Teachers' perspectives on response comparisons when children and adults read children's literature

Abstract

Abstract As teacher educators and researchers, we designed this action‐research project to help pre‐ and inservice teachers experience first‐hand children's responses to Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan (1985). They then compared those responses to their own for the same book. In addition, we examined the role of discussion in shaping adults' perceptions about the book and their understanding of children's responses. Comparisons were drawn between adults' and children's responses in two broad categories: reader‐based and text‐based. Within these areas, subcategories emerged highlighting similarities and differences between children's and adults' responses. Discussion was found to play a formative role in shaping adults' responses to the book, the nature or direction of those responses, and their understanding of children's responses. Implications are drawn for teachers to better understand and support their students' transactions with literature.