In the context of teaching British and American culture to Romanian 12th-grade students, literature serves as a powerful medium for fostering intercultural competence, critical thinking, and empathy. Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes offers a contemporary, accessible, and socially relevant narrative that addresses themes such as racial injustice, identity, and historical memory. This article argues for its inclusion in the EFL curriculum and proposes three pedagogical activities designed to encourage student engagement and to facilitate cultural understanding.
The inclusion of Ghost Boys in the high school curriculum is pedagogically justified on several grounds, the first of which is represented by its cultural relevance and interdisciplinary value. The novel introduces students to significant aspects of American society, particularly systemic racism and police violence. These topics align well with curricular goals related to understanding cultural diversity and social issues in English-speaking countries. Additionally, the text creates natural links with history and civic education, especially discussions surrounding the Civil Rights Movement.
The second reason for using it in the classroom is the novel’s accessibility and linguistic appropriateness. The narrative style is clear and concise, making it suitable for upper-intermediate (B2) to advanced (C1) learners. The first-person perspective and relatively short length support comprehension while still offering depth for analysis. Furthermore, the availability of Ghost Boys in a bilingual (English–Romanian) edition significantly enhances its pedagogical value in the Romanian context. This format allows students to access meaning more efficiently, supports vocabulary acquisition, and reduces cognitive overload, thereby facilitating a smoother transition to authentic literary texts in English.
Lastly, the novel fosters the development of empathy and critical thinking. Through the perspective of Jerome, the protagonist, students are encouraged to engage emotionally and ethically with the text. This supports the development of higher-order thinking skills, including interpretation, evaluation, and reflection.
To effectively integrate the novel into the teaching process, it is essential to adopt interactive, student-centered strategies. Below are three complementary activities designed for a single instructional unit.
Activity 1: Character Perspective Debate
Objective: Develop speaking skills and critical thinking by exploring multiple viewpoints.
Procedure:
• The teacher divides students into small groups and assigns each group a character (e.g., Jerome, Officer Moore, Jerome’s mother).
• Students prepare arguments defending their character’s actions and perspectives.
• The teacher conducts a structured classroom debate addressing the question: “Who bears responsibility for the tragedy?”
In terms of pedagogical value, this activity promotes argumentative discourse, encourages empathy through role-play, and deepens understanding of moral complexity.
Activity 2: Historical Context Research Project
Objective: Enhance cultural knowledge and research skills.
Procedure:
• The teacher assigns students topics related to the novel, such as segregation laws, the life of Emmett Till, or the Black Lives Matter movement.
• Students prepare short presentations (5–7 minutes) supported by visual aids.
• The teacher organises a follow-up discussion to connect historical facts to the events in the novel.
By carrying out the tasks in this activity, students contextualize the narrative within real-world history, fostering intercultural awareness and analytical connections between fiction and reality.
Activity 3: Reflective Writing: “Voices of the Unheard”
Objective: Improve writing skills and personal engagement with the text.
Procedure:
• Students write a diary entry or letter from the perspective of a “ghost boy” or another marginalized voice.
• The teacher encourages use of descriptive language and emotional expression.
• Written pieces can be shared on a Padlet and discussed in class.
This activity holds pedagogical value as it strengthens creative writing skills while reinforcing empathy and personal interpretation of the text.
All things considered, integrating Ghost Boys into the Romanian EFL classroom represents a meaningful step toward culturally responsive teaching. The novel not only enriches students’ understanding of American society but also cultivates essential skills such as critical thinking, empathy, and effective communication. Through carefully designed activities, teachers can transform literary study into an engaging, reflective, and socially relevant learning experience. Ultimately, such texts prepare students not only for language proficiency but also for active participation in a globalized, multicultural world.
Bibliography
Rhodes, Jewell Parker. Ghost Boys. Bilingual edition (English–Romanian). Editura Booklet, 2023.
Banks, James A. An Introduction to Multicultural Education. Pearson, 2019.
Byram, Michael. Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence. Multilingual Matters, 1997.
Lazar, Gillian. Literature and Language Teaching: A Guide for Teachers and Trainers. Cambridge University Press, 1993.