Article
Adolescent Multilinguals’ Engagement With Religion in a Book Club
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy
(2017)
Abstract
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.
Publication Date
2017
DOI
10.1002/jaal.591
Citation Information
Jayoung Choi and Gertrude Tinker Sachs. "Adolescent Multilinguals’ Engagement With Religion in a Book Club" Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy Vol. 60 Iss. 4 (2017) p. 415 - 423 ISSN: 1936-2706 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jayoung-choi/4/