EXPLORING RELIGIOUS FUNDS OF KNOWLEDGE IN TWO ADVANCED HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH COURSES

Abstract

Students develop various funds of knowledge through engagement in activities outside the classroom. This research explores the potential benefits of religious activities in the form of valuable transferable skills and practices that may enhance student performance in AP English coursework. In a Western context, Islamic religious practices are normally associated with rote memorization rather than the development of critical thinking skills or funds of knowledge. This research investigates Muslim students’ perceptions of various influences on their learning and compares their observations with those of the teacher-researcher. Practitioner inquiry is the method used for this study and data includes student reflection results, student essays, and portfolio reflections. As the teacher of two AP English courses in the study, I, as the teacher-researcher, leveraged my understanding of the students’ interests and abilities as well as my knowledge of the cultural and religious context. While the initial focus of research was on development of religious literacy as a fund of knowledge with the most impact on student success in AP coursework, reflection data revealed a more nuanced story. Students developed funds of knowledge from a variety of religious activities, such as reading the Holy Quran, reading religious non-fiction texts and attending religious lectures, but also they expanded important funds of knowledge and literacies through activities such as reading non-religious fiction, reading and writing poetry, and participating in debate tournaments. These findings reveal the complex nature of interaction with the world outside of school that contributes to an understanding of how seemingly unrelated extracurricular activities can provide valuable skills for comprehension and language production. They also demonstrate the ways funds of knowledge contribute to the development of cultural and social capital and reinforce an understanding of the potential for all literacies, including religious, to contribute to student self-confidence and a strong sense of identity.