Promoting social justice through dramatizing children's literature: Lessons from EFL classrooms in Türkiye

Abstract

Social justice language education (SJLE) explores the ways in which language classrooms can be transformed to disrupt the existing oppressive policies and practices in schools and the society at large (Ortaçtepe Hart & Martel, 2020; Ortaçtepe Hart, 2023; Ortega, 2021). As an approach within SJLE, dramatizing children's literature can raise the awareness of learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) of social injustices across the world, help them voice their own experiences in the class, and contribute to their language development (Caldas, 2018; García-Mateus, 2021; Gualdron & Castillo, 2018; Koss & Daniel, 2018). Focusing on the intersections of drama, children's literature, and SJLE, this qualitative case study explored a) a preservice EFL teacher's trajectory as a social justice educator, and b) the affordances of dramatizing children's literature on developing young learners' English language skills and awareness of social justice issues. Three picture storybooks, Paper Bag Princess, William's Doll, and Amazing Grace, were chosen and scripted for drama. Data were elicited through preservice teachers' observation notes and reflections as well as through semi-structured interviews with students. The results showed that dramatizing children's literature helped EFL young learners challenge their stereotypical beliefs regarding gender roles, gender inequalities, and racism. It also fostered their language development, especially in pronunciation (e.g., producing sounds), speaking (e.g., pitch and melody), and vocabulary by creating an entertaining and safe environment in which they could engage in contextualized language use. The study provides pedagogical implications in relation to how dramatizing children's literature can help disrupt social and educational injustices, transform students' stereotypical beliefs and biases, and promote empathy and critical awareness at large.