Based on the idea that, when bedding down for sleep, children all over the world welcome the comforting sound of lullabies sung by people they love, this collection contains 21 sleep rhymes from 17 nations and republics. Each lullaby in the collection is presented in its native language (Thai, Italian, Yoruba, Welsh, Ukrainian, Slovenian, Abenaki,…

This book contains 16 stories that chronicle the history and culture of the Cheyenne people. Intended for grades 3-8, the stories present an alternative viewpoint on historical events and thus provide a more balanced understanding of the Cheyenne and other Native peoples. The stories are told chronologically, from creation to the present, as seen…

Examines the challenges accompanying inserting Francophone literatures of the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa into the curriculum. This article suggests additions to the syllabus and discusses three theories useful in weaving together all Francophone literatures--a process duplicating the "metissage" of cultures. (31 references)…

Compares African children's stories with Kenyan primary school literature with regard to structure, use of characterization, forms of dramatization, and social contexts of storytelling. Argues that school texts, published mostly by multinational firms, have been adapted to only surface characteristics of African cultures. Proposes that features of…

Notes that jump rope rhymes and street chants are part of an oral tradition that links communication and play. Although rarely incorporated into the elementary curriculum, they expose children to rhyme, rhythm, humor, and poetry. Discusses opportunities for student involvement and integration of rhymes and chants across the curriculum, and…

Examines the characteristics of the "storylistening trance" and any influences (positive or negative) that affect it. Discusses results, which show that many listeners experience a qualitatively different state while listening to some stories. Concludes with a theoretical model of the storylistening trance and the applicability of findings to…

Educational exchange between American Indians and outsiders is examined in three periods. From first contact to the mid-1800s, knowledge was exchanged relatively equally. From the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s, acculturation was imposed upon American Indians. The political liberalism of the 1960s spawned renewed interest in Indian culture and rights,…

Argues that there should be a broader definition of the history of music education by challenging the traditional focus of music education history. Believes that there are four alternative perspectives to the canon in music education: (1) African-Americans; (2) the female experience; (3) African-American women; and (4) music in oral traditions.…

Anne Carroll Moore, who introduced children's services at the New York Public Library, a Newbery-winning author discusses libraries, collection development, book costs, the publishing industry, fear of change, oral and print tradition, writing for children, the impact and shortcomings of technology, books going out of print, and the need for…

This article focuses on the particular challenges, choices, and celebrations relevant to teaching in an urban setting. The speech of African American students is described as rich and reflective of the African American oral tradition. The article also discusses the meaning, rules and the evolution of African American English.

Until American Calvinist missionaries created a Hawaiian alphabet and writing system after their arrival to the Hawaiian islands in 1819, all Kanaka Maoli literature was oral. By inventing a Hawaiian alphabet, the missionaries were able to teach Kanaka Maoli reading and writing; by the early 1830s the first missionary-controlled printing press was…

Language shift among New Mexico Pueblo Indians threatens the loss of their oral-based cultures. Language revival for many Pueblos has resulted in school programs in which students are easily accessible and teachers are accountable to tribes rather than the state. Finding "Pueblo space" for the Native language in school, where it was…

The genre of fairytales, one structured form of storytelling, has been labeled "Marchen." German culture is orally transmitted in this generic form, and can be traced to a collection of 210 fairytales, the Grimm brothers'"Kinder-und Taus-Marchen," first published shortly after 1800. For this study, research questions were posed…

This book is composed of 21 essays that define and illustrate the folklore of Texas. Following the introduction, the six essays concerned with defining are: "Classroom Definitions of Folklore" (F. E. Abernethy); "Defining Folklore for My Students" (Joyce Roach); "Folklore and Cinema" (Jim Harris); "Toward a…

The persistent cultural conservatism in Western scholarship has led to the exclusion of Chinese rhetoric from the canon of rhetorical studies. However, the assumption that Chinese culture does not have a rhetorical tradition is misleading and inappropriate. It stems from any number of notions: that the Chinese language is not as logical as those…