what is the course childrens literature

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What is children's literature?

Children's literature includes books, poems, and plays meant for children. Discover the history of children's literature, common themes, and examples of children's literature that value both childhood and the development of a child's imagination.

What do you need to take a children's literature course?

literature; critical approaches to children’s literature; and uses of children’s literature in the elementary curriculum. Requirements include reading a minimum of 90 children's books (including picture books), three short analytical papers, and one research project. Objectives of the Course :

What is children's literature syllabus?

Children’s Literature Syllabus Course Abstract: This course provides an introduction to children's literature, from pre-school nursery rhymes and picture books that are read to children, to the stories, myths, legends, and other tales that children read on their own in the elementary

What is literature in early childhood education?

Literature refers to situation, environment, circumstance or setting that may or may not be related to the child. The implication of this issue is that children interpret those stories through their own lenses and this may affect the child’s appropriate interpretation of reality.

What do you do in children's literature?

The study of children's literature is the examination of literature appropriate for children from birth to adolescence. It includes fiction and nonfiction, for those age levels, as well as poetry and prose. The variety of literature available for children is diverse and wide-ranging in topic and complexity.

What is children's literature in college?

Children's Literature is an emerging field in literary studies. The undergraduate specialization provides the student with a solid background in the historical, cultural, artistic, and critical dimensions of literature written for, and/or read by/to children.

What is the importance of studying children's literature?

Children's literature is important because it enhances development of language skills and other critical thinking skills that provide the foundation of learning. Focusing only on literature's value in developing language skills, however, overlooks other contributions that reading adds to a child's development.

What do you do in a literature course?

This path of study will allow you to continue to analyze and read literature but with the eye of a practiced writer; be that poetry, plays, short stories or novels. The assignments will likely be creative tasks combined with analytical reports of your own work in relation to what you have been reading and researching.

What is the value of children's literature?

Children's literature can not only be used to teach students how to read and write but can also help to increase their language, emotional, and cognitive skills. As previously stated students can learn about global values and become more skilful at problem solving as well as thinking critically and creatively.

What is the benefit of literature to you as a student?

When students study Literature, they learn to appreciate words and their power. They travel to other realms and times through the texts they read. They understand about their own culture and others'. They learn to empathise with characters, to feel their joys and pain.

What are children's literature skills?

Literacy Skills for Preschoolers. Print Awareness. ... Print Awareness. A child understands the nature and uses of printed words and books. ... Print Motivation. A child has interest and excitement about books. ... Phonological Awareness. ... Narrative Skills. ... Letter Awareness. ... Concepts. ... Vocabulary.

What is children's literature in early childhood education?

Children's literature is a social practice, which encompasses reading texts written and produced for children and young people in various modalities (print, visual, film, multimodal).

What do teachers need to know to teach effectively with children's literature?

Rather, teachers should be skilled at helping students develop a common language for determining what makes a book excellent literature....Know the literature. ... Be readers. ... Affirm diversity and exercise critical literacy. ... Use appropriate pedagogy.

What can I become if I study English literature?

20 English lit jobs to considerJournalist.English teacher.Freelance writer.Editorial assistant.Interpreter.Social media manager.Copy editor.Paralegal.More items...•

Should I study literature?

In the case of literature, though, there are so many reasons to choose to study it… Reading about people, their thoughts, and why they do things is fascinating and helps you understand yourself and the people around you.

Is English Literature easy?

No,it isn't hard to study. To study english literature,one must understand the english language. Once we understand it, it becomes easy and interesting.

What is the purpose of classical children's literature?

Classic children’s literature teaches audiences of all ages to see more clearly the truth about the world and human nature. Through beautiful narratives and vivid characters, these stories prepare young minds to receive the truth and encourage them to fall in love with virtue.

Why is literature important for children?

Good children’s literature is essential to this type of education because it not only provides instruction in right and wrong, but also stirs the imagination of children through captivating examples of heroes worthy of emulation. 3.

What is Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland about?

Through a series of encounters between Alice and the memorable characters of Wonderland, Carroll demonstrates how one can maintain a child-like sense of wonder in adulthood.

Who said a children's story which is enjoyed only by children is a bad children's story?

C.S. Lewis argued that “a children’s story which is enjoyed only by children is a bad children’s story.” The best children’s literature provides profound moral lessons in a form that delights and inspires young and old alike.

Who is the author of The Snow Queen?

The Snow Queen. Hans Christian Andersen is the author of many of the most beloved children’s stories, including The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Pea, and The Emperor’s New Clothes. In his classic work, The Snow Queen, Anderson provides a timeless lesson about the relationship between faith and reason through a tale of two young friends, ...

What books did children's literature use?

Some children's literature existed at this time, but it was primarily in the form of textbooks or books for moral instruction, such as Foxe's Book of Martyrs and The Pilgrim's Progress.

What did the authors create for children?

As previously mentioned, prior to the mid-19th century, writers created literature for children that was moralistic. In other words, it imparted to children the values of the elders in a given society. These lessons would have centered on proper behavior, how to respect adults, and how to behave in school; they were essentially books on manners and morals designed to protect a child from an end in damnation.

Why do we use writing prompts in children's literature?

As the lesson explains, children's literature may be written for a variety of reasons: to teach children a moral lesson, to support children's literacy, or simply to entertain a child audience. Using these writing prompts, you will identify examples of children's literature, ...

