閱讀是意義建構的過程。讀者會用已知的知識來建構未知，與文本互動。然而閱讀教學在台灣的小學中，首先強調的是單字和片段的學習，閱讀理解相對地被忽視，閱讀文學作品所需要的情感回應也同樣很少被提及。所以這項研究採用讀者回應方法的團體討論形式，融合兒童英詩教學，以促進年幼讀者和文本的連結。本研究的目的在探索五年級小學生對兒童英詩的口頭回應，在團體討論中他們回答輔助性問題，並接受老師的協助。總共有五位同學參加這項研究，他們一星期接受一次的兒童英詩教學，另外一個星期就討論那首詩，整個研究歷時八週 ，為獲取分類讀者回應所需要的資料，四首詩的討論過程轉為文字檔進行質性分析，這五位學生也同時接受研究者的訪談，以了解他們對於閱讀小組的看法。研究結果顯示，學生的口頭回應包含了察覺、詮釋、專注、想像或創造、聯想經驗、評價和其他。此外，學生指出了他們的閱讀理解和美感經驗都增加了，老師是學生讀者回應的有效架構者，同儕發言也豐富了個人的回應內容。總而言之，這篇的研究發現指出參與討論的學生有能力回應兒童英詩，也就是小組討論成功地引出學生的口頭回應並增進閱讀理解。

Reading is a process of meaning construction. Readers bring what they know to their reading and interact with the text. However, reading instruction at elementary level in Taiwan focuses on vocabulary and fragmental learning in the first place. Comprehension is relatively neglected while students’ affective responses associated with literary reading experiences are rarely concerned. This study employed a response-based approach using literature discussion integrated with children’s poetry instruction to connect young readers to the text. The purpose of the present study was to explore fifth graders’ oral responses to children’s poetry in literature discussion with the assistance of the teacher and prompts. There were five fifth graders enrolled in this study and the children received a 40-minutes poetry instruction once a week followed by a discussion on the given poem in the next week. The study lasted eight weeks in all. The qualitative analysis of four discussions on the poems and transcriptions was conducted in order to categorize students’ responses. In addition, interview was done with the five students in order to investigate students’ perceptions of literature discussion. Results of this study showed that students’ oral responses contained perception, interpretational response, involvement, associational response, evaluation, question, and miscellany. Moreover, students indicated that reading is enhanced both intellectually and affectively; the teacher was perceived to scaffold students’ responses efficiently; peer’s responses enriched individual responses. To sum up, the findings of the study showed that students who joined in literature discussion were able to respond to children’s poetry. The study revealed that literature discussion successfully elicited students’ responses and enhanced their comprehension.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT (ENGLISH) i
ABSTRACT (CHINESE) iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS vi
LIST OF TABLES viii
LIST OF FIGURES ix

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1
Background and Motivation of the Study 1
The Value of Children’s Responses to Literature 1
The Benefits of Children’s Poetry 2
The Importance of Literature Discussion 4
Purpose of the Study and Research Questions 7
Definition of Terms 7
Significance of the Study 10

CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 13
Reader Response Theory 14
Conceptions of Reader Response Theory 14
Adopting a Response-Based Approach 17
Responses to Literature 19
The Relationship between Comprehension and Responses 19
Studies of Categorization of Responses to Literature 22
Reading Poetry 24
Reading Model 24
Poetry Reading Instruction 29
Overview of the Role of Discussion as Response to Literature 31
Role of Discussion in the Teaching and Learning of Literature 31
Implementation of Literature Discussion 34
Teacher’s Roles in Discussion 35
Case Studies on Responses through Discussion 37

CHAPTER THREE METHOD 41
Participants 41
Instruments 42
Material 42
Discussion Questions 43
Researcher 44
Interview Questions 45
Procedure 46
Poetry Instructions 46
Data Collection 48
Data Analysis 50
Pilot Study 53

CHAPTER FOUR RESULTS 55
Students’ Major Responses to Children’s Poetry 55
Students’ Perceptions of Literature Discussion 61

