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University M icrtxilm s International 300N.Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 8518979 Lehr, Susan Stewart A CHILD’S DEVELOPING SENSE OF THEME The Ohio Slate University PH.D. University Microfilms international 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 46106 Copyright 1985 by Lehr, Susan Stewart All Rights Reserved PLEASE NOTE: In all cases this material has been filmed In the best possible way from the available copy. Problems encountered with this document have been identified here with a check mark V . 1. Glossy photographs or pages _____ 2. Colored illustrations, paper or print ______ 3. Photographs with dark background _____ 4. Illustrations are poor copy ______ 5. Pages with black marks, not original copy ______ 6. Print shows through as there is text on both sides of page _______ 7. Indistinct, broken or small print on several pages 0. Print exceeds margin requirements ______ 9. Tightly bound copy with print lost in spine _______ 10. Computer printout pages with Indistinct print ______ 11. 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Other _______________________________________________________________________ University Microfilms International A CHILD’S DEVELOPING SENSE OF THEME Submitted In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy In the Graduate School of The Ohio State University BY Susan Stewart Lehr, B.A., M.A. ***####*# Reading Committee Approved By: Professor Sharon Fox Professor Charlotte Huck Advisor Professor Diane DeFord Department of Educational Theory and Practice Copyright by Susan Stewart Lehr 1985 To K ristin , M atthew and Hans ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I thank the 60 children from Barrington Elementary School who shared their time and responses to the many books I shared with them. I appreciate the efforts of the teachers in allowing me time with their students. I especially thank Dr. Marilyn Reed and Dr. Ted Oakley who allowed this study to happen. To my committee i am especially grateful. Professor Huck and Professor DeFord gave generously of their time and advice. Professor Fox, my advisor for the past four years, has guided me through the bumpy moments of planning and writing this dissertation and I thank her for her time, advice and insights. To my two children, Matthew and Kristin, and my two supportive parents, David and Dorothy Stewart, I say thank vou and WE MADE IT. There are no words to acknowledge the support received from my husband Hans. He was there from beginning to end. 111 VITA December 5,1949 ........................ Born-Detrolt, Michigan 1971 ..............................................B.A., Concordia Teacher's College River Forest, Illinois 1971-73 ....................................... Teacher, St. John’s Lutheran School, Ellisville, Mo. and Academy of the Visitation, Town & Country, Mo. 1974-75 ....................................... M.A., St. Louis University St. Louis, Mo. 1977-79 ...................................... Teacher-Preschool, YMCA, Clearwater, Florida 1979-81 ....................................... Developed program, taught preschool YWCA, Clearwater, Florida 1901-85.......................................Graduate Teaching Associate, The Ohio State University, Columbus, 0. 1983-84.......................................Developed and taught basic skills for adults, Columbus Technical Institute Columbus, Ohio July, 1985.....................................Assistant Professor, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York 1v PUBLICATIONS "The Study Guide; A Classroom Tool for Response to Reading," OHIO READING TEACHER, VOL. XVIII, NO. 2, JAN., 1984. Raslnskl, T. & Lehr, S. "The Jackdaw Way," LI VEWIRE, October, 1984. “C.S. Lewis’s CHRONICLES OF NARNIA," LIVEWIRE, February, 1985. Lehr, 5. & Raslnskl, T. "Connecting with literature: a strategy for enhancing reading comprehension." OHIO READING TEACHER, April, 1985. FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Reading/Children’s Literature Studies In Reading: Professors Sharon Fox and Diane DeFord Studies in Children’s Literature: Professor Charlotte Huck Studies In Language Arts: Professor Sharon Fox v LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Item difficulty distribution and Item discrimination for Revised Huck Literature Inventory .......................... 82 2. Books, grade levels and genres used for task one 89 3. Adult choices for thematically matched books 92 4. Thematic Scale 0-7 points with category descriptions.. 95 5. Range, means and standard deviations of scores by grade and group score on the RHLI in school from which subjects were chosen ...................................................... 99 6. Children’s responses which agree with adult choices.... 100 7. Thematically linked book titles chosen by kindergarten second and fourth grade children ................................... 102 8. Range of thematic responses taken from interview transcripts for realistic fiction and folktales for kindergarten, second and fourth grade children 122 vi LIST OF FIGURES Table Page 1. Range of Thematic Scale scores In relation to score on RHLI for kindergarten children ..................................... 107 2. Trend of kindergarten for realistic fiction and folktales. 110 3. Range of Thematic Scale scores in relation to score on RHLI for second grade children ....................................... 111 4. Trend of second grade for realistic fiction and folktales.. 114 5. Range of Thematic Scale scores In relation to score on RHLI for fourth grade children ......................................... 115 6. Trend of fourth grade for realistic fiction and folktales. 117 v ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DEDICATION............................................................................................. tl ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................. Ill VITA.................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES................................................................................ vl LIST OF FIGURES............................................................................... vit CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION.......................................................... '............ I Background of the study ...................................................... I The Meaning of Theme .......................................................... 9 Definition of Terms ..................................................................... 13 Statement of the Problem.................................................... 14 Purpose of the Study .................................................................... 15 Summary of Procedures ............................................................... 16 Analysis of Data............................................................................ 18 Scope and Limitations of the Study .................................... 19 Summary......................................................................................... 20 II. REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE...................................... 21 An Overview .................................................................................. 21 What Is a Child's Concept of Story ............................................ 24 The Reading Process ............................................... 29 The Construction of Meaning .....................................................