Self-acceptance and self-esteem through children’s literature in the efl classroom

Abstract

This dissertation proposes the simplification of the Story Fish is Fish by Leo Lionni for EFL didactical purposes in order to develop children´s self–acceptance and self–esteem in Fifth Graders at “William Shakespeare School”. Besides, three other stories known as trickster tales (Hungry Spider by Harold Courlander, Turtle Races with Rabbit by Gayle Ross, and Aunt Fox and the Fried Fish by Rafael Oramas) were chosen in order to enhance this project’s goals and expectations. This children´s story simplification represents a sample of how children can acquire and learn English as a foreign language through dynamic activities that emerge from a properly managed reading process. In addition, the simplified version of the story Fish is Fish and the other three stories mentioned above attempt to develop in Fifth Graders a positive attitude towards the target language while implicitly contributing to a natural development of self-acceptance and self-esteem. Pre-reading, while-reading and post-reading activities were specially designed to satisfy Fifth Graders´ needs and interests. To demonstrate this project´s validity and reliability, this dissertation applied an experimental design method using the subjects from Fifth Grade ACUARIO and PISCIS at “William Shakespeare School”