The Influence of Learner Positionality on Reading Children’s Literature on War: An Analysis of a Lesson on “Tazunebito” in a Fifth-Grade Classroom

Abstract

Through an analysis of a classroom practice using the story “Tazunebito” with fifth-grade students in Hiroshima, this study investigates the impact of learners’ “positionality” on reading children’s literature on war. Conventional instruction often reduces student responses to uniform moral generalizations, such as “war is wrong.” To address this, the present study introduced students’ individual backgrounds as distinct positions for reading.

The practice revealed that readings reflecting specific positionalities emerged. Notably, a fourth-generation A-bomb survivor discussed the significance of “leaving names,” which prompted a student with Korean roots to identify “Korean A-bomb victims” not depicted in the text. This intersection of perspectives visualized “invisible minorities” and deepened the collective understanding through socio-cultural interaction.

In conclusion, incorporating learner positionality not only helps students perceive war as a personal matter but also offers a model for inclusive Japanese language education that embraces diverse interpretations and backgrounds.