EDRG 3321-Wed.

This week's class meeting, we discussed chapter 4 about Responding to Literature. We learned that if a child can make a connection with a story, they are able to relate and experience what they are reading more easily. In class, we learned about how everything that surrounds a child allows them to build schemata. This meaning that a child learns from experiences either through family, school, travel and outside influences. If a child does not have much experience from these influences, teachers should be able to build their knowledge in areas they are not familiar with. This reminds me of an experience I had when I was a teacher's assistant during summer school. When tutoring some of the children, I noticed that a few were struggling comphrehending a story the teacher assigned. It was obvious that they were unfamliar with some of the language, characters, and backgrounds that played a part in the story. I had to explain in a way to set up the scene and describe some of the details they overlooked. It can be frustrating for a child who may not have been exposed to certain experiences as their peers.

Also in our power points, it stated that cultural influences have an affect on a reader. It stated that children will respond to their cultural background. We have to understand that children will interpret a story based on their culture. Depending on what hemisphere a child is from, their perspective of a story may differ from a child of another hemisphere of the world. What a child interprets from a story, should not be labeled as wrong or put down. Every reader can interpret a reading differently. In class we did a simple activity which consisted of a story and different interpretations of it. Mrs. Pickett gave us a scenario and then had us mark what we felt was necessary to it. It was a short activity but the purpose of it taught me so much more. It allowed me to understand that children need to be guided in their reading. They feel inferior when a teacher ask their interpretation of a story. This can be intimidating for a child, adolescent, or even an adult. There should be direction in a classroom and teachers should support the active role of a reader. This chapter was very helpful and allowed me to understand the different factors that are involved when responding to literature.