Books for Teachers and Scholars
(in)Visible Presence by
(In) Visible Presence aims to explore YA literature written by women of color represented by African American, Asian American, Indian American, and Latina Americans. Our theoretical perspective focuses on the connection of race, gender, and class that is exclusive to women of color. The construction of "voice" and "space" is important for readers to hear from those once silenced.
ISBN: 9462096899
Across Cultures by
Compiled by two experienced librarians, Across Cultures introduces you to more than 400 recent fiction and nonfiction multicultural resources for preschool through grade 6 and encourages you to make literature about diversity an integral part of your program of instruction. Arranged in thematic groupings (Identity and Self-Image, Family and Friends, Traditions, Exploring the Past in Diverse Communities, for example), this lively volume links diverse peoples, themes, and issues. It presents both annotations and practical advice on programming strategies. Connections are made to projects, graphic organizers, and activities. Full bibliographic information is given for each resource, along with a suggested use level. Important awards are also mentioned. Appendixes look at Literature Circles and Parent/Child Book Discussions, and there are indexes by culture, author, illustrator, title, and subject.
Call Number: Z1037 .E19 2007ISBN: 9781591583363
African and African American Children's and Adolescent Literature in the Classroom by
The essays in this collection discuss multicultural issues in children's and adolescent literature, focusing particularly on African and African American cultures. They challenge our understanding of what, in an age of globalization, multicultural texts really are. Cumulatively, these essays illustrate multicultural literature's power to educate young readers about the numerous and varied perspectives on their own cultures and roles in society, as well as those of other cultures. The scholarship presented here makes it clear that not only should multicultural literature be integrated within the school curriculum, but that it can be examined to reveal subtle cultural nuances that show how cultures, customs, and people may be at once similar and different.
Call Number: PS153.N5 A3375 2011ISBN: 9781433111952
The All White World of Children's Books and African American Children's Literature by
A study, analysis and critique of black American children's literature.
Call Number: PS153.N5 A399 1995ISBN: 9780865434776
Can I Teach That? by
Can I Teach That? Negotiating Taboo Language and Controversial Topics in the Language Arts Classroom is a collection of stories, strategies, advice, and documents collected for teachers who are using or plan to use materials or implement policies they know may be controversial. It is for any teacher dedicated to engaging their students in the complex, challenging, and rewarding activities of reading and writing, for any teacher committed to speaking honestly with students. For any teacher, period. Because when we decide to work with young people, when we commit to sharing books and ideas that engage their hearts and minds, when we strive to get adolescents to think critically and write honestly, we open ourselves up to suspicion and critique from someone, somewhere, no matter how above reproach we feel our materials and strategies are. Few language arts teachers will experience a full-blown challenge to the content of their curriculum, but many may self-censor or suffer through awkward and challenging conversations with colleagues, administrators, parents, and other members of their community. This book is for those times when teachers are called on to defend and legitimize their use of controversial material in their classroom--material that they know reflects students' reality, even as it makes adults uncomfortable and fearful about their inability to protect children from that very reality.
Call Number: LB1631 .C365 2016ISBN: 9781475814767
Children's Literature in Multilingual Classrooms by
In the true multilingual classroom, children use a variety of languages to learn: their home languages, the school language, foreign and second languages offered in the curriculum, minority languages, endangered languages. Transforming our monolingual classrooms into spaces where a multiplicity of languages can thrive remains a pedagogical challenge for most teachers, but greatly enhances the children's learning. The authors in this collection describe inspirational initiatives in the teaching of literacy and the role of children's literature in multilingual primary classrooms. Accounts by teachers and researchers from the UK, Canada, France, New Zealand, Finland, Spain and Austria of recent innovative classroom-based research projects illustrate new conceptualizations of multilingual literacies and their pedagogical impact in the various teaching contexts. The book explores new forms of pedagogy and presents inspiring examples, such as the 'Little Books', that teachers can adapt to the circumstances and interests of all the children in their classrooms. Every teacher educator, and any school with children who speak languages other than the official one, needs this book.
Call Number: LC1099 .C53 2014ISBN: 9781858565576
Coretta Scott King Award Books by
During the past 30 years, the titles recognized by the Coretta Scott King Award have consistently presented excellent writing, storytelling, history, and values. Stephens's book is designed to help educators learn more about these fine titles and integrate them into the curriculum. After giving background about the award and its history, the author presents annotated bibliographies of all author and illustrator award winners and honor books. The second half of the book is devoted to providing activities based on specific titles. Helpful tips and reproducibles make this a classroom-friendly resource.
Call Number: PS153.N5 S74 2000ISBN: 0585292361
Coretta Scott King Award Books Discussion Guide by
Spotlighting titles appropriate for grades K-12, this discussion guide builds on the rich legacy of the Coretta Scott King award-winning books to offer an important educational resource for teachers, librarians, parents, and other caregivers. This guide identifies within the plot, character, and themes of each book those values that relate to being an American citizen and to living in a democratic society, and then shows how to use the book as a springboard for discussion. Ideal for use in the classroom, the library, and the home, this guide Includes a foreword by Linda M. Pavonetti, EdD, Vice-President, International Board on Books for Young People Organizes titles by grade-specific chapters, making it easy to find suitable books Features bibliographic information and a brief summary of each book, along with suggested opening questions to get the discussion started, and "Beyond the Book" questions that encourage children to talk about their own experiences Suggests hundreds of books for further discussion With the assistance of this practical resource, educators, librarians, and others who work with children can use Coretta Scott King award-winning books to foster discussions about what it means to be a citizen in a democratic society.
