Re: [LM_NET] Target: Curious Incident Used in High School Classroom

["Girouard, Carole" <cgirouard@GNBVT.EDU>]

Carole,

In response to the MSLA list serve post, this is the second year that I
have used Curious Incident in my tenth grade English classroom. There
have been no challenges because of the language. I spoke with two other
teachers. One uses the novel with tenth grade, and the other with
seniors. They both said that there were no challenges. They both feel
that the book has merit, and I agree with them.

 

Students enjoy the book, and it is easy to have discussions and assign
writing because they have actually read the novel.  As with any work of
literature that is taught in school, the questionable language should be
explained in the context of the narrative, and the benefits of teaching
the title should be weighed against the language concerns. I explain to
students that the narrator, Christopher, has a unique perspective on the
world because of his autism disorder, and that he reports everything
exactly as he sees or hears it. The foul language that other characters
in the book sometimes use adds to the narrator's feeling of being
completely overwhelmed by his surroundings, and it depicts the world as
a place that can be unpleasant. Christopher doesn't use that type of
language himself. 

 

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is a memorable title
that I enjoy teaching and students enjoy reading. When deciding to add
the book to a school's curriculum, the entire book should be reviewed
carefully before a judgment is made. 

 

Mary Marshall

English teacher

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School

This is the sole opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect
the views or opinions of the GNBRVT school district.

 

 

Carole A. Girouard

Library Media Specialist

GNB Regional Voc-Tech High School

1121 Ashley Boulevard

New Bedford, MA  02745

cgirouard@gnbvt.edu

(508) 998-3321 ext. 268

 

The above statements are the sole opinion of the author and do not
necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the GNB Voc-Tech School
District

 


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