The course, LSC 530, “Texts and E-Tools for Tots and Teens” is substantially different from most courses I have completed within the program of study offered by the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies. The primary difference pertains to the disparate forms of media embedded within the learning environment. In most other classes, course content is traditionally conveyed via comprehensive PowerPoint lectures, and is supplemented with textbook assignments and journal articles. While I thoroughly enjoy reading and tend to abstain from obtaining information not available in print format, I truly enjoyed watching each of the videos recommended for this course; they were not only informative, but also, and more importantly, were intellectually provocative.
The most prominent lesson learned during the second half of the semester was advice from Sarah Howard from the Boone Regional Library, on how to read to children. While reading to children may seem visceral, it is in fact, a skill that requires knowledge of not only literature, but also of the learner. She offered techniques to use when reading to children of various age groups, many of which as a former nanny, were redundant; however, she noted a few excellent points, specifically related to enticing older children to read a story. She also noted that readers (librarians, teachers, parents, etc.) should choose stories with predictability, which relates to Kimberly Reynolds’ statement about how predictability in both speech and storyline aid children in learning to read. Furthermore, she indicated that readers should practice reading out loud before reading to a group of children, as many books, such as those written for children learning to read, lack a superior plot, and are often written using short, uninteresting sentences. Prior to watching the video, I would not have thought to read a story out loud first, and given the validity of her justification for doing so, this was perhaps the most critical piece of advice in the video.
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Also during the second half of the semester, I had the pleasure of creating a book teaser, with the hope of enticing children to read Curious George Goes to the Hospital, one of my favorite books. In creating the video, I drew from my personal experience in working with children and also took the advice of Reynolds and Howard, to choose a book with predictability. Specifically with the Curious George books written by Margaret and H.A. Ray (as opposed to those written based on their original character), George tends to engage in mischievous activities that bring rise to improving the morale of others along the way. At the end of each story, George is typically depicted as the hero and presented with an award. This sort of predictability empowers children and provides them with a sense of efficacy that may not be available through stories that lack this critical literary pattern.
With respect to adhering to traditional literary patterns, Patrick Carman presented an insightful TED Talk during which he discussed his novel approach to encourage children to increase their literacy skills while also using the technology to which they have become accustomed. Carman understands that many children prefer to engage in screen time whether though iPod Touches, video games, or television, than to read. Using this information, Patrick Carman developed a literacy pattern of his own, where he incorporates media into his written story lines: About every twenty pages, children watch an online video which serves as a bridge between the last and next twenty pages. The criticism surrounding this approach is principally related to the fact that children may be motivated by television. While this may in fact be true, these same children will have, at the end of a story, read about two-hundred pages. To provide a more quantitative analysis, I offer the following: If a child takes approximately ninety seconds to read one page, that child will have spent three hundred minutes reading written text, and only forty-five minutes watching videos. If these children would not have read without the motivation with watch a video, the forty-five minutes is irrelevant. A comprehensive list of his works can be found here.
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Also during his talk, Carman broached the subject of literary merit, and important noted that media cannot be used as a method of disguising poorly-written literature or lackluster storylines. This creates an interesting segue into the most recent topic of discussion this class: Who determines the quality of literature, and should teachers, parents, and librarians censor materials? Every day, School Library Journal (SLJ) promotes a children’s book that it views as being of high quality. In general, both children and adults agree on quality (The Day the Crayons Quit is a great example). However, there are many books, such as those listed on the Amazon.com bestseller list, which are not regarded by SLJ. If such items fail to appear on the SLJ’s list of recommended items, can we as librarians deduct that a specific title is not of high quality? Certainly not! I would consider any book that gets children to read, regardless of professional opinion, to be a quality title.
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I may be in the conservative camp, but I do believe that teachers, librarians, and parents have an obligation to censor materials. I understand this falls against the Library Bill of Rights, but children are more porous than adults, and require a greater degree of guidance than an adult possessing the right to either reject or embrace a title. Ultimately, parents are responsible for ensuring that their children read only approved material. However, there are certainly parents who are not involved in their children’s book selection process, and there are even more parents who fail to read titles privately before reading to their children. Therefore, there must be a system in place for protecting children who may not otherwise receive literary censorship at home.
I have compiled a great deal of information for my final research project on the topic of bibio- and multimedia therapy for children going through familial dissolution. I am looking forward to disseminating my findings, offering my opinion on gaps in the literature, and making suggestions for improvement within the field. I have identified excellent sources of information specific to bibliotherapy, but have had a difficult time locating information pertaining to the use of multimedia in children with emotional issues; the majority of information on media therapy pertains to treating children with autism spectrum disorders. I am, however, confident in my ability to appropriately address this.
Thus far, this course has been intellectually stimulating, and in weeks to come, I am looking forward to expanding my intellectual capacity as related to children’s literature and media.
Heather Johnson- LSC 530 Chatter 