In this article, the author examines Zitkala-Sa's translation of an Indian legend from Dakota into English. Her title, "Translation Moves," refers not only to Zitkala-Sa's rhetorical strategies, but also to different meanings of translation, as well as to the complex and dynamic process that translation entails. There is literal translation: the…

This paper examines the role of myths and symbols in society through the use of a hypothetical dialogue. The paper begins by explaining what myths are and the functions they serve. Mythology and mythical symbols of past and present are compared. These changes in the nature of mythological symbols are explored through a dialogue between an artist…

Offers a brief historical overview, playfully presented, to remind the reader of the relationships between orality, literacy, and the current electronic social condition. (SR)

A short story compares an old man's tale of why the woodland animals prepare for winter and the leaves change colors with a teacher's science-based explanations. Commentary distinguishes inquiry of wonder (why) and inquiry of power (how), and suggests ways to record the story for oral retelling and adapt it for use with young, older, and…

Presents a brief bibliographical study in order (1) to provide future historians with some hints about where to locate materials, and (2) to encourage the American Forensic Association to continue its recent efforts to collect materials and deposit them in a well-maintained historical archive. (NH)

Suggests that stories are a survival mechanism--they are the way people make sense of their lives. Notes the author has made it her personal mission to encourage people to tell their own stories, the stories that will die with people if they do not pass them on. Includes excerpts from the author's readers theater scripts to illustrate the…

Describes how storytelling can be used for reflective learning purposes. Explores the context in which storytelling occurs and identifies the characteristics that shape the process: setting, number of listeners, and type of story. Demonstrates how storytellers can mix these characteristics, which are translated into eight storytelling pathways,…

The African-American oral tradition is an important aspect of the culture of people of African descent. Infusion of this tradition into literacy instructions is suggested for literacy learning.

Education is about learning. But it is not always about teaching. Nor is it always held in formal educational settings. Here we present an example from Mua Island in Torres Strait, where cultural knowledge was recently communicated and passed down to the younger generation through community participation rather than through formal educational…

Created for educators, the breakthrough approach offered in this book is designed to help build on natural storytelling abilities to refine communication skills for use in the classroom, library, and at home. The guide is divided into seven main parts. Part 1, "Natural Storytelling: 100% Natural You--With No Artificial Additives," offers…

An ethnographic study examined oral poetry venues in black communities in Oakland and Sacramento as African Diaspora participatory literacy communities. These literary centers in out-of-school contexts served as sites for the development of cultural identity and the practice of multiple literacies. (Contains 43 references.) (SK)

Considers how misrepresentations of Indian culture can be addressed through the study of Native American oral traditions and literatures. Details the use of literature circles and storytelling in the classroom to combat negative stereotypes and racism. Discusses ways of weaving interpretive threads, examining misconceptions, reading and writing…

Evoking storytelling as a human tendency, suggests that stories involve sight, sound, rhythm, voice, and spontaneous imagination. Claims that because stories appeal to children's inner lives, they are optimal for communicating "life and human relationships and the totality of the natural world." Also claims that stories encourage…

Examines theoretical concerns about discourses associated typically with what has come to be referred to as the oral tradition and discourses associated typically with academic contexts in order to see how these may relate to students' experiences of higher learning. Looks at the writing of students who are predominantly Xhosa speakers and…

Many literary critics describe Native American written poetry as inspired by oral tradition (namely storytelling). This seems a vacuous claim unless one can set out the features of the oral genre (tradition) and the written form, and establish a baseline for comparative purposes. It is not enough to claim that poetry is storytelling based on oral…