Student - need some mums opinions!

[wardr30]

Hi there!

I'm currently studying for my BA Hons degree in Graphic Design and hope you could all help me with something.

For my final major project I am trying to create a book - the concept is that older literature such as The Raven will be made into a child friendly book full of visual aides and thesaurus references - it will also include interactive elements and a chance for the children to interpret the poem in their own way - giving no right or wrong answers which helps them express their imagination and help creative development.

It will be aimed at 9-12 year olds.

In essence, I would like to know your opinions on whether this would be something you'd encourage your child to use. That way they would learn the context and analysis of more complex literature before they encountered it in the curriculum.

This series would be followed with many other poems designed in the same way.

What do you think?

Any help would be appreciated - I can take criticism although I prefer it to be constructive! Thank you.

[PastSellByDate]

Hi wardr30

On the face of it - it sounds a great idea.

I think the issue (if this is something for schools to be using) is going to be whether answers are 'wide open' - children free to write anything & requiring teacher's to read all answers - that's a lot of work for teachers.

I suspect you're going to have to either design for inverse lessons:

So a visually stimulating portrayal of Poe's 'The Raven' (etc....) which allows children to explore meaning of words, historical reference, maybe find out more about the author, etc.... and then in class the poems can be discussed, maybe even written about, the next day (or perhaps over a few days). Something the child can be assigned to look at over the weekend and then work on in school (with learning resources prepared for the teacher).

or

You're going to have to design something which has automatic marking (e.g. Pearson's Bug Club reading programme) which allows children to select multiple choice answers and type in comments/ ideas and is marked for the teacher.

Personally I'd opt for the first option - but I suspect that will limit it's user friendliness - as based on staff (very much including Head of English) at our state primary (affectionately known as St. Mediocre) I seriously doubt that they could do this justice. Certainly poetry is a brief unit - one poem a year - and that's your lot. Of course, one can argue that songs learned for choir/ school assemblies include poetic aspects...but it's not taught in any formal way.

Indeed, in terms of poetry I've taught my DDs about The Raven by watching the splendid re-working of it for a Simpson's Halloween special: www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=251203

and about Kipling's 'If' from BBC Wimbledon's coverage:

neither was covered at St. Mediocre - although DD1 did show part of her Y5 class the Wimbledon 'If' video - several keen tennis players in that class.

HTH

[wardr30]

Thanks for your reply,

The book is more intended as a book that parents could use to introduce their children to more difficult literature. I have discussed the concept with teachers and obviously with it being a more challenging book they would not be able to teach it to full classes.

So if it was freely available to parents to help their child gain interest in literature and develop their interpretive skills and imagination?

How would that sound?

Thank you.