The Value of Literature: Engaging Students Through Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

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The Value of Literature: Engaging Students Through Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

Gemma Meade

Sr. Mary Ann Jacobs

Manhattan College: Education 206

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Introduction

Students across America struggle with reading in their adolescent years. Once students

reach the upper grades, the fun in reading is lost. As students age, reading becomes more of a

task than an enjoyable activity. Rather than getting lost in the book, relating to the characters, or

delving deeper into their imagination, students view reading as a task. When students find a

subject boring, they often disregard the importance of the content they are being taught. There is

value in literature and it is essential that all students are able to see that. I remember sitting in my

ninth grade English class wondering what exactly is the point of reading Shakespeare? I

remember questioning how this was going to help me outside of a school setting. However, as I

continued my education I discovered my love of literature and realized that so much lies beyond

the text. Through reading, you learn to think critically and outside of the box, you learn empathy

through reading others’ stories, and most importantly you are forced to look at life through a

different lens. A plethora of valuable lessons can be learned through literature, and it is crucial

that all students are able to see that. Therefore, the question I am proposing is: How can the

English Language Arts curriculum encourage students to see the value of literature?

Evidence

Building an appreciation for literature is at the core of having students see the value of

literature. When children are presented with a new text, seldom is it unpacked in an engaging

way. Instead, students are forced to read the text in a way that will help them pass an upcoming

exam. The article, “Transactional Literature Discussions: Engaging students in the appreciation

and understanding of literature” written by JoAnn Dugan shows how students ages ten through

twelve were more engaged in a text when they were able to fully immerse themselves and

interact with the text. The article states, “The voices of these children echo a powerful message.
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Shared reading and writing, talking about a story, and putting on a play were not only fun but

helped them understand the story” (Dugan, 1997). When students have the opportunity to

interact with literature in a way that they find fun and engaging, like putting on a play in this

example, students develop a deeper understanding of the text in addition to enjoying the

literature itself. Furthermore, when literature is presented in an informational matter, part of the

experience is lost. When students feel as though they strictly need to memorize and spit back

information, the value of the text is lost. In the article, Dugan presents her way of teaching

literature: Transactional Literature Discussions (TLD). Dugan explains that, “TLD is not a

formula for instruction; it is a flexible framework for encouraging response to literature…”

(Dugan, 1997). The purpose of TLD is to cycle through literacy events, which includes, “getting

ready, reading and thinking aloud, wondering on paper, talking, thinking on paper, and looking

back” (Dugan, 1997). This innovative framework allows for both the students and the teacher to

be fully engaged in the text. The engagement and excitement of the teacher allows students to

see the value in what they are reading. TLD allows students to have unique perspectives on texts

without the fear of being wrong. While not all students are going to love every piece of literature

they are given, all students should be able to see the importance of all that they are given.

Additionally, literature allows for students to apply experiences they learn from a text to their

own lives. When texts connect to students' thoughts, feelings, and lives they are more inclined to

partake in the lesson and see the value in it. TLD allows for students to be fully emerged in a text

and takes them beyond simple regurgitation of facts and plot summary. Through TLD, students

can learn to love literature and see the value in it.

Across the board, teachers feel as though the passion of their content area gets lost

because they are forced to teach for a test rather than truly teach students for learning. An article
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by Andrew Goodwyn, entitled “The Status of Literature: English teaching and the condition of

literature teaching in schools” interviews several high school English teachers and their

experience teaching classic texts and literature in a modern age. Many teachers highlight the

pressure they feel for students to pass exams rather than grasp the information they are presented

with. When asked about her a experience teaching English, one teacher notes, “I think because I

just love to lose myself in a book I find it frustrating sometimes that its very exam orientated”

(Goodwyn, 2008) She continues about how she feels that most teachers give off the impression

to students that they must, “learn it for the exam and then we will never touch it again”

(Goodwyn, 2008). The weight of the material is lost when students feel like they just need to

memorize it for a test. So much can be learned from literature, but if students feel as though their

opinions and feelings matter less than their score on a test, the learning potential is completely

lost. This article also presents some ways to combat the “assessment regime”. The teachers

claimed that by using “dramatic approaches, creative responses, and keeping it interactive”

students were able to become more engaged with the material. Reading and engaging with

literature should not feel like a chore. In order for students to find the value in literature, there

needs to be an emphasis on personal experience and ensuring that the texts connect to the

feelings and lives of all students.

Students also interact with text very differently when they can see themselves in the

literature they are reading. Literature can often be isolating for students of color. However, when

the diverse identity of students is reflected in the literature they are reading, they are able to find

value in the text. An article written by Bena R. Hefflin and Mary Alice Barksdale-Ladd, entitled,

“African American Children’s Literature That Helps Students Find Themselves” interviews

African American adults who share their experience with literature growing up. One adult
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recounts, “For the first 15 years of my life, I didn’t find myself in books, and I didn’t relate to

them. Once I discovered books and characters I could relate to, I gained the love of reading”

(Hefflin and Barksdale-Ladd, 2008). There is an infinite amount of value when students of color

see themselves in the texts they are reading. Representation in literature matters because it is

reality. Our world is diverse and therefore the literature we present to students should reflect that

same diversity. When children of color are represented in books, their stories are normalized and

not ostracized. Relatability is crucial when students are reading texts. In order for all students to

see the value of the literature they are reading, students of all backgrounds need to be represented

in the curriculum.

