Whole Thesis Document, 3

School teachers in Finland today are increasingly using authentic reading materials in their EFL-classrooms, and primary school curricula now require that teachers incorporate issues of culture, multiculturalism and diversity in their teaching. At the same Multicultural EFL-pupils Reading Young Charlotta Häggblom: time, empirical evidence from such teaching in real classrooms has received very little systematic scholarly attention. This book is about a group of young EFL-pupils reading authentic multicultural Charlotta Häggblom children’s fiction. Charlotta Häggblom argues that when provided with appropriate support, young EFL-readers are able to engage with authentic reading materials, and to relate empathetically to Young EFL-pupils Reading issues of culture and diversity. Häggblom explores issues related both to the reading of authentic texts in the language classroom, Multicultural Children’s Fiction and to the introduction of a multicultural dimension in teaching. What happens when primary school EFL-pupils begin reading Fiction Children’s authentic texts? How do they manage and what kind of help might they need? How can teaching be structured to assist their reading? An ethnographic case study in How might the teacher encourage independent EFL-reading and a Swedish language primary school group discussions on literary texts? What might young EFL-readers react to in authentic texts? How might young EFL-readers relate in Finland to cultural or multicultural information in texts? What happens when matters of multiculturalism are dealt with in a real classroom situation? Using an ethnographic case study technique, this book tries to paint a holistic picture of this particular kind of teaching. It will therefore be of special interest to primary school teachers, EFL-teachers, and researchers, teacher educators, and policy- makers involved in the fields of EFL-literacy and the cultural and multicultural dimensions of teaching. Åbo Akademi University Press ISBN 951-765-326-3 2006 Charlotta Häggblom (b. 1972) has a Master’s degree in primary education from the Faculty of Education at Åbo Akademi University, and is a class teacher at Cygnaeus school, Turku. She has also studied English at the Faculty of Humanities, and is a qualified EFL-teacher at secondary school level. She has carried out her doctoral studies as a member of the Åbo Akademi University’s ChiLPA Project (Children’s Literature, Pure and Applied) and EngChiLPA Project (English Children’s Literature, Pure and Applied), and as Visiting Scholar at the University of Reading, England. Musta YOUNG EFL-PUPILS READING MULTICULTURAL CHILDREN’S FICTION K i r j a p a i n o P a i n o s a l a m a O y - T u r k u 2 0 0 6 Musta K i r j a p a i n o P a i n o s a l a m a O y - T u r k u 2 0 0 6 Musta Young EFL-Pupils Reading Multicultural Children’s Fiction An Ethnographic Case Study in a Swedish Language Primary School in Finland Charlotta Häggblom ÅBO 2006 ÅBO AKADEMIS FÖRLAG – ÅBO AKADEMI UNIVERSITY PRESS K i r j a p a i n o P a i n o s a l a m a O y - T u r k u 2 0 0 6 Musta CIP Cataloguing in Publication Häggblom, Charlotta Young EFL-pupils reading multicultural children’s fiction : an ethnographic case study in a Swedish language primary school in Finland / Charlotta Häggblom. – Åbo : Åbo Akademi University Press, 2006. Diss.: Åbo Akademi University. ISBN 951-765-326-3 ISBN 951-765-326-3 ISBN 951-765-327-1 (digital) Painosalama Oy Åbo 2006 K i r j a p a i n o P a i n o s a l a m a O y - T u r k u 2 0 0 6 Musta Abstract The present study investigates the use of multicultural children’s novels with young EFL-readers in Finland. Two main research questions shaped the study: 1) What issues arise when authentic reading material is introduced into the EFL classroom? and 2) What is the impact on children’s understanding of cultural diversity and what issues are involved when incorporating a multiculltural dimension and using multicultural children’s fiction in EFL-teaching? Neither of these questions has so far received much attention in the context of primary education. Because the purpose was to gain a holistic understanding of issues involved, an ethnographic case study technique was used, involving a reading project with a Year 6 EFL-group. The present writer acted in the role of both teacher and researcher during the reading project, which lasted for one school term, between August and November 2000. Sources of data included: the teacher-researcher’s field notes; interviews with children, the head teacher, and the class teacher; video-recordings of independent group work and of reading conferences in lesson time; children’s reading diaries; plus two