CHAPTER FIVE DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 71
Discussion 71
Students’ Oral Responses to Children’ Poetry 72
Students’ Perceptions of Literature Discussion 81
Applications of the Study 85
Limitations of the Study 86
Recommendations for Future Research 88
REFERENCES 89
APPENDICES 101
Appendix A Selected Poems in the Main Study 101
Appendix B Questions for Interview 103
Appendix C Selected Poems in the Pilot Study 104
Appendix D Examples of the Categories of Responses to Four Poems 106
Appendix E A Sample of Interview 112
LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 Procedures of Reading Instruction 26
Table 3.1 Questions for Interview 46
Table 4.1 Categorized Scheme of Students’ Responses 56
Table 4.2 Examples of the Categories of Responses in “April Rain Song” 106
Table 4.3 Examples of the Categories of Responses in “Headstand” 107
Table 4.4 Examples of the Categories of Responses in “Autumn woods” 108
Table 4.5 Examples of the Categories of Responses in “Until I Saw the Sea” 109
Table 4.6 Examples of the Other Categories of Responses 111
Table 4.7 Students’ Perceptions of Literature Discussion 62
Table 5.1 Analysis of Students’ Responses 74

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 3.1 Procedure of Data Collection 50

REFERENCES
Ali, S. (1994). The reader-response approach: An alternative for teaching literature in a second language. Journal of Reading, 37 (4), 288-296.
Alwood, C. S. (2000). Exploring the role of the teacher in student-led literature circles. Unpublished manuscript, Western Washington University.
(ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 442748). Retrieved May 20, 2008, from the ERIC database.
Anzul, M. (1993). Exploring literature with children within a transactional framework. In K. Holland, R. Hungerford, & S. Ernst (Eds.), Journeying: Children responding to literature (pp. 187-203). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Applebee, A. N. (1977). Studies in the Spectator Role: An Approach to Response to Literature. Paper presented at the Conference on Research Response to Literature and the Teaching of Literature, Buffalo, New York. Retrieved December 10, 2008, from the ERIC database.
Atwell, N. (1987). In the middle: Writing, reading, and learning with adolescents. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Barton, J., & Sawyer, D. M. (2003). Our students are ready for this: Comprehension instruction in the elementary school. The Reading Teacher, 57(4), 334-347. Retrieved June 20, 2008, from ProQuest Education Journals database.
Beach, R. (1993). A teacher’s introduction to reader-response theories. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English. Retrieved January 14, 2007, from the ERIC database.
Bogdan, R. C., & Biklen, S. K. (1992). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theory and methods (2nd. ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Braunger, J., & Lewis, J. P. (2006). Building a knowledge base in reading (2nd ed.). Newark, DE: International Reading Association and National Council of Teachers of English.
Busch, C., Maret, P. S. D., Flynn, T., Kellum, R., Le, S., Meyers, B., et. al. (2005). Content Analysis Writing@CSU. Retrieved September 1, 2008, from http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/research/content/
Celani, K., & McIntyre, E. (2006). Knowing the text, knowing the learner: Literature discussions with fifth grade struggling readers. Reading Horizons Journal, 47 (2), 97-119. Retrieved May 16, 2008, from ProQuest Education Journals database.
Chang, J. W. (2007). Teaching English poetry in senior high school: A case study of arts students. Unpublished master’s thesis, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Cheng, N. W. (2007). A study of Eighth graders’ reader response to a story written in English. Unpublished master’s thesis, National Taipei University of Education, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chin, C. F. (2004). The effects of reader response approach on English poetry teaching in senior high school. Unpublished master’s thesis, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Connell, J. M. (2001). Restoring aesthetic experiences in the school curriculum: The legacy of Rosenblatt’s transactional theory from literature as exploration. Educational Foundations, 15(1), 39-56. Retrieved July 10, 2008, from ProQuest Education Journals database.
Cox, C. (1996). Literature-based teaching: A student response-centered classroom. In Nicholas. J. K. (Ed.), Reader response in elementary classrooms: Quest and discovery (pp. 29-49). Mahwah, N.J.:L. Erlbaum Associates.
Cox, C., & Many, J. (1992). Toward an understanding of the aesthetic response to literature. Language Arts, 69(1), 28-33. Retrieved October 28, 2008, from ProQuest Academic Research Library database.
Daniels, H. (1994). Literature circles: Voicies and choice in the students-centered classroom. York, ME: Stenhouse.
Dias, P., & Hayhoe, M. (1988). Developing response to poetry. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
