Parent, teacher, and learner perceptions of teaching Harry Potter in English Home Language classrooms

Abstract

The Harry Potter novel series is a world-wide phenomenon that has resulted in enormous fan bases of all ages, races and genders. However, the popularity of these novels is controversial as indicated by book burnings and banned lists in various countries. As an English teacher, with a love for these novels, I was interested in discovering the perceptions of the series and if it could be considered as a set work in English Home Language classrooms in South Africa. As South Africa is such a diverse and multi-cultural country, a series consisting of euro-centric ideals, events and characters may be regarded with some hesitation from teachers, parents and learners. This study aimed at identifying what the perceptions of these educational stakeholders are, and whether these perceptions would allow, or not allow, the introduction of the Harry Potter series in South African classrooms. This study also considered the similarities of these novels compared to other novels taught at school. Themes such as teenage angst, friendship and death occur frequently in the Harry Potter novels as well as other novels taught at the research site. The research site for this study was a small private, IEB school, in Johannesburg. The conclusion of this study indicates that this series is loved by many readers of various ages (learners, parents and teachers). Participants held the view that reading a series such as Harry Potter has various benefits such as fostering creativity and imagination, and it allows children to read and experience new values and ideas. However, the lack of multicultural representation in the novels is problematic in a South African context. Some parents referred to negative racial profiling in the series. Furthermore, the participants were aware that negative perceptions (including witchcraft) of the Harry Potter series problematise its reading in schools. Therefore, the research indicates that these novels should be read for enjoyment and entertainment, and should not necessarily to be studied in English Home Language classrooms.