question sheets filled in by the children. Data collection was thus both oral (views expressed in public) and written (views expressed in private), and it included both real time and retrospective perspectives. Furthermore, children’s views were expressed both spontaneously and as triggered by questions and tasks. The main voices heard were the teacher-researcher’s and the pupils’. The study offers an analysis of all this data based on qualitative research principles. The findings of this thesis suggest that, when given appropriate support, even EFL- readers as young as 11-12 are able to understand and engage critically with authentic reading material, both orally and in writing; and they can also engage empathetically with issues of culture and diversity. The main issues involved in this kind of teaching are discussed, and six main themes emerge. Three of these themes, reported in Part I of the thesis, are related to EFL-literacy: EFL-reading, -writing and -literacy support (Chapter 3), group work around the texts (Chapter 4), and responses to chapter content (Chapter 5). The three remaining themes, reported in Part II of the thesis, concern the multicultural dimension of EFL-teaching and the use of multicultural texts: culture and reading in language teaching (Chapter 6), multicultural and anti-racist aspects (Chapter 7), and teaching perspectives (Chapter 8). i K i r j a p a i n o P a i n o s a l a m a O y - T u r k u 2 0 0 6 Musta ii K i r j a p a i n o P a i n o s a l a m a O y - T u r k u 2 0 0 6 Musta Acknowledgements This thesis has been made possible thanks to cooperation between Åbo Akademi University, Finland, and the University of Reading, England. During my first terms of PhD-study (September 1998- December 1999) I was based at the University of Reading under the supervision of Professor Viv Edwards. After this, I moved back to Finland and Åbo Akademi University, where I conducted the present field work and analysis, and also wrote the thesis text. After returning to Finland, one longer study trip (in autumn term 2001) and two shorter ones were undertaken to the University of Reading, where I received further supervision and also updated the theoretical material. Professor Edwards has visited Finland twice. I am very grateful to both the University of Reading and Åbo Akademi University for the cooperation and opportunity to conduct this study. My deepest gratitude goes to my supervisor, Professor Viv Edwards. I whish to thank her for going out of her way to combine the Finnish and British university traditions so that this thesis was made possible. I am grateful for the advice and expertise which she has given me throughout these years, for her generosity, her quick and insightful feedback, and for her continuous patience, encouragement and support on so many different levels. I would also like to thank The National Centre for Literacy at the University of Reading, which houses a vast collection of multicultural children’s books, and which provided me with fruitful research facilities, a circle of friends and supportive colleagues, and the opportunity to attend several valuable courses for teachers. Thank you for making me feel so welcome. I would also like to thank the teachers of the research methods course at the University of Reading, and all fellow research students in the Research Base. I am grateful also to The Faculty of Humanities at Åbo Akademi University for providing me with a research position and good work environment in the ChiLPA- project (Children’s Literature, Pure and Applied), including interesting seminars and conferences. I owe a debt of gratitude to all my colleagues in the ChiLPA-project, particularly Maria Lassén-Seger, and to Faculty Director Maja Anckar for help with practical matters along the way. To The Department of English at Åbo Akademi University I am grateful for a friendly work environment, my position in the EnCHiLPA-project, computer equipment, and special arrangements when I could not use a computer myself. Special thanks to Fil. lic. Brita Wårvik for her unfailing help with computers, and Professor Håkan Ringbom and Professor Tuija Virtanen-Ulfhjelm for friendly advice. iii K i r j a p a i n o P a i n o s a l a m a O y - T u r k u 2 0 0 6 Musta Financially, I am indebted to the Victoria Stiftelse, the Finnish Ministry of Education, the Faculty of Humanities at Åbo Akademi University, and the H.W. Donner Foundation. Some individual persons deserve a special thank you: Professor Eve Gregory and Dr. Leena Robertson for being my expert readers, and Professor Anthony Johnson for reading the final version of my thesis text.

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