What is Literature-Based Instruction?

Literature-based instruction is the type of instruction in which authors' original narrative and expository works are used as the core for experiences to support children in developing literacy. The types of activities done with the literature are the natural types of things children and adults would do when reading and responding to any good book. For example, it is natural to share and talk about a good book after reading it; it is not natural to answer ten questions about the book. The teacher's role becomes one of planning and supporting authentic learning experiences. Literature-based instruction is much more than giving students quality literature; it is doing the authentic things with the literature that all writers and readers would naturally do, and giving students support with these activities as they need it. As Wells (1990) indicates, children and young adults develop literacy (reading, writing, thinking) by having real literacy experiences and getting support from more-experienced individuals, who may be adults or peers. Research clearly shows that literature-based instruction helps all students become better readers, writers, and thinkers (Tunnell & Jacobs, 1989).

How does it develop reading proficiency?

Primary Outcomes:

Transaction with Text Motivation Fluent Decoding Background Knowledge Making Inferences Self-Regulated Comprehending

Motivation:

primary outcome : Materials in the literature-based classroom are selected for student interest. The support for making personal connections with high interest materials strengthens student motivation to persist in reading.

Decoding:

Basic Decoding not addressed: Teachers may wish to monitor progress by asking students to read aloud. Decoding may improve as a result of sustained reading practice in appropriately selected materials. Fluent Decoding secondary outcome: Teachers should begin by learning the range of literature and genres that apply to their content area. General professional development in literature based reading instruction is offered at most universities and through private consultants. Important readings include Atwell (1998) and Keene and Zimmermann (1997). Comprehension processes addressed: o Making associations o Predicting o Generating questions o Generating mental imagery o Clarifying

Language Comprehension:

Elaborating Summarizing Evaluating Linguistic Knowledge not addressed: Not addressed. Background Knowledge primary outcome: Thematic organizations of texts help students to form hierarchical arrangements of conceptual understanding. The discussions and compositions in response to literature can strengthen their ability to build knowledge through reading. Making Inferences secondary outcome: As students discuss and write about text, they integrate background knowledge with information in the text to make inferences, form questions, to clarify and summarize ideas drawn from text.
o o o

Self-Regulated Comprehending secondary outcome: Students make predictions and then monitor their reading to validate or discard those predictions. Students continually check what they are understanding with the understandings of others.

How does it support effective reading instruction?

Materials: Teachers and/or students select from a set of texts that teachers or administrators have determined to be quality literature, appropriate for student interest and ability. The materials (usually trade books) can be either narrative or expository.

authentic independent text high interest narrative expository

Reading Task: Often the goal of the reading task is to have conversations about literature and to validate each reader's unique responses to it. Students may self-select the literature or the teacher may make assignments. Thematic units and authentic materials help students to transfer their reading skills to other settings.

authentic purpose student choice transfer activities

Instructional Approach:

The literature-based classroom utilizes cooperative learning strategies, such as literature circles. Students respond inductively to the readings. The selection of materials and strategies appropriate to students enables culturally

responsive teaching.

inductive, inquiry, or discovery learning cooperative learning culturally responsive teaching

Student Scaffolds:

Teachers provide the purpose for reading prior to reading the text. During reading, students monitor their success in achieving the stated purpose. After reading, through discussion and composition, students clarify their shared and unique understandings of texts.

pre reading during reading post reading

Adaptation by Teachers: 4 (On a scale of 1-4 with 1 being low and 4 being high) There are many published reports of adaptations of this approach. Adaptability/Congruence with Classroom Curriculum: The literature-based classroom organization can be adapted across the curriculum, orchestrated with other instructional models.

Literature-Based Reading Programs

by Vito Perrone Literature-based reading programs, often called "whole language programs," take an approach to reading different from the basal program. In a literature-based program, children read books by identified authors -- books such as Eric Carle's The Hungry Caterpillar and Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit. A classroom using this approach to reading will have many books of all kinds, on a variety of topics, and at many levels of complexity. Some will be easy to read, with pictures telling most of the story, and others will be more difficult. The children make choices about which books they read. A growing number of teachers believe that literature-based reading programs are not only more appropriate developmentally than skill-based basal reading programs but make the children more effective as readers and writers. Reprinted from the series 101 Educational Conversations by Vito Perrone, published by Chelsea House Publishers. Copyright 1994 by Chelsea House Publishers, a division of Main Line Book Co. All rights reserved

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