Learn YA Lit with Me (Ch.1)

The one where Ms. Shattuck learns "Why we share literature with children."

I'm taking a class on Young Adult literature this semester at SHSU and am required to blog about each chapter that I read, so I thought I'd create a series to share with my blog friends. Welcome to Chapter 1.

In our textbook there are six main reasons listed as to why we share literature with children:

1. It's fun

2. It aids in acquisition of language and development

3. It develops empathy in the reader

4. It supports lifelong readers

5. It develops the imagination

6. It can transmit culture

Now, I've read this chapter before, last year in my children's literature class; but I especially noted the breakdown of the 4th reason: "Lifelong Readers."

• Unconscious Delight

• Autobiographically

• Vicarious Experiences

• Philosophical Speculation

• Aesthetic Experiences

These are particularly interesting because it made me examine how I like to read, and how I introduce reading ideas to my students.

From now on, I want to find out why my students read (and yes, I know their 8th grade response will be "because you said I had to") but I want them to dig into reasons behind reading to help foster the idea of lifelong readers.

By the way, why do you like to read? Do you share your reading with others?