Reader Response Theory

By luck of the draw, I happily selected Reader Response Theory to read, reflect, and respond to as a form of literary criticism. The first theories posited about reader response are attributed to Louise Rosenblatt and her description of Transactional Reader Response Theory. This theory, generally stated, "analyzes the transaction between text and reader" (Tyson, 2006, p.173). The text and the reader are considered equally important and require that an aesthetic approach be taken by the reader in order to create the "poem" or interaction between the two factors.

Read more about The Significance of Louise Rosenblatt on the Field of Teaching Literature.

Since Rosenblatt's initial work, other theorists, most notably Stanley Fish and Norman Holland, have expanded the views of Reader Response Theory to include the importance of the social environment that affects a reader's interpretation, as well as the personal revelations about the reader based on psychological responses. As Tyson (2006) states, "A literary interpretation may or may not reveal the meaning of the text, but to a discerning eye it always reveals the psychology of the reader" (p. 183).

Much research can be found on reader response theory, and fortunately, many educators are including reader response journals and critiques as part of their literacy instruction, in order for students to make a more personal connection to the text being read. To truly interpret a piece of literature, a student's background knowledge and experiences must be taken into consideration and valued as integral components of response to literature.

My first concerted effort to focus on reader response theory as an educator occurred almost four years ago, when I was still teaching fifth grade language arts full-time, and teaching part time at Baldwin-Wallace College. I engaged in an action research study with a colleague which entailed pairing teacher education candidates enrolled in a literacy methods course at Baldwin-Wallace College with my fifth grade students, to read and respond to the Newbery Award winning novel, Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. The students and candidates dialogued about the novel through a weekly online journal. The interactions were printed, analyzed, and coded, based on the work of Marjorie Hancock. Our study revealed the types of questions asked and comments shared by the students and teacher education candidates. Our results were further disseminated at the annual College Reading Association conference in October, 2006.

Students, in both classes, benefited from the opportunities provided to engage in reader response through online dialogue journals. My students truly moved beyond asking and responding to literal questions, and began using higher-level thinking skills to question the author, make text to self connections, and discern relevant information from the text. Their background knowledge and experiences were key to sharing their thoughts, as well. I also valued the writing connection that was a central component of this research. Many students expressed themselves more deeply and candidly in writing, rather than in general oral discussions. I also found this to be true when conducting literature circles in my classroom. It was the journal writing component that led to critical thinking and deeper ponderings, prior to sharing their thoughts with others aloud.

It was somewhat ironic that I happened upon an article on reader response theory that was very similar to my action research using Bud, Not Buddy. I wish I had published my findings year ago! Perhaps, it is not too late. In the meantime, I will add the article's link to my Wiki page, as well as other useful documents and teaching strategies.