Exploring teachers' knowledge of children's literature

Abstract

In the context of the current debate about teaching reading, research to ascertain primary teachers' personal and professional reading practices was undertaken. The study explored teachers' reading habits and preferences, investigated their knowledge of children's literature, and documented their reported use of such texts and involvement with library services. Questionnaire responses were gathered from 1200 teachers. The data were analysed and connections made between the teachers' own reading habits and preferences, their knowledge of children's literature, their accessing practices and pedagogic use of literature in school. This paper reports on part of the dataset and focuses on teachers' knowledge of children's literature; it reveals that primary professionals lean on a narrow repertoire of authors, poets and picture fiction creators. It also discusses teachers' personal reading preferences and considers divergences and connections between these as well as the implications of the teachers' limited repertoires on the reading development of young learners.

Keywords:

• children's literature
• literacy
• primary education
• reading

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the grant awarded by the United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA) which made this work possible, and the time given both by the 11 local authority research coordinators and Ruth Rogers from Canterbury Christ Church University.