Minimum and maximum entitlements: literature at Key Stage 2

Abstract

How far does the difference between a child's minimum reading entitlement (''

Primary teachers as readers

“…In addition, the data suggest that teachers’ knowledge of children’s poetry, picture fiction and global literature needs considerable development, if they are to avoid merely teaching for the ‘minimum entitlement’: a level 4. Instead Martin (2003) asserts, teachers need to focus on the ‘maximum entitlement’ of every child: to become a reader for life. He emphasises the value of voluntary reading and argues that it should lie at the very heart of the teaching of literature, arguing that:…”

“…It is hoped that through this work, undertaken during the National Year of Reading, those involved will learn more about the potential significance of the teacher as an active, engaged and informed reader in the primary phase. It is further hoped that genuine reciprocal reading relationships with children will be created, relationships which may impact significantly upon children achieving their maximum entitlement (Martin, 2003) and becoming readers for life.…”

“…Since the inception of the National Literacy Strategy (NLS) (DfEE, 1998), concerns have been voiced about the ways in which children’s literature has been positioned and may be used in the classroom. For example, the practice of leaning upon extracts at the expense of engaging with whole texts has been heavily criticised (Dombey, 1998; Frater, 2000; King, 2001; Sedgwick, 2001), and concerns about the amount of time devoted to teachers’ reading aloud to children have been raised (Martin, 2003). There has also been a sense that, as the knowledge and skills delineated in the detailed curriculum objectives have been privileged, teachers’ and children’s own creative engagement with literature may have been sidelined (Marshall, 2001; Woods, 2001; Grainger et al., 2005).…”

Exploring teachers' knowledge of children's literature

“…Professional writers too have articulated their concerns, perceiving that their literary works are being subjected to inappropriate levels of analysis and that an atmosphere of 'anxiety' exists around reading literature (Powling et al, 2003(Powling et al, , 2005. Many have argued that if comprehension and assessment are seen to dominate over reading and response, this will lead to reduced pleasure in texts and adversely influence children's desire to read (King, 2002;Martin, 2003;Woods, 2001;Cremin, 2007). There has also been a perception that teachers' creative use of literature is restricted by centralised systems and their attendant pedagogic practices (Marshall, 2001;Grainger, Goouch and Lambirth, 2005).…”

Reasons for reading: why literature matters

“…By comparison with the wealth of articles focusing on these areas, however, a mere handful concern themselves specifically with reading literature, the only exception being picture book literature. Articles about other literary forms – prose fiction, poetry and plays – are scarce (Hadley, 2002; Hopper, 2005; Kenner et al, 2008; Martin, 2003; Westbrook, 2007). There is little or no interconnection between them and therefore little overt sense of how reading and literature are currently rationalised within English curricula.…”