ABSTRACT
In this chapter I shall consider constructive learning in relation to the teaching of literature in the primary classroom, In the first section I shall take a number of points from an article by Gordon Wells (1992) which refers to social constructivism, and attempt to illustrate them through the work of some nine and ten year old children. I shall then focus on the role of the teacher and comment on that through further examples of children's work. In the hope that the reader might be familiar with them, I have deliberately chosen work relating to well-known books and a poem: Not Now, Bernard by David McKee (1980), The Midnight Fox by Betsy Byars (1976) and Keith's Cupboard by Michael Rosen (Rosen and Blake 1987).
