John Locke analyzes the various ways children are educated and states that they learn better “by example than rules” (Locke 133). He presents the idea that when children are young, it is not only parents and other adult figures that guide children, but various pieces of literature as well. Locke believes that reading is an essential part to a child’s education and the best way to start the child off is to begin with easy and interesting stories, such as fables. He promotes the use of Aesop fables because they are made to delight and entertain children, which makes it easier for them to retain what they read in their mind (Locke 276). Elizabeth Turner is an author of several cautionary tales, such as “The Giddy Girl” and “Dressed or Undressed.” …show more content…
The images added alongside the tales also act as a great tool in helping readers learn because it draws a connection to the reader, especially if the child looks similar to them, it helps them to stay focused and better understand what is going on in the text, it develops their imagination and most importantly, encourages them to read on (Locke 276). As a result, children will react more positively to reading, where they will observe it not as a mandatory ‘chore,’ but something that they want to do. In the same way that Locke focuses on reading as a task that must be pleasurable for children, scholarly writers, Baker, Scher and Mackler reinforce this in their article, “Home and Family Influences on Motivations for Reading.” They state that “[p]arents who believe that reading is a source of entertainment have children with more positive views about reading than do parents who emphasize the skills aspect of reading development” (Baker, Mackler and Scher 69). This justifies the idea that children who encounter reading as an enjoyable activity at a young age are more likely to develop a tendency to read often and more broadly over the years. Not only does Locke focus on stories and tales in his concept of reading, but observes the importance of music as