Reading and the Development of Social Understanding: Implications for the Literacy Classroom. (19th September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kozak, Stephanie; Recchia, Holly
• Is Part Of: Reading teacher. Volume 72:Number 5(2019)
• Page Start: 569
• Page End: 577
• Publication Date: 2018-09-19
• Subjects: Instructional strategies; methods and materials -- Literature -- Making inferences < Comprehension -- Text features -- text structure < Comprehension -- Literature‐based instruction < Literature -- Adolescent/young adult literature -- 2‐Childhood -- 3‐Early adolescence -- 1‐Early childhood; Reading (Elementary) -- Periodicals; Reading -- Periodicals; Reading -- Remedial teaching -- Periodicals; 372.405
• DOI: 10.1002/trtr.1760
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0034-0561

Abstract

Abstract: Research has underscored the cognitive benefits of reading, but scholars have also begun to explore its implications in the socioemotional domain. The authors review research exploring the links between reading and social understanding skills such as empathy and perspective taking, examine the qualities of literature that are posited to foster social understanding, and propose explanations of why reading may confer these benefits. Building on this review, the authors include ideas on how to incorporate this research into literacy classrooms by providing specific book suggestions and accompanying activities that may leverage the potential sociocognitive benefits of reading within a classroom context.