Promoting creative reading of literature
Submitted by:
Anna Janus-Sitarz
Abstract:
Teaching literature requires specific methods and tools, especially in Poland where daily amount of time spent reading a book is decreasing, what can be backed by various research (Janus-Sitarz, 2015; Zasacka, 2014). In 2015 the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education offered a grant to develop and verify creative and engaging methods of teaching literature. A team of researchers from Jagiellonian University in Krakow conducted a didactic project that engaged 200 students from primary, junior and senior high schools.
The experimental study was focused on producing a specific list of books recommended to read by students in each of the schools. We aimed at finding possible ways to diversify encouragements to read literature according to the age and interests of the “web generation”. We also wanted to answer the following challenges: how to overcome boys’ reluctance to read books? How to change students’ attitudes to reading as an uncreative activity in comparison with playing computer games? How to broaden teachers’ competences in motivating pupils to read? Another purpose of the project was to develop different ways to use social media and multimedia when discussing and analysing books read by children. In general, the project was focused on generating maximum possible readers-response.
The project conducted in 10 classes by preservice teachers included 7 stages: 1) carrying out research (e.g. complex questionnaire survey) and observations in classrooms so as to recognise pupils’ individual interests and reading experiences, 2) working with experts to select titles tailored for individual needs and expectations, 3) creating series of events aimed at motivating each child to read the chosen books, 4) sustaining interests in books by online monitoring of the progress in reading, 5) delivering activities around the text promoting literature (Persson 2015), 6) designing pupils’ activities inspired by chosen books and encouraging creative approach to reading with the use of digital tools, 7) organising closing events enabling young people to present the effects of their creative reading.
We got the encouraging feedback. We succeeded to encourage 100% of students from primary and junior schools and 90 % from secondary schools to read chosen books. The project showed the particular usefulness of such activities as: diversifying motivation methods considering gender differences (McGeown, 2012), involving students in curriculum design (Bron, Weugelers 2014) and creative reading with the use of social media and multimedia.
Keywords: literary education, motivation to reading, creative reading.
References:
Bron J., Weugelers W. (2014). Why we need to involve our students in Curriculum design. Five arguments for student voice. „Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue”, 16 1–2.
Janus-Sitarz A. (2015). “Reading does not bite, but…” – secondary school pupil attitudes to literature. „Edukacja” nr 1.
Creative Polish language and literature traineeships (2015). Ed. A. Janus-Sitarz, Kraków: Universitas.
McGeown S., Goodwin H., Henderson N., Wright P. (2012). Gender differences in reading motivation: does sex or gender identity provide a better account?. „Journal of Research in Reading”.
Persson M. (2015). Reading around the text: On the diversity of reading practices in the new popular literary culture. Contribution to a special issue „Paradoxes and Negotiations in Scandinavian L1 Research in Languages, Literatures and Literacies”, ed. by E. Krogh and S. Penne, „L1 – Educational Studies in Language and Literature”. 15, http://dx.doi.org/10.17239/L1ESLL-2015.15.01.11.
Zasacka Z. (2014). Readership of children and teenagers. Warszawa: Instytut Badań Edukacyjnych.