Different fiction genres take children’s memories to different places

Anežka Kuzmičová,Teresa Cremin

doi:10.1080/0305764x.2021.1937523

Abstract

ABSTRACT Fiction, more than expository text, nurtures intimate connections between text and the reader’s life experiences. This dimension of reader response is underexplored in relation to children. Adapting methods from Empirical Literary Studies to educational research objectives, the authors employed the concept of ‘remindings’, i.e. reminiscing prompted by text, in studying children’s life-resonant responses to self-selected leisure books. Six workshops were run in primary classrooms during which participants (N = 148; age 8–11) engaged in remindings and mental imagery. Written remindings were then analysed for systematic variation across fiction book genres (Real-world vs. Fantasy; Relationships vs. Adventure). They found that Real-World Adventure books prompted remindings of discrete life events, while Real-World Relationships books prompted remindings of more diffuse experiences. Fantasy Adventure books were the least likely to prompt remindings. Further genre-based differences emerged in the distribution of themes within remindings. The authors consider the consequences of these insights for supporting young readers.

Highlights

There is an uncontested role for direct world experience in children’s expository reading (Afflerbach, Pearson, & Paris, 2008; Kispal, 2008)
Eighty per cent of all remindings responses included at least one such clause, but this was only true of about 63% of all mental imagery responses
Whilst many argue that reading for pleasure should be fostered in ways that connect to children’s personal experiences (Thornton, 2018), teachers receive little support in unravelling how this could be achieved (Cremin et al, 2014)

Summary

Introduction

There is an uncontested role for direct world experience in children’s expository reading (Afflerbach, Pearson, & Paris, 2008; Kispal, 2008). Comprehending a written description of the water cycle requires at least some previous experience of condensation and evaporation, e.g. first-hand knowledge of morning dew, steaming kettles or clothes drying on the line. In classrooms, practical experiences commonly accom pany the use of informational texts conveying abstract concepts. In what ways do personal experiences matter when a text is fiction and deals with life more generally, rather than with a clearly defined learning topic? What is the potential of invoking such experiences when fostering fiction reading for pleasure? Will the possible manifestations and uses of invoking such experiences in the classroom vary depending on the type of fiction being read – and taught?

Objectives

Results

Discussion

Conclusion