Infancy, Ages 1 &
2
Characteristics:
1. Senses are dominant: bright colors, respond to voices
2. Learns through activity and participation
3. Limited attention span
4. Plays with sounds, learns “rules” of language
5. Egocentric
6. Building basic trust in human relationships
Implications:
1. Enjoys songs, rhymes, likes bright colors, looks for familiar things
2. Needs sturdy books with washable pages.Needs to participate by pointing, moving, touching, etc.
3. Needs books that can be shared a few pages at a time in one short sitting
4. Needs to hear many rhymes and stories; encouragement to use language in labeling pictures and sharing dialogue.
5. Needs books that reflect self , people and immediate environment.
6. Needs love and affection from caregiver and from stories.Likes dependable routine.
Ages 3, 4, 5
Characteristics:
1. RAPID DEVELOPMENT in language
2. Active, short attention span
3. Curious about world
4. Building concepts through firsthand experiences
5. Has little sense of time.(Before now, now, not yet)
6. Learns through imaginative play
7. Makes absolute judgements about right and wrong
Implications:
1. Interested in words, enjoys rhymes, nonsense, repetition and cumulative tales.Likes to retell stories or “read” them
2. Needs stories that are short and likes participating by pointing, naming, finding things.Should hear stories several times a day.
3. Likes stories about everyday things.
4. Books can help develop and expand concepts.
5. Stories can help children learn about sequence (first, next, etc.)
6. Likes stories using imagination: personified animals, toys, etc.
7. Expects bad behavior to be punished and good rewarded.Happy endings sought.
Ages 6, 7
Characteristics:
1. Continued rapid expansion of language and vocabulary
2. Increasing attention span
3. Still egocentric, but sees a larger world.
4. More able to separate fantasy from reality.
5. Developing empathy and understanding for others.
6. Humor developing.
7. Wants rules to apply, regardless of situation.
8. Body is changing: permanent teeth, fine motor skills
Implications:
1.
Frequent storytimes during day; use of wordless picturebooks.
2.
Still prefers short stories, but may enjoy a chapter book if each chapter
is an episode.
3.
Needs to experience a wide variety of books; media (TV especially) has
expanded interests beyond home or neighborhood.
4.
Likes to dramatize simple stories or use a feltboard and tell the story.
5.
Questions like “What would you do?” or “How do you think Sally felt?” are
appropriate to use.
6.
Children enjoy stories that have incongruous situations, surprise endings,
plays on words, of slapstick comedy.
7.
There should be poetic justice in the stories.
8.
Books can help children accept differences in others and help them understand
their own body.
Ages 8, 9
Characteristics:
1. Wide variation in ability to read and interests in topics.
2. Reading level below appreciation level.
3. Peer group becomes more limportant.
4. Begins to see viewpoints of others.
5. Time concepts and spacial relationships developing.
6. Enjoys tall tales, slapstick humor, and imaginary adventure
7. Cognitive growth enables more problem solving and word play.
8. Interested in collections, crafts and hobbies.
9. Seeks specific information to answer questions; may go beyond own reading ability
Implications:
1. Likes uninterrupted period of time for independent reading.
2. Essential to read aloud to children to broaden their interests, provide balance and develop appreciation.
3. Children need opportunities to discuss and recommend books to others.
4. Books can provide opportunities to see several points of view.Can accept books with less than happy endings.Discussion is important to explore their feelings for others.
5. Interested in biographies, life in the past, in other lands, and the future.Prefer fast moving adventure stories.
6. Teachers need to see value of literature to release tension and provide laughter.
7. Likes stories with puzzles and mysteries.Enjoys plot twists, codes, and riddles.
8. Often likes one author or series and collects books.Enjoys informational books, sports books and how-to books.
9. Requires some guidance in locating information in a book and in using the library.
Ages 10, 11, 12
Characteristics:
1.
Rate of physical development varies widely; girls tend to mature more quickly.
2.
Understanding and accepting the sex role is a major developmental task.Boys
and girls develop a sense of each other’s identity.
3.
Increasing emphasis on peer groups and “belonging”.Some
may be deliberately excluded.
4.
Family dynamics changing: parents may be challenged; siblings criticized;
role models may be from celebrities.Budding
interest in future vocations.
5.
Wants to test own skills; looks ahead to independence.
6.
Growing concern for others and a desire for justice.
7.
Developing sense of own place in time, growing ability to see multiple
dimensions of problems.
8.
Searching for values.Growing analytical
skill and ability to deal with abstract relationships.
Implications:
1. Information needed to understand growth process and personal problems.Continued differentiation in reading preferences of boys and girls.
2. Books may serve to provide identification with gender roles and as a basis for discussion of stereotypes.
3. Likes books about “kids like us” and often influenced by peer groups.Books and discussion about the contribution of all is healthy.
4. Books may provide some insight into changing relationships.Biographies of famous people may develop models.Career books may broaden horizons and provide information.
5. Enjoys stories of survival and getting along on own.
6. More enjoyment of stories dealing with problems, illness or special problems.
7. Books may provide opportunities to examine issues.Need to become aware of biased presentations or stereotypes.
8. Prose and poetry can both be helpful.Valuable discussions can ensue.Questions help students gain insight into stories.