Literal

Appreciatio
n Skills

What is Literal Appreciation

Skills?

It is the ability to:

Gain pleasure and understanding for
literature
Understanding the value and
importance of literature
Esteem, honor, respect, and/or admire
the beauty and complexity of literature

Each developmental stage or

level (NILSEN and
DONELSON,2009)
An

optimal age (or grade level)

Sample literary materials
Sample actions or activities

Note:
The

development of literary
appreciation begins long before
children learn to read and
continues throughout adulthood
until death.

LEVELS FOR LITERARY

APPRECIATION

Level 1: Understanding that pleasure and profit

come from literature ( Ages 0-5: Pre-school)
Level 2 : Learning to Read (Decode)(Ages 6-8:
Grades 1-3)
Level 3 : Losing Oneself in a Story (Ages 9-11:
Grades 4-6)
Level 4 : Finding Oneself in a Story (Ages 1214: Junior High) Adolescence
Level 5 : Venturing Beyond Self (Ages 15-18:
High School)

Levels 6 and 7 : Reading Widely and

Aesthetic Appreciation (Ages 18
Death)

Level 1

Literature can refer to oral

manifestations(songs and nursery
rhymes) as well as graphic or visual
depictions (picture books, television
program , and appealing signs)
The literary experience is a social one
Children have opportunities for talking
stories and grand conversations

Level 2

Children are developing literacy ( a

process that is never -ending for
anyone who is intellectually active.)
One must not lose sight of those
children who are struggling with
literacy and subsequently lose sight of
the search for pleasure and enjoyment

Level 3

Time outside of school for reading, less

television time, and uninterrupted
conservation is essential
Children read while engaged
in other activities
Reading can become a
means of escaping

Level 4

At this stage, the

more
experience young people have with literature
(books or movies), the more discriminating they
become.
To receive pleasure, they have to respect the story;
it has to be real!
They want to know not what happened, but why;
stereotypes are no longer satisfying; characters
have to be believable.
They are reading to find out about themselves, not
simply to escape into someone elses experiences.

Level 5

The person goes beyond his/her

egocentrism and looks at the larger
circle of society.
Teenagers are responsible for assessing
the world around them and where they
fit in.
This stage is more about emotional,
intellectual and physical development
instead of advanced reading skills.

Levels 6 & 7

At the college level,

the young adult reads best-sellers and is
involved in acclaimed literary works such as
novels, plays, and films, sharing the
experiences with peers.
Throughout adulthood, the avid reader who
has developed the skills and attitudes
necessary to enjoy literary axperiences at all
the previous levels, is ready to embark on a
lifetime of aesthetic appreciation
(understanding the beauty and artistic value).

The Goal

A society of adults who are

intellectually stimulated to read for
personal fulfillment and pleasure
and understand that it is beneficial.

By:
Angel I. Valdez

and
Kyla Grace U. Tormentar