Growing into Literature - Advancing Theories and Practices in Literature Education

This project creates a holistic view of literature education in Finnish elementary and upper secondary schools combining theories and methods of literary studies and educational sciences. We aim to strengthen the focus on literature as an art form and the paths of children and youth into the literary world, including the emotions, experiences, and issues it deals with. 

The research data consists of curricular texts, teaching materials, selected prose fiction, literature assignments from matriculation exams, video recordings of poetry workshops and teacher interviews. 

The research is conducted in Tampere University, University of Turku, and Åbo Akademi University. The researchers represent the fields of comparative literature and teacher education. The project produces an understanding of a coherent literary curriculum, deepening in-depth knowledge about art-based approaches to literature teaching and creating a foundation for the future planning of curricula and teaching materials.

Suomen Akatemia on myöntänyt rahoitus Growing into Literature Advancing Theories and Practices in Literature Education -hankkeelle ajalle 1.9.2025 -31.8.2029. (Rahoituspäätöksen numero 369266.)

Tampere university: Consortium project and subproject Meaningful coherent curriculum and teaching materials for literature education (PI Kaisu Rättyä)

University of Turku: subproject Experientiality and narrative agency in L1 matriculation exams and reading prose fiction of global phenomena (PI Aino Mäkikalli)

Åbo Akademi University: subproject Combining analysis and affect: Arts-based approaches to literature teaching (PI Heidi Höglund)

Kaisu Rättyä