ENG5772 - The Child and the Book

Objectives:

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

(1) demonstrate knowledge of a range of literature for and about children;
(2) apply, in analysis of texts, an understanding of the changing conceptualisation of children and childhood across differing historical, political and socio-cultural contexts;
(3) demonstrate an understanding of the changing relations between children and book, considered in both a historical and a developmental perspective;
(4) demonstrate an understanding of key critical debates, addressing literature for and about children.

Content:

Students will make a close study of a historical range of literature (including oral traditions) which is either for children or in which the representation of children is a major element. They will consider texts in which fictions of the self represent growth and development as a consequence of overcoming situational constraints, and they will consider ways in which disability has played a significant part in children’s literature. Students will be ecouraged to examine works in relation to literary development (eg Romanticism, realism) and to socio-cultural and political debates (eg education, disability). Students will be encouraged to examine the arts that bring books within the circle of a child’s awareness, in both literary form and illustration.

Learning and Teaching Information:

The course will be taught in seminars which will make use of a number of teaching and learning methods, including:
presentations by the tutor, exercises in groups, informal presentations by students and plenary discussions.

Seminars
Contact hours 40
Number of groups 1

Assessment: