eMysteries Toolkit

The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. [Project Number: 2019-1-DE03-KA201-060127] 26 Module 2: Teaching Mystery Detective Stories In general solving detective mysteries requires the development and application of critical thinking skills while the story unfolds, such as argumentation or careful consideration of the available information, but it also requires a set of skills that are useful throughout students’ formal education path. For example, when students become involved in what they are reading they activate their thinking skills; particularly deductive reasoning and research skills, among others, in order to solve the detective mystery (Ibao, 2003). The teaching of mystery detective stories can be taught by focusing on the “investigative” skills of students, which can be developed through the reading of specific passages of detective fiction books (Price-Anisman 1985). Such types of activities can also enhance the skills of students in relation to the detection of the general characteristics of the detective fiction as a genre. Those activities can be applied in cases where students read alone. Ibao (2003) uses the method of “Whodunits” to teach mystery crime stories. The concept of “Whodunits” involves “a tightly told fictional tale that features a crime, usually a murder, and emphasizes the convoluted search for its solution” (p.2). In particular, “whodunits” capture the readers’ attention by directing them to the puzzling circumstances surrounding the crime rather than to the event itself. This process requires from the readers to use deductive reasoning in order to solve the mystery by acting as investigators who follow a logical process through a series of clues to reach a solution. The reason why this method may be attractive to students relates to the fact that it offers fast-moving plots, believable resolutions to problems and conflicts, and active engagement with the events of the story in ways that are not quite possible with other genres (Ibao, 2003). Jane Sutherland (2006) uses riddles in order to prompt students to start thinking like detectives. The riddles are presented in the form of a short question which requires students to carefully consider the possible clues and find the solution. During the riddle’s examination, students are asked to look at the facts presented in the riddle beyond their obvious interpretation, by undertaking the role of detectives. A special emphasis is placed in the riddle’s vocabulary which needs to be examined for the “studen t- detectives” to find multiple meanings that keep them on the right track. Some examples of such riddles are the