belifs becoming literate in faith settings centre for language, culture and learning educational...

BeLiFS Becoming Literate in Faith Settings

Centre for Language, Culture and Learning

Educational Studies DepartmentGoldsmiths

University of London

(Halimun Choudhury)

(Complementary schooling, Sat 4th Dec 2010, Goldsmiths University of London)

Research Team

Head of Project: Professor Eve Gregory

Co-directors: Mahera Ruby

Dr John Jessel

Dr Charmian Kenner

Dr Vally Lytra

Researchers: Halimun Choudhury, Bangladeshi Muslim

Arani Ilankuberan, Tamil Hindu

Amoafi Kwapong, Ghanaian Pentecostal

Malgosia Woodham, Polish Catholic

Research Questionsa) What is the scope and nature of literacy

practices in each faith setting?b) How do teaching and learning take place

during faith literacy activities across different settings?

c) In what ways have faith literacies changed over time and in the London setting and how are these changes perceived across generations?

d) How does participation in faith literacies contribute to individual and collective identities?

Research MethodologyCollaborative ethnography (Conteh et al, 2005)

Phase 1: Ethnographic observations in the faith settings Interviews with the faith leaders Attendance at religious services and classesPhase 2: Case-studies of the faith literacy activities

Audiorecordings / photos of events Recordings of faith literacy events Interviews with children/their teachers/relativesPhase 3: Children will interview the older people They will prepare a book togetherPhase 4: Interviews with the children Discussions with faith setting leaders

ELM and the LMC

East London Mosque and the London Muslim Centre

ServicesReligious services

(Marriage, Funeral, Prayer)

Educational services (Primary, Secondary, Supplementary)

Social Welfare(Health)

Work- Economic (Jobcentre, Way to work)

Families4 Families

1 Rainbow: 5 years of age

2 Evening Madrasah: 7 and 9

1 Al Mizan: 10 years of age

Data Collection from FamiliesWe have given families:

1. A flip camera,

2. A digital camera,

3. A voice recorder,

4. A scrapbook

5. A folder

Collect data from families- every 3-4 weeks

Data collection by ResearcherI have:

1. A digital camera,

2. A flip camera,

3. A voice recorder

4. My fieldnote journal

Collect data from Class at the Research site

Children’s learning in classUse community language

Children as learners

Peer support

Independent learning

Involvement and concentration

Different levels of knowledge

Teacher/ Child relationship

World from N and M’s View

What strikes you the most about these pictures?

Nuha’s world

Muqtasid’s world

ConclusionFrom getting an insight into the world of two children attending the Evening Madrasah classes has many

benefits.The children can be themselves, they form a social and educational identity based on what is important to them

as an individual. We can see through this mapping exercise what

relationships, people and languages are important to them.

How and where the individuals situate themselves in their world.

There are various teaching methods used in a faith classes, which can not always be applied in a

mainstream school setting and taken seriously. Certain methods work better in a small class room setting.

www.gold.ac.uk/clcl

(h.choudhury@gold.ac.uk)

Thank you!