Diaz, R. M., & Berk, L. E. (Eds.). (1992). Private speech: From social interaction to self-regulation. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Eeds, M., & Wells, D. (1989). Grand Conversations: An exploration of meaning construction in literature study groups. Research in the Teaching of English, 23 (1), 4-29.
Elster, C. A., & Hanauer, D. I. (2002). Voicing texts, voices around texts: Reading poems in elementary school classrooms. Research in the Teaching of English, 37 (1), 89-134. Retrieved February 20, 2008, from ProQuest Education Journals database.
Eskey, D. E. (2005). Reading in a second language. In Hinkel. E. (Ed.), Hankbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning (pp. 563-579). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Evans, J. (2001). Responding to poetry through writing. In Janet. E. (Ed.), Writing in the elementary classroom: A reconsideration (pp. 57-70). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Retrieved January 16, 2008, from http://www.boyntoncook.com/shared/onlineresources/e00351/chapter5.pdf
Evans, K. S. (2002). Fifth-grade students’ perceptions of how they experience literature discussion groups. Reading Research Quarterly, 37(1), 46-69. Retrieved December 12, 2008, from Academic Research Library database.
Eva-Wood, A. L. (2004). Thinking and feeling poetry: Exploring meaning aloud. Journal of Educational Psychology, 96(1), 182-191.
Fisher, R. (2000). First poems for thinking. Oxford: Nash Pollock.
Ford-Brown, L. A. (1991). Oral Interpretation as a Pedagogical Tool in Teaching Literary Comprehension and Appreciation. Paper presented at the meeting of the Central States Communication Association, Chicago, IL. Retrieved February 15, 2008, from the ERIC database.
Gascoigne, C. (2002). Documenting the initial second language reading experience: The readers speak. Foreign Language Annals, 35 (5) 554-560.
Guerin, W. L., Labor, E., Morgan, L., Reesman, J. C., & Willingham, J. R. (2005). A handbook of critical approaches to literature. New York: Oxford University Press.
Hanauer, D. (1998). The genre-specific hypothesis of reading: Reading poetry and reading encyclopedic items. Poetics, 6, 63-80.
Hanauer, D. (2001). What do we know about poetry reading?: Theoretical positions and empirical research. In G. Steen, & D. Schram (Eds.). The psychology and sociology of literary text (pp. 107-128). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Hill, B., Johnson, N. & Noe, K. (Eds.). (1995). Literature Circles and Response. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers.
Hunt, P. (Ed.). (1992). Literature for Children: Contemporary Criticism. New York: Routledge.
Irwin, J. W. (2006). Teaching reading comprehension processes (3rd ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Janssen, T., Braaksma, M., & Rijlaarsdam, G.. (2006). Literary reading activities of good and weak student: A think aloud study. European Journal of Psychology of Educatio, 21(1), 35-52. Retrieved March 25, 2008, from the Ebsco-asp database.
Johannessen, L. R., & McCann, T. M. (2002). In case you teach English: An interactive casebook for prospective and practicing teachers. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice-Hall.
Kim, M. (2004). Literature discussions in adult L2 learning. Language and Education, 18(2), 145-166.
Kvale, S. (1996). InterViews: An introduction to qualitative research interviewing. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Langer, J. (1990). Understanding literature. Language Arts, 67(8) 812-816.
Maloch, B. (2002). Scaffolding student talk: One teacher’s role in literature discussion groups. Reading Research Quarterly, 37(1), 94-112. Retrieved January 20, 2008, from the Academic Research Library database.
Many, J., & Wiseman, D. (1992). The effect of teaching approach on third-grade students’ response to literature. Journal of Reading Behavior, 24(3), 265-287.
McIntyre, E., Kyle, D. W., & Moore, G. H. (2006). A primary-grade teacher’s guidance toward small-group dialogue. Reading Research Quarterly, 41(1), 36-63. Retrieved July 10, 2008, from the ProQuest Education database.
McNeil, J. D.（1984）. Reading comprehension：New directions for classroom practice. Glenview, IL：Scott, Foresman.
Miall, D. S., & Kuiken, D. (1994). Beyond text theory: Understanding literary response. Discourse Processes, 17, 337-352.
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Miles, M., & Huberman, A. (2000). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Miller, T. D. (2003). Literature discussion groups respond to culturally relevant children’s literature in kindergarten classroom. Dissertation Abstracts International, 64 (03), 834. (UMI No. 3084872)
Mincey, K. (1995). Poetry in whole language learning. Retrieved September 9, 2007, from http://people.morehead-st.edu/fs/k.mincey/powhll.html
Moore, H. H. (Eds.). (1997). A poem a day: 180 thematic poems and activities that teach and delight all year long. New York: Scholastic.
Moss, J. F. (2002). Literary Discussion in the Elementary School. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English. Retrieved January 3, 2008, from the ERIC database.
