Through the Eyes of a Child: Cultural Awareness via Appalachian Literature
The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore whether fifth grade Appalachian students’ (from an Appalachian region in southern Ohio) cultural awareness is heightened through Appalachian literature during Appalachian book club meetings. The following research questions are examined: Do students’ literature responses reflect Jones’ Appalachian values (to be delineated later)? What values do Appalachian students deem important in their lives? Does reading Appalachian literature increase the cultural awareness of students living in an Appalachian community? Can acknowledging one’s Appalachian culture through regional literature build a positive self-image among fifth grade students in southern Ohio? This research analyzes the literature responses of fifth grade students and examines the responses for evidence of Jones’ Appalachian values while measuring the cultural awareness of book club participants. The importance of this study stems from the limited research regarding the Appalachian culture and its relationship to Appalachian literature. Many studies have focused on students’ responses to multicultural literature. However, the present study specifically examines Appalachian students who often have been overlooked in qualitative research. The study’s intent is to explore whether or not students develop a connection with stories that replicate their way of life and values (Sims-Bishop, 1997). Eight, fifth grade students at Northern Elementary participated in an eight week long study. Participants met three times a week to discuss an Appalachian junior novel, Trail of the Hunter’s Horn, by Billy C. Clark. Participants responded to the literature through discussions, journal entries, poems, cultural autobiographies, and dioramas of their favorite scenes from the book. In addition, other data was collected from a pre- and post-survey, individual interviews, and field observations. Analysis of the data reveals participants’ responses did reflect Jones’ Appalachian values and an overall increase in cultural awareness among the group participants. The research also demonstrates that the participants clearly conceptualize themselves as a people with a common culture. Some participants refer to “we” instead of “they” when discussing Appalachians. This indicates that they identify themselves as Appalachian—that they are a part of a cultural group. Cultural ownership becomes important in developing a positive self-image (Valdez, 2004). The findings shed light on the relevancy of Jones’ values in 2013 and cultural awareness among children.
Education, Literature, Curriculum Development, Appalachian literature, culturally responsive teaching, cultural awareness among Appalachian children
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