Why Reading Literature in School Still Matters

by Dennis J. Sumara, Christine S. Gallagher

"Why Reading Literature in School Still Matters: Imagination, Interpretation, Insight" explains how a reader's involvement with literary texts can create conditions for developing deep insight into human experience, and how teachers can develop these interpretive possibilities in school contexts. Developed from the author's many years of research, this book offers both a theoretical framework that draws from an interdisciplinary array of sources and many compelling and insightful examples of literary engagement of child, adolescent, and adult readers, as well as practical advice for teachers and other readers about how to create interesting and expansive sites for interpretation that are personally rewarding and productive.
"Why Reading Literature in School Still Matters: Imagination, Interpretation, Insight "
*provides an overview of theories of human learning that influence beliefs about language, culture, and identity;
*shows how these theories of learning influence beliefs about and practices of reading and interpretation;
*introduces new ways to conceptualize reading that emphasize the relationship between individual and collective identities and language/literacy practices;
*explains why access to information does not guarantee that understanding and/or insight will occur--by emphasizing the importance of "re-reading" and "close reading" this text shows that development of deep insight depends on interpretation skills that must be taught; and
*presents a reconceptualized view of reading pedagogy.
This is an essential text for education courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and a must read for teachers and for anyone interested in more deeply understanding how literary works of art can create conditions for learning about oneself, one's situation, and one's possibilities.

Genres: Education, Teaching

196 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2002

Reviews

[Hannah]

This is good. Really good. Like, not just good because it's about a subject that interests me, but good like some of the chapters have good essays that would be enjoyed by non academes as well. There is so much good stuff about how reading and rereading helps us forge our identities. Solid read for my class project and for general reading.

[Sara Codair · Rating 4 out of 5]

An encouraging book that blends research with anecdote and makes a case for why literature is still useful and how students can learn from it. However, I did think Sumara's definition of literature was too limiting and snobby.

[Rigatoni Baloney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dennis J. Sumara, Professor in the Department of Secondary Education at the University of Alberta and author of Why Reading Literature in School Still Matters, suggests that by thinking about characters and plots long after finishing a book; by ruminating how a characters’ circumstances match parts of my own situation, and by allowing the print text to provide me with insight to my situations, my interactions with literary engagements served to assist me with the ongoing project of identity formation. Sumara suggests this is the practice of hermeneutics. He speaks of text as a location, (p.95). This is the best example of Sumara answering the question he asks in the title of this book, i.e. why reading literature in school still matters. The answer is because text is a place. Text is a common ground where students can pass in and out as deeply or infrequently as they like, to engage in evocative, connective and reflective activities on endless subjects across multiple disciplines.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some useful things in this text, but it was mostly Sumara's (rather verbose and often confusing) reflections upon other scholar's ideas and his past feelings about school, literature, and other relevant topics. The thesis was somewhat muddled, and I'm not convinced of anything he has said. He goes off on tangents and attempts to parlay something insightful and meaningful, but isn't quite successful in doing so.

[Ingeborg · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book, but not so much about reading as I hoped because of the title. It is about creating a sense of identity, about coping with one's family and other relationships, falling in love... The theme of the book is kind of vague, but the author does make some excellent points, particularly about how our identity and a sense of past is created almost evenly by the real events and persons we encountered, as well as by fictional characters and events we read about.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had to read this for class but still enjoyed it. A combination of personal reflections and academic perspectives. As a reader, I'm reminded again to wrestle with texts, interact with the words on the page and allow it to shape my thought processes in a new way.

[Lee]

This book was just not what I had hoped. I am sure it has value for others.