The Role of Literature in Language Arts Teaching and Learning: Developing Literary Understanding

Notes from my ED-LTCY 346 class this semester, Fall 2014 at Boise State University. Children’s literature is the foundation for a rich and effective language arts program. Children’s literature motivates readers, provides them with invaluable language experience and offers them opportunities to learn about themselves and the world. Effective teachers create classroom libraries that support their…

Standards for Reading Professionals From My Children’s Literature Syllabus

College of Education Department of Literacy Boise State University ED-LTCY 346- 1154 Children’s Literature CLICK HERE to see the full syllabus. Instructor: Michael Strickland, M.A. Here are the International Reading Association Standards for Reading Professionals as they apply to classroom teachers. Through participating in this course, you should be able to: Understand major theories and empirical…

What is children’s literature?

Anyone who writes down to children is simply wasting his time. You have to write up, not down. . . . Some writers for children deliberately avoid using words they think a child doesn’t know. This emasculates the prose and . . . bores the reader. . . . Children love words that give them…

The Velveteen Rabbit – A New Edition for Readers of All Ages

Do you remember the first time you read THE VELVETEEN RABBIT? The magical story of a stuffed bunny yearning to be real and the vivid feelings of loneliness, longing, love, and friendship seem to strike a chord with all who read it. Now new readers, children’s literature lovers, collectors, and fans of the story can…