Jennifer Garich READ 5453 December 3, 2011

Why did I choose this topic?

Critical Literacy

Why is this topic important to me?

Research Question How do students construct meaning while reading postmodern picture books? How can teachers support students’ reading of postmodern picture books within the classroom?

Strategies That Work Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis Reading is Thinking! Active Literacy Interesting texts will challenge children and stimulate thinking

Teaching Reading Comprehension Processes Judith Irwin Inferential Thinking Metacognition

Research What are postmodern picture books? Unique Narrative Structure Nonlinear Narrative Form Self-Referential Elements Narrators Directly Address the Reader Intertextual References Indeterminate Plot, Characters, and Settings

Research Why are postmodern picture books important? New Literacy Demands Need for Authentic Reading Tasks Limitations of Traditional Linear Narratives Playing with the Postmodern: Picture Books for Multiliteracies

Synthesis What new insights did I acquire from my research? Critical thinking skills Visual literacy skills Interpretative strategies Comprehend text inferentially and critically Opportunities for meaning making and interpretation Greater participation leads to increased levels of engagement

Instructional Implications Why should I use them in my classroom? Increased levels engagement and motivation Instill a sense of agency Approach nonlinear texts in different ways Facilitate their ability to integrate visual and verbal information Traditional, linear texts vs. postmodern, nonlinear texts

Practicum Practicum Lesson 1 Background Knowledge Making Inferences Practicum Lesson 2 Making Inferences based on Text Evidence Practicum Lesson 3 Assessed understandings postmodern picture book features through group discussion while reading two postmodern picture books Student Work Samples

Practicum What went well? Text selection (prior knowledge, engaging texts) Process questions to reflect deeper understanding What would I change? Provide more structure to discussion so that each student would have an equal opportunity for participation Explicit instruction when introducing an unfamiliar text structure

Conclusions Based on Practicum Recognized unusual features and created multiple interpretations due to the ambiguity of the story Shared their thinking and interpretations during our conversations while reading Based on Research Need for children to become more critical and thoughtful readers Reading tasks in school must reflect those outside of school

References Anstey, M. (2002). “It’s not all black and white”: Postmodern picture books and new literacies. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 45(6), Goldstone, B. (2002). Whaz up with our books? Changing picture book codes and teaching implications. The Reading Teacher, 55(4), Goldstone, B. (2004). The postmodern picture book: A new subgenre. Language Arts, 81(3), Harvey, S. & Goudvis, A. (2007). Strategies That Work (2 nd ed.). Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers. Irwin, J. W. (2007). Teaching Reading Comprehension Processes (3 rd ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc. Pantaleo, S. (2004). Young children and radical change characteristics in picture books. The Reading Teacher, 58(2), Pantaleo, S. (2009). The influence of postmodern picturebooks on three boys’ narrative competence. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 32(3), Serafini, F. (2005). Voices in the park, voices in the classroom: Readers responding to postmodern picture books. Reading Research and Instruction, 44(3), Sipe, L. (2000). The construction of literary understanding by first and second graders in oral response to picture storybook read-alouds. Reading Research Quarterly, 35(2),