niños a pensar en posibles soluciones. Escuchar y respetar todas sus ideas. Mantener un registro de las soluciones sugeridas en caso de que los niños quieren probar más de uno. Seleccionar. Ayude a los niños a examinar las ventajas y desventajas de las distintas soluciones y luego elija una que parezca viable .Explorar y poner en práctica. Dejar que los niños  reúnan los materiales y recursos necesarios y luego, si es posible, poner en práctica la solución que seleccionen. Evaluar. Con los niños, observar y discutir si la solución del problema se ha realizado correctamente. En su caso, ayudar a los niños a pensar en los cambios en la solución implementada, o alentarlos a explorar nuevas soluciones.