Teaching Point of View

I, you, they…Every piece of writing is written with a point of view. Learn all about the various points of view and how to teach them.

Teaching Point of View

Where to Start with Point of View

Before you can understand point of view, you have to know a little English grammar.

Three main types of pronouns refer to persons. Those types are first person, second person, and third person pronouns.

First Person Pronouns

First person pronouns are the pronouns you use to refer to yourself: I, me, my, and mine. If you are in a group, the first-person pronouns would be we, us, our, and ours.

Second Person Pronouns

Second person pronouns refer directly to the other person: you, your, and yours.

Third-Person Pronouns

Third person pronouns are those you would use to talk about someone: he, she, it, his, hers, they, them, their, etc.

Are you ready to put that knowledge into practice? March 3 is Talk in Third Person Day.

Teaching Point of View

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The Three Main Points of View

The three main points of view stem from the pronouns the writer uses.

Every piece of writing (both fiction and nonfiction) has a point of view.

Point of view is not determined by dialogue but by the pronouns used by the writer in the narration.

First Person Point of View

First person point of view occurs when the story is told using the first person pronouns: I, me, we, us, etc.

The narrator may be the author themselves, or it may be a character in the story.

If a story has a first person point of view, typically, the narrator is the main character in the story.

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan is an example of a book written in the first person.

The narrator is Percy Jackson, the character. Here is an example from the book:

My name is Percy Jackson. I’m twelve years old. Until a few months ago, I was a boarding student at Yancy Academy, a private school for troubled kids in upstate New York.
Am I a troubled kid?
Yeah. You could say that.

Second Person Point of View

Second person point of you uses the pronoun uses the pronouns you, your, and yours.

It is the least common point of view.

Authors use this point of view when they are addressing the reader.

It puts the reader at the center of the story.

Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books are written from the second person point of view.

Here is an example of second person point of view from the Choose Your Own Adventure book Under the Sea.

You are a deep sea explorer searching for the famed lost city of Atlantis. This is your most challenging and dangerous mission. Fear and excitement are now your companions.

Third Person Point of View

Third person point of view, which uses pronouns like he, she, and they, is the most common point of view in writing.

The narrator is not a character in the story.

There are two variations of third person point of view.

Third Person Omniscient Point of View

The word “omniscient” means “all-knowing,” and in this point of view, the narrator knows everything.

The narrator knows the thoughts, intentions, and feelings of every character in the story and can reveal them at will to the reader.

One example of this is Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White.

Wilbur never forgot Charlotte. Although he loved her children and grandchildren dearly, none of the new spiders ever quite took her place in his heart.

Third Person Limited Point of View

In this point of view, the narrator has some knowledge of the thoughts and feelings of one character, but not the others in the story.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle tells the story through the character of Meg (but no other character).

Here is an example:

In her attic bedroom Margaret Murry, wrapped in an old patchwork quilt, sat on the foot of her bed and watched the trees tossing in the frenzied lashing of the wind.

Third Person Objective Point of View

In third person objective point of view, the narrator is an outside observer who does not know the feelings of any character.

It is as if the narrator is describing the action as though they are watching a movie.

This is the least common third person point of view because it can seem quite dry and impersonal.

Sometimes writers will write a portion of a book this way, but not all.

One example of this is the early books of The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner.

Henry took Benny in his arms and carried him to the door of the bakery. Jessie took the laundry bag and opened the door very softly. All the children went out quietly. They did not say a word. Jessie shut the door, and then they all listened. Everything was very quiet.

Teaching Point of View

How to Identify Various Points of View

If you can identify personal pronouns, you can easily figure out which point of view you are reading.

Spotting the Three Main Points of View

The pronouns I, me, we, and us indicate first person point of view.

The pronouns you and your indicate second person narration (although this is a rarely used point of view).

Third person point of view uses pronouns like he, she, and them.

Tricky Aspects of Points of View

Remember, you must examine the narration, not the dialogue to determine the point of view.

Sometimes writers will switch point of view within the story. They may tell the story through various characters.

They may include excerpts from letters or a diary, so you have first person point of view embedded in third person point of view.

Differentiating Third Person Points of View

The three types of third person point of view may be more difficult to differentiate.

Third person limited is the most popular point of view because it follows the thoughts and perceptions of the main character (typically).

If you can “see inside the head” of all the characters, you are reading a book with third person omniscient point of view.

If the action is mostly described without a lot of commentary on thoughts and feelings, you may be reading a book with third person objective point of view.

Ideas for How to Teach Point of View to Students

Teaching point of view to students is not difficult. Most students enjoy the process because they love stories.

Teach Pronouns

It is important for students to know about the personal pronouns. You will need to teach them to identify first, second, and third person pronouns.

One easy way to teach students the difference between first, second, and third person pronouns is to imagine an empty room.

You walk into the empty room. You are the first person in the room.

What might you say out loud? “I am in this empty room.”

Now a second person opens the door. You say to them, “You are the second person inside this room. I was first.”

You both hear a knock at the door. It must be a third person. He or she will be the third person in the room.

Spot the Point of View

Read examples of stories with various points of view.

If possible, give the students copies of the text and ask them to highlight the pronouns.

Can they identify which point of view is used in each excerpt?

Switch Third Person Point of View

Practice third person limited point of view by retelling a story from various character’s perspectives.

Read a basic Aesop’s fable like “The Fox and the Crow.”

Have students retell the fable but focus on the thoughts and feelings of only one character.

Comic Strip Points of View

Provide students with two copies of a wordless comic strip (or have them draw their own and make copies).

In the first version, have them add text as a first person narrator with word bubbles for one character only.

In the second version, have them add descriptions about the comic in third person along the top of bottom of the comic.

Point of View Detection Read Aloud

Find various children’s books with first, second, and third person point of view.

Read aloud a selection from each book, and have the students play detective. Can they identify the point of view?

Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Diary of Worm by Doreen Cronin (first person)
  • The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka (first person)
  • The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone (second person)
  • If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff (second person)
  • Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (third person limited)
  • Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion (third person limited)
  • The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (third person omniscient)
  • The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg (third person omniscient)
  • Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathman (third person objective)
  • Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina (third person objective)

Point of View Rewrite

Take a simple story and ask the students to identify the point of view.

Then have them retell the story using a different point of view.

Talk in Third Person Day

March 3 is Talk in Third Person Day. Spend that day (or any other day you choose) talking in third person.

This is perfect (and hilarious) practice is using alternative points of view.

Historical Figure Report

Have students complete a research project on a character from history.

Have them write a paragraph about the historical figure using third person and/or first person.

Compare and Contrast Point of View

Show students how point of view impacts the reader.

Read a firsthand account (like a diary entry) about a major event.

Then find a newspaper article that reported on the event.

How do the various retellings affect the reader?

Story Cubes Point of View

Play with story cubes. Add a cube for point of view.

Use a regular die (with numbers 1-6), and shake that as well as the story cubes.

If the die lands on 1 or 4, tell the story from first person.

If the die lands on 2 or 5, tell the story from second person.

If the die lands on 3 or 6, tell the story from third person.

Teaching Point of View

Effectively Teaching Point of View

Point of view is an integral part of storytelling.

Teaching point of view can help students strengthen their writing and make it more persuasive.

Use these lesson ideas to make teaching point of view more fun and interactive.

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