<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

This project used a story book for young readers (aged 6–8) to explore environmental identity features and their potential impact upon its young readers. A variety of different units of analysis from the narrative practice approach were employed to explore: a) how the story's narrative constructs the environmental identity of the main character; b) what kind of environmental identity it promotes and c) whether reading a story can be considered a ‘proxy’ of a ‘formative’ childhood experience in relation to the environment.
The analysis showed a gradual construction of the main character's environmental identity; moving from passivity and ignorance to agency and knowledge. However, the notion of agency was rather limited to an individualistic agency that can potentially empower young readers to act on a local level without helping them to see environmental issues in a wider societal context.
Finally, the idea of reading an environmental story as a ‘formative’ experience is discussed in relation to the aforementioned findings and to literature relevant within sustainability education pedagogies.
</abstract>

This project used a story book for young readers (aged 6–8) to explore environmental identity features and their potential impact upon its young readers. A variety of different units of analysis from the narrative practice approach were employed to explore: a) how the story's narrative constructs the environmental identity of the main character; b) what kind of environmental identity it promotes and c) whether reading a story can be considered a ‘proxy’ of a ‘formative’ childhood experience in relation to the environment.
The analysis showed a gradual construction of the main character's environmental identity; moving from passivity and ignorance to agency and knowledge. However, the notion of agency was rather limited to an individualistic agency that can potentially empower young readers to act on a local level without helping them to see environmental issues in a wider societal context.
Finally, the idea of reading an environmental story as a ‘formative’ experience is discussed in relation to the aforementioned findings and to literature relevant within sustainability education pedagogies.

Who is the ‘Guardian of the Sea’? A Narrative Practice Approach Analysis of a Short Story Book for Six to Eight Years Old on the Main Character's Environmental Identity Construction

Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

This project used a story book for young readers (aged 6–8) to explore environmental identity features and their potential impact upon its young readers. A...

Who is the ‘Guardian of the Sea’? A Narrative Practice Approach Analysis of a Short Story Book for Six to Eight Years Old on the Main Character's Environmental Identity Construction

Published Online: Jan 11, 2023

Page range: 83 - 98

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jtes-2022-0018

Keywords
children's agency, environmental identity, formative experience, story

© 2022 Athanasia Chatzifotiou, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Who is the ‘Guardian of the Sea’? A Narrative Practice Approach Analysis of a Short Story Book for Six to Eight Years Old on the Main Character's Environmental Identity Construction

Published Online: Jan 11, 2023

Page range: 83 - 98

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jtes-2022-0018

Keywordschildren's agency, environmental identity, formative experience, story

© 2022 Athanasia Chatzifotiou, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
children's agency, environmental identity, formative experience, story