Negotiating Language Arts and Muslim Identity

Abstract

In this article, we present a case study of a sixth grade English Language Arts (ELA) teacher and her students at an American Islamic school.The perception in the literature is that schools are an important bridge for immigrants to engage with their adopted culture. We examined the curriculum and instructional practice of sixth grade ELA teacher Sarah El-Ahmed, who was teaching second generation immigrant Muslim children at Bright Star Muslim School (names are pseudonyms). We also examined the students’ responses to the teacher’s efforts to foster an Islamic identity orientation and integrate the beliefs and practices of Islam with those of the pupils’ adopted home. Our findings suggest an appropriate level of teacher support can be transformative for meaning and identity and help solidify an Islamic perspective in an intersection between secular and spiritual worldviews. This study suggests that the teaching of literacy may extend to reading secular as well as sacred texts to accommodate the sociocultural needs of the students.