Kids’ books are more than bedtime reading (From Worcester News)

Kids’ books are more than bedtime reading

12:30pm Wednesday 27th May 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

FOR the past 10 years a small yet dedicated team in Worcester have been studying a literary subject some may view as just bedtime reading.

But this unique group working in the city’s International Centre for Research in Children’s Literature, Literacy and Creativity, are known throughout the world for the vital work they do establishing links and research into the child and community through children’s stories and authors.

Based at the University of Worcester, the centre, led by course director Professor Jean Webb, is a research partnership between the English Division of the Institute of Humanities and Creative Arts and the Institute of Education.

The centre works across subject boundaries, including sports science, drama, psychology and education – and its work falls into a range of categories which helps research in these departments too.

The centre has also supported, with funding from the university, Phd students with their own research.

Some of the past and continuing work the centre has undertaken includes the link between childhood obesity and children’s novels such as Billy Bunter, an overweight and greedy child who is lazy, along with William Golding’s Lord of the Flies character Piggy – also an overweight and unfit character who is bullied.

It is these literary figures, the centre believes, which can install in a children’s mind from a very young age the stereotypes which perhaps aren’t true or can cloud their judgements of people in life.

Professor Webb said: “Our work is important because it shows the views of children in society. The scholarly work we do within children’s literature can enter the world of the child.”

Another subject currently being worked on by Dr Robyn Cox from the faculty of education at the university – which trains and educates teachers incorporating Children’s Literature – is the Olympic Stories Project.

Alongside sports science professor Jim Riordan, the pair have been working with school children in the city on stories about the Olympics and the values of the Games – such as inclusion and diversity – for a book that is soon to be published online.

Dr Cox said: “We wanted to make sure that the children in England ahead of the 2012 Games saw not just the fit athletes, but also the unexpected heroes of the Games, that there are lots of different types of athletes who were also dedicated to their sport.”

The pair worked with the children using traditional stories and re-telling the tales for the modern age to try and shift what was seen as the sporting hero, and breaking down barriers.

Dr Cox said: “The link between the faculty of education and the research centre is very powerful but I don’t think it happens anywhere else in the country.

There is a very strong link between children’s literature and the chid.”

The centre also has very strong ties with some very well-known and prestigious children’s authors, most notably Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen, who has worked alongside Professor Webb and gained his honorary masters degree from the University of Worcester last year for his contribution to the field of children’s literature.

These links also spread into a number of worldwide conferences and literature festivals, such as the first Children’s Literary Festival being held at the Wychwood Music Festival at the end of this month.

Through these contacts the centre has managed to help set up a line-up of best-selling children’s writers, illustrators, storytellers and poets to lead readings and workshops at Cheltenham Racecourse.

Professor Webb was also invited by Dr Cox to write a chapter about notions into Children’s Literature in her recent text An Introduction to Primary English Teaching: Language, Literacy and Learning.

The pair are keen for teachers to understand further the link between social and emotional literature, and see why texts are written.

Professor Webb said: “For teachers it is about understanding.

They have to see what is being written as a way authors have of telling their own childhood experiences, their own likes, dislikes and social cultures. It’s more than just a nice story.”

In fact, recent research has shown that out of thousands of great children’s books being released, there are just five core authors chosen by teachers.

Dr Cox said: “You have the same books being used across the country. The world is more than just five authors, however great they may be, and there should be more of a range so we can understand the whole of society much better from a younger age.”

The work within the centre is greatly supported by the management at the University of Worcester.

Professor Webb said: “We have had a great 10 years and we have had phenomenal support from the university, which we are very grateful for.”

For more about the literary festival, visit wychwood.com.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)