What are contemporary themes?

Contemporary themes are about as diverse as anything can get. What children once read to instill fear, such as Foxe's Book of Martyrs, children now read to become immersed in a variety of different imaginary worlds.

Why did children enjoy reading?

As attitudes toward children changed, and as the middle class expanded and more people began to read, children began to enjoy reading, and adults began to desire to create a market for children's literature.

Why is it difficult to trace the origin of the first children's story?

Due to its oral tradition, it's difficult to trace the origin of the first children's story. Because many cultures viewed children as people already on their way to adulthood, they didn't perceive childhood as its own sacred time that they should value for its experience; rather, it was about preparation. Prior to the mid-19th century, children's stories consisted mainly of moral principles and/or realistic perspectives of the world. Let's look at a few of the primary highlights from the past, particularly during the golden age of the genre, where children's literature moved into the realm of entertainment for all ages.

Who created the first multi-media book?

John Newbery, who you may be familiar with given the popular award for children's books today, the John Newbery Medal, that is named after him. Newbery created Newbery's Pretty Pocket Book in 1744, which was the first multi-media book meant for both children's enjoyment and enrichment.

What is an understanding of the circumstances and contexts where children's books were created?

An understanding of the circumstances and contexts where children’s books were created includes the author’s world view, the time period in which the book was written, publishing parameters at the time, contemporary notions of children’s literature, and a societal attitudes and values.

What is a book file?

A book file is an effective way to maintain record of what you have read. The best way to become familiar with children’s literature is to read a variety of books in various genres, style and sound. Each book file should include the information below.

What is a children's literature degree?

First and foremost, graduates with a children’s literature degree develop a keen capacity to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in written form. It is not, however, the only transferable skill that they take away from their studies:

What is the introduction to children's literature?

• Introduction to Children’s Literature – a reading course to develop appreciation and understanding of children’s literature and its use in schools; classics, fiction and nonfiction by modern writers, poetry, folklore and mythology; the relationship between illustration and text#N#• Multicultural Children’s Literature – children’s literature by and about African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans; history of multicultural writing for children and adolescents#N#• Folk Literature: Ballads and Folk Tales – a reading course in the traditional ballads and folk tales of North America and Europe highlighting those that are featured in children’s literature#N#• Illustrated Texts: Picture Books, Comics, and Graphic Novels – history and development of illustrated texts written for young readers; analyzing the interfaces between words and images#N#• Adolescent Literature – reading and discussion of adolescent literature

What is American literature?

American Literature#N#This degree field is concerned with the literatures and literary history of the United States, from the colonial period to present. Coursework may include contemporary American literature, literary theory and criticism, the American novel, and American Jewish literature.

Required materials

The materials required for this course are covered in your resource fees.

Need to transfer credits to another college or university?

Before you enroll in a course, check with your school of choice to make sure they will accept our transfer credits and to understand any requirements or limitations. Then you can complete your course, and request your official transcript be sent to your school. That’s it!

What is a children's literature program?

The Children's Literature Program is designed so that individual undergraduate students can choose courses to meet their own interests and strengths. It provides a useful background for many areas of professional work and study.

How many credits are required for a children's literature certificate?

The Children's Literature Certificate fulfills the A&S requirement for related areas. It is a planned interdisciplinary sequence of a minimum of 18 credits. 9 of these credits come from 3 required “core” courses; the other 9 are electives (see below). Completion is recorded on the student's transcript and a certificate of completion is issued.

What are the three core courses required for a certificate?

All Certificate students are required to take three “core” courses, ideally in this order:#N#1. ENGLIT 0560: Children and Culture#N#2. ENGLIT 0562: Childhoods' Books OR#N#ENGLIT 0655: Representing Adolescence#N#3. ENGLIT 1645: Critical Approaches to Children's Literature*#N#*ENGLIT 1645: Critical Approaches to Children’s Literature is the “capstone” course for the Children’s Literature and must therefore be taken last.

Why is children's literature important?

Children’s literature is of value because it fosters personality and social development. Children are very impressionable during the formative years, and children’s literature can help them develop into caring, intelligent, and friendly people.

Why should teachers and parents be able to differentiate between quality and mediocre literature?

Teachers and parents should both be able to differentiate between quality and mediocre literature, in order to give students access to the best books to encourage these important values of literature and considering developmental domains.

Why are stories important?

Stories have the power to promote emotional and moral development. Children’s literature “contains numerous moments of crisis, when characters make moral decisions and contemplate the reasons for their decisions,” an important skill for children to see modeled (Norton, 2010, p. 34). Guji Guji (Chen, 2004), for example, ...

What is atypical friendship in literature?

An atypical friendship is depicted in Loop the Loop (Dugan, 1992), where a young child and an elderly person become good friends and share the common joy of playing with yo-yo’s.

What is the purpose of a violin book?

A Violin (Moss, 1995), and Look Closer: Art Masterpieces Through The Ages (Desnoettes, 2006) are imaginative and original books that encourage students to learn about music and art, and they are engaging in their design and interactivity. Children’s literature promotes the development of students’ internal imaginations.

What can students learn from reading?

Students can learn to evaluate and analyze literature, as well as summarize and hypothesize about the topic.

Why is it important for children to learn these values?

It is crucial for children to learn these values because, “developing positive attitudes toward our own culture and the cultures of others is necessary for both social and personal development ” (Norton, 2010, p. 3).