Using Multiethnic Literature in the K–8 Classroom

Education 430—The Teaching of Reading and Literature with a

Multicultural Perspective K-6

Children’s Literature

Literature develops students’ imaginations

and it also provides implicit and explicit information about issues and other people.

Taxel, p. 11

Multicultural Children’s Literature

Multicultural Literature is for all students.

Solutions

Teachers can do many things and

teachers can and do make a difference.

Multicultural Children’s Literature

It is important for teachers to evaluate children’s literature on both its literary qualities, and on its content.

Multicultural Children’s Literature

Fiction provides insights into some aspects of the culturevalues, attitudes, ways of living, beliefs

Children’s Literature

Fiction and Non Fiction provides varying perspectivesU.S. history is usually told from an European perspectiveThe Native American Perspective is told in multicultural literature

Christopher Columbus and Children’s Literature

Columbus’s arrival on the coast of San Salvador is an event of epochal significance

— it signaled the beginning of the Great Age of Exploration.

Christopher Columbus and Children’s Literature

However and unfortunately,the children’s books are one sided. They do not discuss the Native people’s perspectives or what their lives were like before Columbus.

Christopher Columbus and Children’s Literature

What are the explicit and implicit messages that are portrayed in the literature on Christopher Columbus?

Solutions

Teachers can do many things and

teachers can and do make a difference.

Solutions

Teachers can learn to select culturally authentic books

Solutions

What are the stereotypes that were prevalent in the past?

What are authentic portrayals?

Project

1. Read a chapter specific to the cultural group.

2. 2. Choose 5-7 criteria

3. 3. To be systematic in your evaluation of the 5 books, create a chart with the selected criteria.

Project—Part 2

1. Read & evaluate 5 titles using the criteria.2. Write an annotated bibliography for each of your five books.

Project—Part 2

Write a short summary using the somebody, wanted, but, and so. How well did it meet the criteria—an authentic portrayal? Would you recommend it and if so identify a general grade level and theme the book would fit under.

Project—Part 2

4. Turn in your 5 annotations and your chart with the criteria.

5. Two group members put the annotations together and email them to Prof. Hernandez and I will create the class bibliography.

Project—Part 2

6. In class discussion of multiethnic literature. In groups share your 5 books.

5. With the whole class share one of your 5 books.

Website

www.angelfire.com/ill/monte/hernandez.html