Call Number: Z1037.A2 P46 2014ISBN: 9780838936047
Critical Multicultural Analysis of Children's Literature by
"Children's literature is a contested terrain, as is multicultural education. Taken together, they pose a formidable challenge to both classroom teachers and academics.... Rather than deny the inherent conflicts and tensions in the field, in Critical Multicultural Analysis of Children's Literature: Mirrors, Windows, and Doors, Maria José Botelho and Masha Kabakow Rudman confront, deconstruct, and reconstruct these terrains by proposing a reframing of the field.... Surely all of us - children, teachers, and academics - can benefit from this more expansive understanding of what it means to read books." Sonia Nieto, From the Foreword Critical multicultural analysis provides a philosophical shift for teaching literature, constructing curriculum, and taking up issues of diversity and social justice. It problematizes children's literature, offers a way of reading power, explores the complex web of sociopolitical relations, and deconstructs taken-for-granted assumptions about language, meaning, reading, and literature: it is literary study as sociopolitical change. Bringing a critical lens to the study of multiculturalism in children's literature, this book prepares teachers, teacher educators, and researchers of children's literature to analyze the ideological dimensions of reading and studying literature. Each chapter includes recommendations for classroom application, classroom research, and further reading. Helpful end-of-book appendixes include a list of children's book awards, lists of publishers, diagrams of the power continuum and the theoretical framework of critical multicultural analysis, and lists of selected children's literature journals and online resources.
Call Number: PN1009.5.M84 B68 2009ISBN: 9780415996662
Diversity in Youth Literature by
Surveying the landscape of children's and YA literature, this contributed volume shows how books have grown to include the wide range of our increasingly diverse society. Identifying both exemplary and problematic titles, the contributors Provide context by sketching out the historical trajectory of diversity in youth lit Organize titles into sections that range from familiar themes (African American, Asian, Latino) to the lesser known (such as literature dealing with incarceration, transnational adoption, and homelessness) Offer guidelines for evaluating and selecting the best in diversity literature Suggest youth-tested programs and strategies to promote multicultural books in the library and classroom This thoughtful and timely book helps meet the informational, recreational, and cultural needs of today's youth and those who serve them.
Call Number: PS153.M56 D58 2013ISBN: 9780838911433
Embracing, Evaluating, and Examining African American Children's and Young Adult Literature by
Serious scholarship on African American children's and young adult literature is a relatively recent phenomenon. To date, only a handful of book-length works--aside from doctoral dissertations--have been devoted to the exploration of this body of work and the historical works that are at its foundation. Embracing, Evaluating, and Examining African American Children's and Young Adult Literature features 12 original essays that present research related to African American children's literature--books intended for youth that are written by and about African Americans--conducted by scholars from leading academic institutions. Editors Wanda M. Brooks and Jonda C. McNair offer a bouquet of diverse perspectives on African American children's and young adult literature, focusing attention on texts, on readers, and on pedagogical strategies that have the potential to bring the texts and the readers together. Beginning with a foreword by one of the leading scholars in the field of African American children's and young adult literature, Rudine Sims Bishop, the varied disciplinary perspectives put forth in this book will inspire others to embrace, evaluate, and examine African American children's and young adult literature for many years to come.
Call Number: PS153.N5 E45 2008ISBN: 9780810860278
The Heart Has Its Reasons by
Society does not make it easy for young people, regardless of their sexual orientation, to find accurate, nonjudgmental information about homosexuality. It makes it even more difficult for young homosexuals to find positive role models in fiction either written or published expressly for them or--if published for adults--relevant to them and their lives. The Heart Has Its Reasons examines these issues and critically evaluates the body of literature published for young adults that offers homosexual themes and characters. Cart and Jenkins chart the evolution of the field of YA literature having GLBTQ (gay/lesbian/bisexual, transgendered, and/or queer/questioning) content. They identify titles that are remarkable either for their excellence or failures, noting the stereotypic, wrongheaded, and outdated books as well as the accurate, thoughtful, and tactful titles. Useful criteria for evaluating books with GLBTQ content are provided. Books and resources of all types are reviewed based on a model that uses the category descriptors of Homosexual Visibility, Gay Assimilation, and Queer Consciousness/Community. An annotated bibliography and a number of author-title lists of books discussed in the text arranged by subject round out this valuable reference for teachers, librarians, parents, and young adults.
