Childrens' responses to fantasy were investigated form the viewpoint of Jean Piaget's theories. A stratified random sample of 30 middle class girls aged 5, 7, & 9 were interviewed after they had read ...Ben Shector's Conrad's Castle (New York: Harper, 1967) & Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are. 5-year-olds represented the pre-operational stage, 9-year-olds the concrete operational stage, & 7-year-olds the transitional stage. The main questions to be answered were: At what age can fantasy be internalized? & At what age can fantasy & realism be distinguished? The results confirmed Piaget's theories. In general, 5-year-olds could not internalize fantasy nor identify shifts in fantasy & realism, but the older children could. While 5-year-olds were only beginning to understand concepts of causality in fantasy, the older children generally understood these. 5-year-olds were generally more egocentric in their responses & were more likely to go into flights of fancy; such flights should not be interpreted as incorrect by teachers, nor should they be interpreted as signs of creativity. 5-year-olds also need to be involved in physical actions when responding to fantasy. Responses to fantasy can be used to determine children's intellectual development. D. Burkenroad
Storytelling as an art form is discussed, stressing the values teachers will gain by cultivating this old traditional art. Storytelling can help satisfy the teacher's personal needs for creative ...productivity & add real stature to his/her professional competency. This great folk art involves both teller & listeners in mutual creativity. As students hear a part of their literary heritage through the stories, they will be expanding their imaginative powers, developing listening skills, & learning to appreciate the beauty of language. Criteria for good storytelling material are listed & many ideas are given to help the teacher compile a wide repertoire of stories that fit children's interests at different stages of their development. Suggestions are made for the preparation needed in learning a story to be told. Stress is placed upon the teller's own unique style & upon simplicity of presentation. Perfection of any art demands a great deal of time & effort, but seeing the reaction of children to a well-told story is a reward worthy of the effort involved. AA
Reading can be therapeutic. Bibliotherapy depends on identification with a character, catharsis, & insight. Teachers, though not trained as therapists, can use bibliotherapy without risk, except with ...seriously maladjusted children. Although bibliotherapy is basically personal, bibliotherapy may be used in the classroom (See Weisenberg, Frances, "The Fourth R in Reading" The Reading Teacher 1973, 26, Mar, 598-601.). There are bibliographic guides to books for bibliotherapy. Among these are Anita Dunn's & Mabel Jackman's Fare for the Reluctant Reader (Albany: Argus-Greenwood, 1964), arranged by subject; George D. Spache's Good Reading for Poor Readers (Champaign, IL: Garrard Press, 1960), arranged by both interest & reading level; & Virginia Reid's Reading Ladders for Human Relationships (Washington, DC: American Council on Education, 1972), which is arranged according to behavioral problem. As James Baldwin said, "You think your pain & your heartache are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read." D. Burkenroad
Good children's literature has an important influence on developing children's creative abilities. Several factors positively assist reading skills development & further appreciation & enjoyment of ...literature. The child who is consistently & conscientiously read to by adults who enjoy reading will subconsciously assume the attitude that reading is a pleasurable experience. School reading programs rich in literature will ensure less boredom & renewed interest. If reading is taught in an enthusiastic & exciting way that incorporates creative activities naturally stemming from literature, the child will become enthused & excited. Also, if an atmosphere is established that allows the child to feel secure, cared for, & free to express his own feelings without fear of ridicule or correction, these activities will involve the child in the various stages of the emotional aspects of learning & will provide him/her with more rewarding, longer-lasting intellectual gains. A sample creative activity, based upon Joan Walsh Anglund's A Friend is Someone Who Likes You, is described in detail, complete with open-ended questions designed to stimulate discussion the child to identify & integrate his/her own feelings & experiences with those in the book. Modified AA
