Awareness and Usage of Folklore in Teaching at Foundational Stage

Imagine education not just as a factory churning out facts, but as a giant, living library where every book is a story passed down from your grandmother's lips. For centuries, the main job of school has been to take the treasures of culture, values, and history from one generation and hand them to the next. But in a world that is changing fast, there is a growing realization that we need to open the doors of this library wider. We need to make sure the stories inside aren't just about math and science, but also about who we are, where we come from, and the colorful tapestry of our local traditions. This is where a special kind of "cultural glue" comes in: folklore. Think of folklore as the oral history of a community—a mix of funny riddles, catchy songs, ancient tales of heroes and tricksters, and dances that tell stories without words. It's the blueprint of a society, teaching lessons about kindness, bravery, and how to get along with others, all wrapped up in entertainment. When teachers use these stories in the classroom, they aren't just teaching a lesson; they are handing students a key to their own identity, helping them feel like they belong, and showing them that their local culture is just as cool and important as any global trend.

This research paper, written by Satyavati Sunaina and V Sasikala from the Regional Institute of Education in Bhubaneswar, India, goes on a detective hunt to see how well teachers are using this "cultural glue" in the very early years of school, known as the "Foundational Stage" (which covers classes 3 to 5). The authors wanted to know: Do teachers even know what folklore is? Are they actually using it in their classrooms? Do they think it helps kids learn better? And if they are using it, what's making it hard?

To find the answers, the researchers didn't just look at textbooks; they went straight to the source. They interviewed 20 primary school teachers from government schools in three Indian states: Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand. They asked these teachers face-to-face and online, treating the conversation like a friendly chat rather than a strict test. They wanted to hear the real stories of what happens in the classroom.

The investigation revealed some exciting things. First, the teachers are definitely aware of folklore. About 80% of them know the concept, and for half of them, their first taste of these stories came from their own families—grandparents telling tales by the fire or singing songs while cooking. It's a beautiful reminder that the best education often starts at home.

When it comes to actually using these stories in class, the teachers are doing a pretty good job, though they tend to stick to the heavy hitters. About 70% of the teachers are regularly using famous stories from the Panchatantra (a collection of animal fables), the Ramayana, and the Mahabharata. But they aren't just stopping there. The paper lists a colorful menu of what's being served up in classrooms:

• Folktales: Stories like "Tesu Raja" or "Amrita and the Trees" are used to teach lessons about unity, wisdom, and saving the environment.
• Folksongs: Teachers are bringing in local tunes like Sambalpuri songs or harvest festival songs to teach about different cultures and traditions.
• Riddles: Even brain-teasers like "Hard from outside, soft from inside" (the answer is a coconut) are being used to get kids thinking and connecting with their daily lives.
• Dance and Drama: Local folk dances and even folk dramas (like the "Danda" play from Western Odisha) are part of the mix.

The teachers have a strong belief in why this matters. About 80% of them feel that using folklore is a superpower for teaching. They see it as a way to keep culture alive, to teach moral values like honesty and kindness, and to make language learning fun. One teacher shared a great example: when teaching a lesson about a harvest festival called "Nuakhai," they didn't just read a definition; they talked about how rice is ground using traditional tools and sang the folk songs that go with it. This makes the lesson stick because it connects the book to real life.

Furthermore, the teachers believe this isn't just about old traditions; it's about the future. They think that solving riddles, analyzing stories, and understanding different cultures helps kids develop "21st-century skills." These are the modern superpowers like critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. By looking at how ancient people solved problems in their stories, kids learn how to tackle their own modern challenges.

However, the journey isn't without its potholes. The researchers found that about 50% of teachers face a specific hurdle: language and context. Some students struggle to understand the old words or the local dialects used in the stories, especially if they come from different cultural backgrounds. It's like trying to understand a joke in a language you only know a little bit of; the punchline gets lost. Additionally, 80% of the teachers said they are running out of fuel because they lack the right resources. They don't have enough books, videos, or charts to make these stories come alive, and they feel they need more training on how to use them effectively.

So, what's the bottom line? The paper suggests that folklore is a fantastic tool that teachers are already using to make learning more engaging, culturally rich, and morally grounded. It helps kids feel proud of their roots while building the skills they need for the future. But to make this magic work for everyone, we need to clear the roadblocks. We need to give teachers better tools, more training, and resources that help bridge the gap between different languages and cultures. If we do that, the classroom can become a place where the past and the future dance together, and every student feels like they have a seat at the table of their own heritage.