The voice is a basic tool in human communication and an important factor in a positive self-understanding and identity, both for the teacher's sense of profession and for the pupils' ability to express themselves orally; two perspectives of great importance in the Norwegian National Curriculum. Voice disorders are common among teachers world-wide…

In "Gumbo Ya ya," the author reflects on how varied stories and cultural and linguistic perspectives encountered during her evolution from student to veteran teacher have helped shape her research and pedagogy. Using a simultaneity of voices that parallel the musical traditions of her Louisiana heritage, she shares her views on teaching…

The folk songs and ballads of early America describe life as experienced by the common people. They were sung within the family, by neighbors and at gatherings of larger communities. The stories told were carried in the memories of those who heard them. Once a strictly aural and oral tradition, the words came to be written down, and the surviving…

In today's interconnected and global society, socially responsive learning is an integral part of educational excellence. This book encourages socially responsive learning by showing the reader how to use traditional African folk tales and quality children's books, young adult novels, classic literature, and film media about Africa as the mode for…

Spoken word is a form of poetry that utilizes the strengths of the communities: oral tradition, call-and-response, home languages, storytelling, and resistance. Spoken word poetry is usually performed for an audience and must be heard. The authors are interested in investigating how spoken word can be utilized as a critical teaching tool that can…