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Nathalie op de Beeck
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English 271: Literature for
Young Children
Course Description For experienced readers, the picture book and children’s literature can make for speedy reading. Rarely do we pause to think about how a children’s text works and why we can scan its words and images with such ease. This course explores the history of childhood and children’s literature, looks at the ways societies develop concepts of children and childhood, investigates the things we take for granted about children and reading skills, and examines our nostalgia for and delight in playful literature. This is a course in literary and visual analysis, based on the history of childhood and on critical theories of children’s literature. It is not a teaching methods course, although some of you are becoming teachers and will benefit from a careful interpretation of the kinds of texts you encounter in classrooms and libraries. Throughout the semester, our discussions will be based on historic as well as contemporary examples of children’s literature. With attention to children’s publications and media, we can discover how creators communicate sophisticated ideas in words and pictures and packaging, how readers (ourselves and children alike) make meaning from verbal and visual symbols, and why even the simplest children’s texts tell us a great deal about our changing cultures and developing identities.
All three of these books are required. Everyone needs to get the editions specified here, for easy reference to pages and illustrations.
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Hugh Cunningham, Children and Childhood in Western Society Since 1500
(Pearson Education Limited, 2005 edition) Due to the prohibitive cost of picture books and our need to read numerous titles, there will be additional picture books on reserve at Milner Library. I will bring these books to class for group discussion. Further readings, including critical essays, will be made available as photocopies, online documents, and/or course reserves at Milner Library. Read all assigned texts before class and bring them to class on the day for which they are assigned. You will need your own copies of texts in order to work independently of classmates. Without the required materials at hand, you might fail the assignments.
Group research. To gain an understanding of the history of childhood and children’s literature, we will be investigating archival resources including the Opie Collection at Milner Library. You will complete reports on the materials you cover each day. After a few weeks’ work, you and a small group will present your findings along with a printed handout to the whole class. 10% of the grade. Reading Circles. Four times this semester, you will work with alternating group members to read and review selected picture books at Milner Library. These picture books, along with articles and textbook assignments, will be the basis for group and class discussions. You will complete informational reports to indicate your involvement in this work, and I’ll keep track of your attendance and participation during class. Reading Circle resources serve as material for your essays, so it’s important that you do the readings, present the material comprehensively, take notes, and pay attention to others’ presentations. 10% of the grade. Four essays based on course readings, research, discussions, and ideas generated in the journals and Reading Circles. Each essay evolves out of the work we complete in class and should demonstrate your engagement with the assigned texts and group work. Details of each assignment will be provided in class. Essay I: 1000-word (3-4 page) narrative, with word count given in the heading. 10% of the grade. Essay II: 1000-word analysis of your individual archival research at the library. 10% of the grade. Essay III: 1500-word piece on picture book analysis, including workshop draft. 20% of the grade. Essay IV: 1500-word piece on picture book analysis, including workshop draft. 20% of the grade. Twenty journals related to our readings and research. These informal writings, which I will distribute in class, provide a partial basis for the longer essays you write. I will collect and grade the journals occasionally, and you should enclose all of them in the final portfolio. 20% of the grade. Final Portfolio. Keep all of your essays, journals, and Reading Circle materials organized chronologically in a folder. You’ll present this final portfolio for credit at the end of the term. Attendance and Participation. Passing this course depends upon your attendance and classroom participation, including your cooperation in the Reading Circles. Each person may have two unexcused absences. Four percent of the final letter grade is deducted for each additional unexcused absence. Students who miss eight or more meetings automatically fail the course, so make an effort to be in class and involve yourself with the readings. Be advised that plagiarism or cheating of any kind will result in your failing the course. If you do your own work diligently, attend class, and speak to me about any concerns that arise with your writing or other efforts, you can succeed in this course. Remember that I am available during my office hours and by appointment, and I will be happy to work with you outside class!
Course Schedule Part I: Cute Kids! (An Intervention) Aug 23 Handout: Cute Thing Assignment and Journal 1 (part 1) Aug 25 Journal 1 (part 2) Assignment: Bring a Cute Thing to class! (Please, no humans or other living things, cute though they may be.) Handout: Essay by Daniel Harris on “Cuteness” Aug 30 Journal 2 on Daniel Harris, “Cuteness” Sept 1 Journal 3 on Daniel Harris, “Cuteness” Sept 6 No class meeting. Essay I due at my office (421L Stevenson) by 5 p.m.
Part II: (Western) Childhood and Children’s Literature
Sept 8 Journal 4
Sept 13 Journal 5
Sept 15 Journal 6 September 20 – October 6: Meet at Milner Library, Teaching Materials Center
Sept 20 Introduction to the
Opie Collection
Sept 22 Journal 7 / Opie
Collection
Sept 27 Journal 8 / Opie
Collection
Sept 29 Journal 9 / Opie
Collection Oct 4 Opie Collection (Presentation groups A & B) Oct 6 Opie Collection (Presentation groups C & D) Remember, we resume meeting in Stevenson Hall as of October 11!
Part III: Picturing Childhood
Oct 11 Due in class:
Essay II on the history of childhood and your library research
Oct 13 Journal 10
Oct 18 Journal 11
Oct 20 Journal 12
Oct 25 Journal 13
Oct 27 Journal 14
Nov 1 Bring to class: A working draft of Essay III (at least three
solid pages). In addition, bring all pertinent journals and texts for reference.
Please note that essays will not be accepted at this time. All essays must be
shared in class and revised after peer review. Nov 3 No class meeting Nov 4 (Fri) Essay III and workshop draft of Essay III due at my office by 5 p.m.
Nov 8 Journal 15
Nov 10 Journal 16
Nov 15 Journal 17
Nov 17 Journal 18 Nov 19-27 Thanksgiving Break
Nov 29 Journal 19
Dec 1 Journal 20 Dec 6 Bring to class: A working draft of Essay IV (at least three solid pages), along with Picturing Texts and your Portfolio. As before, essays will not be accepted at this time. All essays must be shared in class and revised following thorough peer review. Dec 8 Due in class: Essay IV, workshop draft of Essay IV, and Portfolio Dec 12-16 Finals Week - We don’t have a final exam, but we’ll make plans for Essay/Portfolio pickup.
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Please email me with any questions or comments! dbop@ilstu.edu |