Nodelman, P., & Reimer, M. (2003). The pleasures of children’s literature (3rd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Noll, E. (1994). Social issues and literature circles with adolescents. Journal of Reading, 38(2), 88-93.
Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Perfect, K. A. (2006). The nature of fourth graders’ response to poetry in peer-led and whole-group discussion: A case study. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Kent State.
Prelutsky, J. (Ed.). (1999). The 20th century children's poetry treasure. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Pressley, M. (2000). What should comprehension instruction be the instruction of ? In M. L. Kamil, P. B. Mosenthal, P. D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of reading research: Vol.3 Methods of literacy research (pp.545-561). Mahwah, NJ: L. Erlbaum Associates.
Purves, A. (1990b). Can Literature be rescued from reading. In E.J. Rarrell, & J. R. Squire (Eds.), Transactions with Literature: A fifty-year perspective (pp. 79-93). Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English. Retrieved December 24, 2007, from the ERIC database.
Purves, A. (1993). Toward a reevaluation of reader response and school literature. Language Arts, 70 (5) 348-361. Retrieved January 15, 2008, from the Academic Research Library database.
Purves, A. C., & Rippere, V. (1968). Elements of writing about a literary work: A study in response to literature. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English. Retrieved January 16, 2008, from the ERIC database.
Raphael, T., & McMahon, S. (1994). Book Club: An alternative framework for reading instruction. The Reading Teacher, 48(2), 102-116. Retrieved December 15, 2008, from the ProQuest Academic Research Library database.
Rosenblatt, L. M. (1978). The reader, the text, the poem: The transactional theory of literary work. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.
Rosenblatt, L. M. (1982). The literary transaction: Evocation and response. Theory into practice, 21(4), 268-277. Retrieved December 24, 2007, from the Ebsco-bsc database.
Rosenblatt, L. M. (1985). The transactional theory of the literary work: Implication for research. In C. R. Cooper (Ed.), Researching response to literature and the teaching of literature (pp. 33-53). Norwood, NJ:Ablex.
Rosenblatt, L. M. (1989). Writing and Reading: the Transactional Theory. In J.M. Mason (Ed.). Reading and Writing Connections (pp. 153-176). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Rosenblatt, L. M. (1995). Literature as exploration (5th ed.). New York: Modern Language Association of America.
Scholes, R. (1985). Textual power: literary theory and the teaching of English, New Haven, Conn, London: Yale University Press.
Ruddell, R.B. (1999). Teaching children to read and write-Becoming an effective literary teacher. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Samway, K., Whang, G.., Cade, C., Gamil, M., Lubandina, M., & Phommachanh, K. (1991). Reading the skeleton, the heart, and the brain of a book: Students’ perspective on literature study circles. The Reading Teacher, 45(3), 196-205. Retrieved July 20, 2008, from the Ebsco-asp database.
Sawyer, W., & Comer, D. E. (1991). Growing up with literature. Albany, N.Y.: Delmar Publishers.
Sipe, L.R. (1996). The construction of literary understanding by first and second graders in response to picture storybook readalouds. Dissertation Abstracts International, 57 (10), 4268. (UMI No. 9710658)
Smith, F. (1988). Understanding Reading (6th ed.). Mahwah, N.J.: L. Erlbaum Associates. Retrieved May 5, 2008, from the NetLibrary database.
Snow, C., Burns, M., & Griffin, P. (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Retrieved August 26, 2008, from the NetLibrary database.
Spiegel, D. L. (1998). Reader response approaches and the growth of readers. Language Arts, 76(1) 41-48. Retrieved October 12, 2007, from ProQuest Education Journals database.
Squire, J. R. (1964). The response of adolescents while reading four short stories. NH: Heinemann. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English. Retrieved January 15, 2008, from the ERIC database.
Straw, S. B., Craven, L., Sadowy, P., & Baardman, S. P. (1993). Poetry in the primary classroom: Collaboration and response. Reading Horizons, 34(2), 104-121.
Swaffar, J., Arens, K., & Byrnes, H. (1991). Reading for meaning: An integrated approach to language learning. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Swift, K. (1993). Try reading workshop in your classroom. The Reading Teacher, 46(5), 366-371. Retrieved December 4, 2008, from the Ebsco-asp database.
Upton, T. A., & Lee-Thompson, L.-C. (2001). The role of the first language in second language reading. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 23(4), 469-495. Retrieved June 10, 2008, from the OCLC ECO database.
Wang, Y. Y. (1999). Reader response in foreign language education: A study of Taiwanese EFL high school students’ responses to short stories. Unpublished master’s thesis, University of Pittsburg.