Reports on views of storytellers on children's work with stories. Offers ideas to teachers on effective ways to tap into the oral tradition of storytelling. (TB)

The Anishinabe language is alive, and Anishinabe world view is embedded in it. It is important to continue speaking the language because not doing so contributes to language loss and the undermining of the Anishinabe world view. Dictionaries can help in preserving Native languages, but they must be written by Natives from a Native perspective. The…

Presents background information about the field of international children's literature globally and nationally in hopes of encouraging those who work with children to investigate this rich body of literature. Discusses how international stories teach children about their peers in other lands, because they bring the people, history, and traditions…

Discusses how the stories passed on from Native American tribal elders can preserve Indian cultural history, mutual dependence, respect for nature, and values rooted in tribal culture. (HTH)

Lao students have not fared well in the American educational system. Raised in a home culture that emphasizes and values the oral tradition, the acquisition of academic writing skills has been especially problematic even for U.S.-born students of Lao heritage. Recognizing that writing is a critical component for academic success, this study…

This collection serves as an interpretation of traditions, rituals, legacies, and the historical challenges associated with the University of Alabama. As such, it is a consolidated historical record of the cultural history of the university. The chapters are: (1) "Introduction" (Chad Caples, Lillie Hagood, Kurt Johnson, Anne Kanga, Julie…

Focusing on reworkings of tales from the European oral folk tradition, this book shows educators how to use these tales effectively in the high school and middle school curriculum. The first chapter of the book, "Folktales and Literary Fictions" looks at the nature of folktales, their place in contemporary North American culture, and the…

Six traditional Yup'ik stories are presented in Yup'ik along with English word-for-word translations. Five of the selections are traditional Yup'ik myths or legends called "qulirat"--stories that have been transmitted from generation to generation and often have supernatural elements. The sixth is a personal account of life in a…

Describes a pedagogy based on narrative and storytelling that encourages students to appreciate cultural and racial diversity as it helps them become active participants in the broader conversation of a literate community. (SR)

Analyzes two Yup'ik tales depicting the cyclic relationships between humans and animals and between the living and the dead. Emphasizes the importance in the Yup'ik world view of boundaries and passages. Suggests that human actions, rules, and ceremonies create boundaries or may close or open paths between people, as well as between human/animal…

Examines various narratives about literacy, and how they influence the thinking of people in composition studies. Uses J. Lyotard's notions of the grand narratives of modernism and the little narratives of postmodernism to examine: conflicted politics of composition studies; the relationship of theory and ideology; ethical questions of research;…

Demonstrates the use of African storytelling for informal teaching of African traditions and values in today's African-American community. The instruction is shown in content and context in three literary works: "An African Night's Entertainment,""The Passport of Mallam Ilia," and "The Secret of Gumbo Grove." (MMU)

There is no formula for creating celebrations that truly inspire a sense of community on campus, but the authors describe the convocation program at Western Washington University and how it involves the whole community in creating a welcoming experience. They draw on the compelling campus traditions, give returning students an important role, and…

"Traditional Literature" is defined by Carl M. Tomlinson and Carol Lynch-Brown in "Essentials of Children's Literature (Allyn and Bacon, 2001) as "the body of ancient stories and poems that grew out of the human quest to understand the natural and spiritual worlds and that was preserved through time by the oral tradition of storytelling before…

Little information exists regarding mental health and special needs related to American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) families. In this article we emphasize the use of oral tradition during the Circles of Care initiative, which was essential in understanding cultural history and historical trauma of AI/ANs while giving a greater understanding…