31st Annual Student Research Conference
Developing Students’ Cross-Cultural Understanding: Incorporating World Literature into the Secondary English Language Arts Classroom
Camille M. Krekel♦
Dr. Rebecca Dierking, Faculty Mentor
Developing an understanding of others’ cultures, hence a global awareness, is of extreme importance for today’s students who live in an increasingly diverse world. Incorporating world literature into secondary English classrooms can help to strengthen students’ global perspectives. This case study examines how studying world literature, particularly the novel The Kite Runner, impacts student understanding of Afghan culture and their ability to develop a global awareness. Twenty-four sophomores in a suburban Midwestern high school completed an in-depth study of The Kite Runner by participating in several activities targeted towards strengthening student knowledge of Afghan culture, the novel’s content, and topics discussed in the text. Types of data collected include samples of student work, student feedback, and teacher observational notes. Analysis determined if the study of the novel and completed educational activities impacted students’ understanding of another culture and their emergence of a global awareness.
Keywords: Secondary Education, English Education, Global Awareness, World Literature, Cross-Cultural Understanding, Afghanistan, Global Perspective
Topic(s):English, Secondary MAE Research
English MAE Intern
Education
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 301-4
Location: MG 1000
Time: 1:45