The young reader's ability to evaluate children's literature: the feasibility of literary criticism in the primary school

Abstract

Research was undertaken to determine the feasibility of literary criticism being an instructional objective in the upper levels of the primary school syllabus. Children of average range reading comprehension achievement in Standard 3 and 4 classes, independently read and evaluated three age-appropriate picture books. The written evaluations were analyzed in order to determine whether there was evidence that the children had made use of the three key cognitive operations identified in the model of literary criticism derived from interactive/integrative theories of literature. These three operations were: 1) the objectification of the text for the purpose of producing a justified evaluation; 2) the taking of perspectives other than the self within those evaluative statements; perspectives such as, other readers, the text, and the author; and 3) the application of evaluative criteria. It was found that children aged 10 to 11 years were able to express justified evaluative decisions which were taken as evidence for the objectification of the reading experience. It was found that while there was evidence that almost all children were able to take the perspective of readers other than the self, only one third took the perspective of the author. The definition and analysis of the textual perspective proved problematic thus, findings relating to it were inconclusive. There was evidence that only half the children of this age could apply any self-selected criteria in their evaluations. The findings of the study suggest that while children of 10 and 11 years show evidence of the ability to engage in literary criticism at some level, they cannot be considered undiscovered critics. The evidence relating to cognitive operations is consistent with the recommendation that the teaching of literary criticism could begin in some form at this age for children of at least average reading comprehension attainment. Implications for language arts educators and directions for further research were discussed.