28th Annual Student Research Conference
Young Adult Literature and Student Diversity: Analyzing Student Perspective Through Use of The Kite Runner
Julie E. Perrey♦
Dr. Rebecca Dierking, Dr. Barbara Price, and Dr. Alanna Preussner, Faculty Mentors
Teachers are facing increasingly diverse student populations in regards to socioeconomic status, ethnicity, religion, and learning needs, all of which may cause friction between students. The question arises of what an English teacher can do to mitigate some of this friction in their own classrooms. Thus, the following research question developed: How is student perception of diversity affected by the literature they read? By reading and discussing Khaled Hosseinis novel The Kite Runner with high school students, the researcher investigated if the range of characters and situations present in the novel affected students thoughts towards our own differences. During the course of the Kite Runner unit in a pre-AP English II course in a large Midwestern suburban high school, the researcher conducted a case study in which she observed spontaneous student comments and conversations, organized class discussions of the novel, and analyzed student argumentative writing.
Keywords: Education, Diversity, Novels, Kite Runner, English, YA Literature
Topic(s):English, Secondary MAE Research
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 413-3
Location: VH 1212
Time: 3:00