Where are definitions of protagonist, antagonist, context, plot, etc. taught?

[lea1]

Will this be covered in English or is this just something we have to make sure we are covering when we discuss literature? I understand the analysis of literature is done during discussing of literature but where do the students learn what each of these things mean?

[Mandy in TN]

This is often covered in literature textbooks. My middle ds used several lit texts over the years. My oldest was a whole books guy. He used Walch's Toolbook Series: Prose and Poetry.

 

I also discussed some of these things during teatime poetry and I discuss point of view every time I cover pronouns.

 

HTH-

Mandy

[Alexigail]

It probably depends on the curriculum you're using.  If it's not included and you think it's necessary, I'd go ahead and find supplemental material.  I think that a Language Arts/ English book would be the place to find those.   

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Often it's not introduced until high school level literature study.  You can do a gentle introduction earlier, but it's also ok to keep it pretty general.  SWB has a workshop on literary analysis in which she gives sample questions like "who is the story about?" "what do they want?" "what is keeping them from getting what they want?" which would help the reader identify the protagonist, conflict and antagonist.

 

Deconstructing Penguins uses children's lit to explore some of these concepts. 

The Young Writers Program Workbooks from NANOWRIMO cover these topics in the context of creative writing.

 

At the high school level Windows to the World does a good job with these topics.

[Mom22ns]

We covered those terms individually at different times through the years. They began to be more systematically taught in Jr High using Lightning Lit. We did do NaNoWriMo for years and they were introduced there as well.

[Samiam]

It completely depends on the curriculum you choose.  For us, I choose not to focus on those types of things in the elementary years, instead to just read good books for the sake of instilling the love to read.   In 7th grade, we started CLE Reading, which is essentially reading short stories from their reader, and then answering workbook questions, and all of these literary terms were taught.  That's the curriculum I choose and it worked well for us.  My DS was able to comprehend and understand some of these abstract terms.    There are many other curriculums out there, some that take different approaches, more like oral discussions, essay type stuff.  Progeny Press is another one that offers book studies...you read one whole book and study it chapter by chapter.   

[lea1]

Thanks for the replies. I will look into these and see how I want to cover it. I am currently reading Deconstructing Penguins, which is what made me start wondering about this.

[wingedradical]

Windows to the World (sold by IEW folks) covers it pretty well, I think, in a semester, using short stories. I think it is intended for grades 7-10. Not sure.

[Crimson Wife]

Figuratively Speaking is a good book that is accessible to kids working at a late elementary/early middle school level.

[boscopup]

I've just been gradually teaching them while discussing literature. I watched Teaching the Classics recently (I'm an engineer, so I need a lot of hand holding for lit analysis :lol: ), and the kids and I had a good time analyzing The Pokey Little Puppy one day. Even my 4 year old was able to pick out the climax after a brief definition. :D We won't be doing heavy literary analysis for a long, long time, but my oldest is ready to start learning how to lay out the plot, setting, characters, conflict, and picking a theme. He also enjoys learning about some literary devices, like personification (I just mentioned it once while reading Proverbs, and he started picking it out in everything with a big smile on his face!). And what kid doesn't like saying "onomatopoeia"?

 

I think these things are usually taught in reading/literature curricula (like CLE Reading), not in grammar curricula (like R&S English won't have it, I don't think). There may be some in certain writing curricula.

[FriedClams]

Another CLE Readig user. The name is deceptive - it covers a ton more than "reading". I consider it 20 minutes done every other day of comprehension practice, test skills prep, vocabulary, and general literary terms insurance. Highly recommended!!