Christine A. Elmore
Teachers have found the author–study approach to be a very effective one because it allows students the opportunity to explore the author's writing/illustrating style and to appreciate the recurrent themes found in his/her stories. By reading a collection of books by the same author, students can also begin to make connections between the writer's life–experiences and works. Such an approach encourages young readers to develop strong bonds with favorite authors, making reading a more personalized experience.
There are basically three types of author studies. In the first type students make connections between an author's life and work, looking for biographical clues found in the story. In the second type the reader evaluates the author's themes, characters and writing style, with little or no focus on the author's life–experiences. The third type encourages the reader to develop a personal response to each of the stories by looking at story events and reflecting on the connections he/she is able to make in his/her own life. It would be a more comprehensive reading experience if the teacher could incorporate all three types so that the student could study the life of the author and trace biographical clues in his/her books, enjoy his/her books as good literature and make personal connections to them.
To spark initial interest in the author's life I will begin by using my Interactive Whiteboard to post and present some intriguing facts about the author under the title, 'Did You Know?' This exercise will serve two purposes: 1) my students' fascination with some of the unusual information will increase their desire to learn more about the author and 2) they will later be able to recall and trace some of these biographical clues back to each picture–book that is read aloud and discussed. I will then also read aloud some touching or funny excerpts from various biographies of the author which will further pique my students' interest and allow them a longer detailed look into the life of the writer.
For each of the three author studies described in the following three sections I will create an author center in my classroom where the books will be exhibited and a tri–fold display board will be set up. On this board will be photos and interesting tidbits of information that highlight the author's life and work. A timeline detailing the author's life will also be included.
As we read each picture–book in the author study, we will compare it with the others through the use of the following matrix, noting the similarities and differences:
Preceding each picture–book that I read aloud I will present, in storytelling fashion, a biographical snippet of information that is clearly reflected in various parts of the story. Trying to determine an engaging way for my young students to see how an author's life– experiences can impact the stories he/she writes has led me to choose this approach. The purpose of this whole unit is to show them that their life–experiences, often similar to those of authors at some basic level, can be written about and shared with others.
As a culminating activity for each author study I plan to have my students write a letter to the author in which they can comment on their favorite book, character or scene, ask questions and give compliments. This will allow them to further bond with the author and to focus on some particulars from a story.