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 culture values, attitudes, ways of living, beliefs

Children ’ s Literature Fiction and Non Fiction provides varying perspectives U.S. history is usually told from an European perspective The 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 Choose 5-7 criteria 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 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.

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