![]() Start with concrete detailsīefore they can identify and work with the theme of a story, your students need to have a strong grasp of the details: setting, character, plot. One goal with teaching theme, explains Jodi Libretti of the Great Books Foundation, is to encourage students “not only to think about ways that they can live, but the type of person they want to become.” 2. When you connect your literature themes to character development and what’s going on in students’ lives, your discussions will hopefully resonate deeply with them. ![]() Plan reading and discussion around questions that your students are already grappling with, from What does it mean to be a good friend? to What is heroism? Here are 14 tips to help your students understand theme as they read. “You can’t think with ideas unless you understand them,” says Wilhelm. To fully explore theme, students must understand what they read and then extract ideas from the text. At the core of that conversation, however, is comprehension. Themes in literature are universal, so they not only relate to the characters and events in the story, but readers can also apply these ideas to their own lives.įor example, “Studying themes like trust, integrity, and honesty,” says Rachel Claff, editorial director for the Great Books Foundation, “builds thoughtful world citizens and friends, the kinds of thinkers you want to have in your classroom.”Įach time students read, they’re entering into a conversation with the author about what matters, says Jeffrey Wilhelm, distinguished professor at Boise State University and author of Fresh Takes on Teaching Literary Elements. Instead they use other literary elements, such as plot, characters, setting, conflict, and literary devices, to explore a theme that gives their story a deeper meaning. Authors don’t explicitly state the theme in their writing. In literature, theme refers to the overarching idea, message, or lesson uncovered by reading a story. And the answers can turn reading a book into a life-changing experience for young learners. ![]() Palacio’s Wonder, she looks forward to the discussion it will inspire, with questions that anchor the conversation like What does it mean to be a true friend? What’s the role of the bystander in bullying situations? and Can we tell what a person is like just by looking at them? It is conversations like these that facilitate teaching theme in language arts. When students in Becca Morris’s class start listening to R.J.
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