ABSTRACT
Literature-based teaching is a growing curricular movement in whole language instruction. A key to student response-centered teaching with literature is knowing how children respond as a basis for asking questions, giving prompts, and planning further experiences with literature. The shift to literature-based reading grounded in reader-response theory is supported by the whole language movement that advocates a greater role for both literature and teachers in reading instruction, as opposed to basal readers with teacher’s guides. Whole language, literature-based classrooms where learning is centered around students’ responses don’t all look the same, but many share a social constructivist view of learning and the transactional model of the reading process. Literature-based teaching means creating a room environment and classroom library, and scheduling time and opportunities for reading. Teachers who use a text-centered approach to literature-based teaching often ignore the importance of student’s voices when responding to literature.