The Plan

While most teachers are extremely passionate about their content area, it is crucial that

that same passion is passed to their students. The essential question is: How can curriculum

encourage students to see the value of literature? Research shows that when students see

themselves in literature, they are more likely to engage in reading. One way to engage all

students is through the use of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP). Gloria Ladson-Billings

performed extensive research on the ins and outs of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. Ladson-

Billings defines this idea by saying, “I have defined culturally relevant teaching as a pedagogy of

opposition not unlike critical pedagogy but specifically committed to collective, not merely

individual, empowerment” (Ladson-Billings, 1995). Ladson-Billings believes that focusing on

the multiple aspects of student achievement will support students in upholding their cultural

identities and therefore their academic success. She also believes that culturally relevant

pedagogy needs to be upheld by three things, “Students must experience academic success;

students must develop and/or maintain cultural competence; and students must develop a critical
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consciousness through which they challenge the status quo of the current social order” (Ladson-

Billings, 1995). Culturally relevant pedagogy ensures that the whole student is being educated

(mind, body, spirit). Culturally relevant pedagogy ensures academic success whilst also

affirming student identity. Through this pedagogy, students are called upon to challenge each

other and society as a whole. Culturally relevant pedagogy can create a unique educational

experience for all students.

In order for culturally relevant pedagogy to be successful, the teacher must build a

community. Teachers must get to know their students and students need to feel comfortable

telling their teachers their stories. This creates an environment that is suitable for students to feel

comfortable making mistakes and learning from each other. I think that this idea is extremely

effective in an English classroom setting. Literature has the ability to expose students to new

ideas and ways of thinking and when a classroom is set up for students to feel comfortable

sharing their ideas, so much can be learned beyond the text. Trust is at the foundation of

culturally relevant pedagogy.

In addition to trust, teachers need to feel comfortable with their students and themselves

making mistakes. There is power in being wrong and culturally relevant pedagogy upholds that.

It is important for both students and teachers to know that there is much more beyond the

knowledge of the teacher. This allows for students to delve deeper into areas of study that peak

their interest, despite not necessarily being covered in the classroom. Additionally, teachers may

not have all of the answers to all of the questions that students have, and that too is powerful.

Through culturally relevant pedagogy, students are exposed to vast amounts of knowledge that

lies beyond any given text.

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Some ways I plan to implement culturally relevant pedagogy into my classroom are by

reading books that have BIPOC authors and diverse characters from a variety of backgrounds.

Two books that would meet those requirements would be, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

and 145th Street: Short Stories by Walter Dean Myers. The Hate U Give follows sixteen-year-

old Star Carter who lives her life between two worlds, her poor neighborhood and the fancy

suburban prep school she attends. Starr is forced to balance these two alternate realities, and any

semblance of peace is shattered when she witnesses the fatal shooting of her best friend at the

hands of a police officer (Team, 2022). I think that this book will introduce students to a first-

hand account of everyday life and issues in current America. This book will be a great class-wide

conversation starter. It will show students that the very same issues that are impacting their day-

to-day life are happening all over the world. I think this is a great way for Black students to feel

like their experiences are not happening in isolation. 145th Street: Short Stories is a collection of

ten stories that paint a multi-faceted picture of life as Harlem’s residents experience it. The

stories detail different characters' struggle, love, injustice, and bravery. (Team, 2022). Since

some ninth grade students struggle with longer texts, I think this is a great way to introduce

students to a longer novel since it is broken down into ten stories. Additionally, I think it is an

excellent path for discussion. Especially when teaching in an urban setting, many students will

have experienced similar things to the characters in this book. I believe that this collection of

short stories will be an excellent gateway for discussions about issues that affect marginalized

communities. Since students are able to relate to these texts, they will then see the value in them.

Students will be able to form deep connections to the characters in this book which keeps them

yearning for more. By introducing literature that is culturally relevant, students will become

more engaged with the literature.

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Culturally relevant literature creates a great space for TLD to be implemented into the

classroom. While working with texts, students often feel that their answer needs to be right, so

students often refrain from engaging with a text for fear of being wrong. The foundation of TLD

is grounded in reader-response and recognizes that there is no one correct way to interpret a text.

TLD recognizes that text is highly personal and unique to every individual reader. This is

extremely relevant when using culturally relevant literature because since the identity of students

are embodied within the texts they are reading, there needs to be a space for their unique

connections to be made. TLD grants the space for the reader's previous experiences, thoughts,

and feelings to contribute to the meaning of the text at hand. When dealing with culturally

relevant texts, it is crucial that students feel like their thoughts and feelings matter, and TLD

allows for that to happen.

Conclusion

All in all, English Language Arts and literature expose students to a wide variety of

topics that other subjects do not. However, this does not deter students from asking about the

relevancy of what they are learning. In order to ensure that all students value literature,

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy should be implemented in ELA classrooms. Transactional

Literature Discussions create the necessary space for all students to feel that their thoughts and

opinions matter. Teachers have a passion to spread their knowledge and a pedagogy that is

culturally relevant ensures that all students not only have access to that knowledge but find that

knowledge important and valuable to their lives.

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References

Dugan, J. (1997). Transactional Literature Discussions: Engaging Students in the

Appreciation and Understanding of Literature. The Reading Teacher, 51(2), 86–96.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/20201868

Goodwyn, A. (2008). Experiencing literature: Student teachers views of the value of

literary experience. British Educational Research Association Annual Conference. Retrieved
November 16, 2018.
Hefflin, B. R., & Barksdale-Ladd, M. A. (2001). African American Children’s Literature

That Helps Students Find Themselves: Selection Guidelines for Grades K-3. The Reading

Teacher, 54(8), 810–819. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20204996

Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). But That’s Just Good Teaching! The Case for Culturally
Relevant Pedagogy. Theory Into Practice, 34(3), 159–165. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1476635

Team, R. to L. (2022, May 24). Top summer reading list for 9th grade. Read to Lead.

Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://readtolead.org/top-multicultural-summer-reading-list-

for-9th-grade/
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