Compelling Stories for English Language Learners: Creativity, Interculturality and Critical Literacy(Bloomsbury Guidebooks for Language Teachers)

An International Research Society for Children's Literature (IRSCL) Honour Book for 2023 This book is a comprehensive and thorough introduction to children’s and young adult literature in English language education. Reading is promoted as central to language education in order to experience perspectives from around the world, and the book demonstrates the many opportunities for teaching with compelling story, encouraging an active and engaged community of second language readers through challenging picturebooks, motivating graphic novels, dynamic plays, enchanting verse novels and compelling young adult fiction. Using many examples of literary texts that are well suited to the primary or secondary classroom, the book focuses on the advantages of deep reading and the vital importance of in-depth learning. In-depth learning is an approach that involves the students as motivated participants, working collaboratively and with empathy while preparing for and confronting the challenges of the 21st century. Illustrating the approach with a Deep Reading Framework based in research and theory, Janice Bland guides the reader to discover and learn how to make use of literary texts in a way that challenges students to become involved in interculturality, creativity and critical literacy. Throughout the book the emphasis is on an approach that puts the reader and language learner in the centre – not a study of literature but a study of how readers learn through compelling story.

Table of Contents:
Preface Part I: The Place of Children’s Literature with English Language Learners 1. A Literary Apprenticeship: Engagement with Story 2. Interculturality: Engagement with Diversity 3. Literature with English Language Learners: Engagement with Language Part II: Visual Literacy and Interculturality 4. Early Steps in Literature Learning with Picturebooks 5. Refugee Literature as Visual Narrative 6. The Grandeur of Graphic Novels Part III: Participation in Literature and Creativity 7. Responding to Literature with Creative Writing 8. Experiential Learning with Plays and Drama 9. The Versatility of Verse Novels Part IV: In-Depth Learning and Critical Literacy 10. Encountering Global Issues in the Storyworld 11. Speculative Fiction for Deep Reading 12. Conclusions for Teacher Education Part V: Glossary of Key Terms Bibliography References Index

About the Author :
Janice Bland is Professor Emerita of English Education, Nord University, Norway. She is editor-in-chief of the diamond open-access journal, Children's Literature in English Language Education.

Review :
Bland’s work has the potential to significantly influence how we conceptualise and implement language education, moving towards a more narrative-based approach that fosters not just language skills but also critical thinking, cultural awareness, and a lifelong love of reading. Invaluable ... There is no doubt that this book will guide teachers, teacher trainers, pre-service teachers, and researchers in using literary narrative for young language learners over the long term. Bland herself tells a compelling story to English language teachers: her book reminds us that what we can do – and what we can get learners to do – with storyworlds can be so much more stimulating than is generally allowed for by the tunnel vision of mainstream ELT. This is at the same time a book that explores the power of stories as a force for positive change and a book full of practical ideas for teaching and encouraging learning. Janice Bland’s Compelling Stories for English Language Learners: Creativity, Interculturality and Critical Literacy tells us several stories. From different cultures and from different perspectives. In a world of English as a Lingua Franca and the pursuit of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, books like this are essential. Combined with the literary narratives, the deep reading framework proposed in this volume constitutes a unique and original contribution to the field ... A timely contribution to revealing the educational benefits of children’s literary narratives in language education. Moving smoothly amongst concepts, a comprehensive range of genres and issues, and practical applications, this clearly written and well-researched book will prove invaluable to teachers in language classrooms. Compelling Stories eloquently demonstrates why and how the learning of English through deep reading nourishes a love of both literature and language. Written with passion and informed by expertise in English language education, this book brings together insights about the affordances of specific genres and formats with practical tips about engaging compelling literary narratives in the classroom. Eminently readable and theoretically informed, it shows how stories make the difference that matters. This book is full of theoretical insights, practical ideas for teaching, and suggestions for exciting and varied resources. It is a must-read for all teachers of English as an Additional Language.