Reading Strands: Understanding Fiction

by Dave Marks

National Writing Institute

This ungraded teacher’s resource book is useful from the early grades all the way through high school. It begins with a discussion of goals and objectives. You are then referred to the index of objectives in the back of the book from which you choose appropriate lessons for each child.

The primary method the author uses to show how to teach concepts is dialogue. He first describes the idea you need to get across to your children, then provides a sample dialogue (about a book you have read to your child or your child has read to him or herself) showing how you can help children think beyond the surface of stories. You might need to read the books you will be discussing with your children (particularly if your child has weak comprehension skills) so that you can direct the conversation usefully.

The author, Dave Marks, tries to address the needs of various age groups throughout, although some of the ideas (such as parody, satire, and complicated voice/point of view) will need to be reserved for junior or senior high level. In the back of the book are extensive reading lists which, while they are very useful, also include many books that are popular but unacceptable. However, the lists should be useful in directing us to well-written books at appropriate reading levels.