Journal Article

Adolescent Multilinguals' Engagement With Religion in a Book Club

Sachs, Gertrude Tinker, Choi, Jayoung

2017

Overview

The study examines four adolescent multilinguals’ engagement with religion, as well as outcomes of that engagement, in an out‐of‐school book club. The qualitative analysis of participants’ talk in book club meetings, writing responses, and individual interviews revealed that multilinguals tap into their religious knowledge and identities in making sense of secular literature. Engaging with different religious identities in literature discussion inevitably led to conflicts and tensions, but the ways in which the multilinguals dealt with the conflicts varied. In spite of tensions, they gained academic and social competence as learners of English as an additional language (EAL). This investigation contributes to the scarce body of literature around the interconnectedness among religion, identity, and literacy. It also adds to the field by depicting interactions of EAL learners from diverse religious backgrounds, nonbelievers and believers in Hinduism and Islam.

• Publisher: Wiley Subscription Services, Inc,Wiley-Blackwell,Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subject: 4‐Adolescence / Adolescent Attitudes / Adolescents / Bilingual people / Book clubs / Clubs / Conflict / Connectedness / Conversation analysis / Correlation / Discussion / English (Second Language) / English language / English language learners / Extracurricular Activities / FEATURE ARTICLES / Hinduism / Identity / Interpersonal Competence / Interviews / Islam / Language learners, English language learners, English learners, English as a second language, English for speakers of other languages / Language learners, First, second, etc., culture (C1, C2, etc.) / Language learners, First, second, etc., language (L1, L2, etc.) / Language learners, Literature, Literature‐based instruction / Language learners, Multilingualism / Language learners, Second‐language learning / Language learners, Second‐language reading / Literacy / Literature / Literature, Adolescent/young adult literature, Multicultural literature, Fiction, Motivation/engagement, Case study / Multilingualism / Qualitative Research / Religion / Research methodology, Discussion strategies / Research methodology, Qualitative / Scholarship / Secularism / Self Concept / Social factors / Social skills / Strategies, methods, and materials, Reading strategies / Strategies, methods, and materials, Sociocultural / Theoretical perspectives / Theoretical perspectives, Transactional / Writing (Composition)