Historical Fiction in the Middle Grades

Social Studies Research and Practice, 2019

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to explore how and why teachers use historical fiction in their classroom (e.g. selection and instruction) through the lenses of their pedagogical content knowledge (Shulman, 1986) and pedagogical tools (Grossman et al., 1999). Design/methodology/approach-The authors explored the following questions: In what ways do elementary school teachers, more specifically fifth grade teachers responsible for early US history as part of their social studies curriculum, use historical fiction in their classrooms? and What factors do elementary school teachers consider when they select historical fiction to use in their classrooms? In order to explore these questions, the authors interviewed eight fifth grade teachers. The authors describe the ways in which these teachers use historical fiction as part of their social studies instruction by employing collective case study (Stake, 1994). Findings-This study has reified this notion that historical fiction is widely used by fifth grade teachers. The authors identified that these teachers are choosing texts that allow them to integrate their language arts and social studies instruction in effective and engaging ways. Many participants described choosing the texts purposefully to address social studies standards during their language arts time. Despite many of these teachers using prescribed curricula for language arts instruction and following state standards for social studies, the teachers in this study felt free to make curricular decisions related to integration. Most importantly, when given this freedom, they chose to integrate purposefully with quality texts. Research limitations/implications-The primary limitation of this research study is the small sample size (n ¼ 8). However among the eight teacher participants, there are two states are represented, varied teaching contexts (e.g. departmentalized, self-contained classrooms), and many years of classroom social studies teaching experience. Originality/value-The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (CCSS) (Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association, 2010) have prompted teachers to present both informational text and literature in equal balance in upper elementary grades. Little research has been done in the last decade about the ways in which historical fiction addresses these standards.

Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 2014

This paper will explore the recent trend in the popularising of history and its impact on teaching and learning. There has been a steady increase in the amount of fiction, films, television shows, documentaries and children's programs situated in or concerned with historical events, eras or historical figures. The evident popularity among the wider public for these popularised forms requires teachers of history to re-evaluate their use in the classroom. They might also be tools in which we can reengage pre-service teachers and students into the subject area. This paper will present the findings of a pilot study concerned with exploring the use of historical fiction in pre-service teacher education programs. What emerged from the findings suggests that the inclusion of historical fiction in pre-service teacher education programs, and within history classrooms, may potentially have a positive impact on learning and result in higher levels of engagement with the subject.

Journal of Classroom Research in Literacy, 2014

Historical fiction is a complex genre as it includes both fiction and nonfiction. We explored fifth grade students' understandings of historical fiction by examining their written comments during their reading. We discovered that the students focused most noticeably on the narrative. The Fact Finder job led students to consider the history surrounding the story. We observed slight changes over time where students began to describe vocabulary and historical events and how they connected to the narrative.

DESPITE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS at reforming the teaching of history, high school students still rate it as the least exciting subject they study. 1 Yet recent research shows that interdisciplinary curricula, particularly in the humanities, can have positive benefits for students. These include increased student motivation, increased student performance, a better understanding of and ability to retain content, encouragement of multiple points of view and perspectives, increased critical and creative thinking, and a means of dealing with the postmodern problem of fragmented knowledge. 2 In addition , there are benefits particular to using literature in social studies classes. Using fiction may help break down artificial barriers between disciplines, engaging students in reading and thereby truly integrating literacy with social studies. Discussions of form and its impact on shaping the presentation of content are rarely clearer than they are when reading literature, and this can make students more aware of the ways content is represented in text books and primary source documents. Literature is also a powerful tool for integrating and highlighting voices from the past-especially those of children, minorities, women, and the poor-that may not be those generally heard or read by students in their historical studies. In this article, we offer a series of strategies to help teachers integrate

1989

A century of change in the content of history teaching is traced, first in the elementary schools of England and Wales before World War II, then in the new creations of Primary Schools as the 1944 Education Act was implemented. Relatively rigid requirements of codes and regulations are seen to determine the content of the early period, whilst suggestions and guidance Outdated Textbooks housed in the School of Education,

TESOL Journal, 2018

In the context of globalization, teachers of English are no longer expected to cultivate learners’ functional and communicative abilities alone; instead, the profession also requires teachers to acknowledge that teaching English is a political act, to discuss how power relations are negotiated through language, and to enrich learners’ historical and political consciousness. This article proposes that teachers of English can use historical fiction as a way to help learners be more cognizant of historical and political realities that they are part of—in addition to becoming more familiar with the English language. This pedagogical suggestion begins with the rationale for using historical fiction in teaching English. This rationale lends itself to a series of classroom tasks, which are designed to contribute to learners’ awareness of how historical realities are shaped in/through language and how the construction of historical representation reinforces particular memories and discourses. This process will eventually help learners of English reflect on who they have been, understand who they are now, and envision who they want to be.

Journal of Literacy Research, 2002

There has been much recent scholarship on the importance of engaging students of all ages in the critical readings of texts. This study explores a group of pre-service teachers' responses to a set of experiences designed to encourage them to respond critically to several picture book versions of the American-Japanese conflict in World War II, focusing particular attention on Sadako

Proquest Llc, 2011

2004