• Journal of English Language & Literature
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.1111-1130
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• 2011

Reading postmodern texts certainly situates readers in roles different from the ones we have been used to. Recently, postmodern metafiction forms a significant body of children's literature that is intended to challenge and transform the conventions of books in the digital age. While many studies have been done as to how child readers have capabilities to appreciate and interpret postmodern metafiction picture books, few studies on teachers and preservice teachers' reactions are not readily available. The role of teachers and preservice teachers are crucial for child readers to have access to affluent reading resources. This study discusses how preservice teachers read and respond to postmodern metafiction picture books using a deconstructive approach by means of binary opposites. Data was collected with 14 preservice teachers as to their likes/dislikes, reading levels, and reading paths about postmodern metafiction picture books. Expected pedagogical implications for literacy and language education were requested to address in their reading diaries and response papers. With their likes/ dislikes, since binary opposites always imply the hierarchy of power and value, the likes is apparently more valued and appreciated over their dislikes. This differentiated values are discussed in more detail with three recurring themes-Education, Morals and Behavior, and Tradition. With reading levels, there seems to be a gap existing between the authors' implied reader and literary critics' and the preservice teachers' ideal readers for the postmodern metafiction picture books. Although many studies have already revealed young readers' capability of appreciating postmodern metafiction, it depends a lot more on the teachers and preservice teachers whether children's right to have access to affluent literacy resources is respected or not. Preservice teachers' awareness of the potential of postmodern metafiction will work as an initial step to bring and realize the new reading path and new literacies in classrooms. By challenging metanarratives of children's literature, preservice teachers' readings of postmodern picture books reveals potentials to raise different reading paths and develop new literacies and other educational implications.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.51-69
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• 2014

To investigate the effects of story making activities by utilizing postmodern picture books on young children's creativity and story construction ability, this study targeted 21 five-year-old preschoolers in G daycare center and 18 five-year-old preschoolers in J daycare center located in J Gun, Busan City. 21 young children in G daycare center engaged in story making activities by utilizing postmodern picture books totaling 18 times for 12 weeks, and 18 young children in G daycare center, the comparison group, read postmodern picture books individually in free choice activity time. The results of the study are summarized as follows. Story making activities by utilizing postmodern picture books made statistically more significant progress in the subordinate elements of creativity and all the subordinate elements of story construction ability. That means those activities, by utilizing postmodern picture books, have a positive effect both on the development of young children's creativity and story construction ability.