Call Number: PS374.H63 C37 2006ISBN: 9780810850712
More Mirrors in the Classroom by
Nearly 30% of all public school children attend school in large or mid-size cities, totaling more than 16 million students in 22,000 schools. For schools serving culturally and linguistically diverse populations and large numbers of children living in poverty, a significant achievement gap persists. Proponents of multicultural education often advocate for instruction with culturally relevant texts to promote inclusion, compassion, and understanding of our increasingly diverse society. Less discussion has focused on the significant body of research that suggests that culturally relevant texts have important effects on language and literacy development. By "connecting the dots" of existing research, More Mirrors in the Classroom raises awareness about the critical role that urban children's literature can play in helping children learn to read and write. In addition, it provides practical step-by-step advice for increasing the cultural relevance of school curricula in order to accelerate literacy learning.
Call Number: LB1573 .F54 2015ISBN: 9781475802153
Multicultural Literature for Latino Bilingual Children by
While there are volumes that fall into the category of children's literature, there appears to be relatively few that explore the needs of bilingual learners and the linguistic and sociocultural context of Latino children's literature. This volume makes a needed contribution by addressing the social, cultural, academic, and linguistic needs of Latino bilingual learners who are still underserved through current school practices. We aim to conceptualize different forms of social knowledge so that they can serve as cultural resources for learning, acquiring knowledge, and transforming self and identity. This volume presents a balance of theory, research, and practice that speak to authentic multicultural Latino literature and helps ensure its availability for all students. The intended outcome of this volume then is to create a heightened awareness of the cultural and linguistic capital held by the Latino community, to increase Latino students' social capital through the design of critical pedagogical practices, and for the formulation of a new perspective, that of Latino multicultural literature for children.
Call Number: LC2672.4 .M85 2016ISBN: 9781475814910
Multicultural Teaching in the Early Childhood Classroom by
This unique book features an array of approaches, strategies, and tools for teaching multiculturally in the early years. The teachers and classrooms portrayed here provide young children with rich educational experiences that empower them to understand themselves in relation to others. You will see how amazing teachers engage in culturally responsive teaching that fosters educational equity while also meeting state and national standards (such as the Common Core State Standards). This engaging book is sprinkled with questions for reflection and implementation that encourage educators to start planning ways of enhancing their own teaching, making their early childhood setting a more equitable learning space. Book Features: Multicultural education in action, including the everyday issues and tensions experienced by children and their families. Powerful vignettes from diverse Head Start, preschool, kindergarten, 1st- and 2nd-grade classrooms throughout the United States. Sections on "Getting Started" and "Considering Obstacles and Exploring Possibilities." A list of multicultural children's books and resources for further reading.
Call Number: LC1099.3 .S635 2013ISBN: 9780807754054
Muslims in Story by
Islamophobia, a long standing, deeply entrenched global issue, disrupts civil society at many levels, from anti-Muslim policies to heightened tensions and hate crimes, including the increased bullying of Muslim children. One of the root causes of Islamophobia is ignorance, often fueled by stereotyped and negative portrayals of Muslims in media and popular culture. Muslims in Story is a timely and proactive approach to tackling this issue, by engendering friendships and empathy through quality children's and young adult literature. Exposing children in their formative years to positive stories about Muslims can go a long way to creating a multicultural understanding by cementing ideas of tolerance, respect, and acceptance. This resource recommends books that will act as windows and mirrors for PreK-12 readers by showcasing diverse foods, dress, and traditions; spotlights curated titles that feature Muslim kids as heroes, Islamic contributions throughout history, inspiring Muslim leaders, and folktales from Islamic traditions; includes helpful information such as an overview of Muslims in America, author interviews that lend insights into the stories, and hands-on programming activities and discussion tools; and provides a list of additional resources for gaining a better understanding of Islam. This book will equip public and school library staff, including educators and collection development librarians, to make real change in their communities by validating lived experiences of Muslim kids and building a stronger sense of empathy, respect, and understanding towards Muslims.
Call Number: https://i-share-eiu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CARLI_EIU/1qndmrq/alma9915986535205833ISBN: 9780838917411
Racism in Contemporary African American Children's and Young Adult Literature by
Applying critical race theory to contemporary African American children's and young adult literature, this book explores one key racial issue that has been overlooked both in race studies and literary scholarship--internalised racism. By systematically examining the issue of internalised racism and its detrimental psychological effects, particularly towards the young and vulnerable, this book defamiliarises the very racial issue that otherwise has become normalised in American racial discourse, reaffirming the relevance of race, racism, and racialisation in contemporary America. Through readings of works by Jacqueline Woodson, Sharon G. Flake, Tanita S. Davis, Sapphire, Rosa Guy, and Nikki Grimes, Suriyan Panlay develops a new critical discourse on internalised racism by studying its effects on marginalised children, its manifestations, and the fictional narrative strategies that can be used to regain and reclaim a sense of self.
ISBN: 3319428934
Rainbow Family Collections by
As one of the only highly praised resources on this important topic, this thoughtfully compiled book examines and suggests picture books and chapter books presenting LGBTQ content to children under the age of 12. Highlighting titles for children from infancy to age 11, Rainbow Family Collections examines over 250 children's picture books, informational books, and chapter books with LGBTQ content from around the world. Each entry in Rainbow Family Collections supplies a synopsis of the title's content, lists awards it has received, cites professional reviews, and provides suggestions for librarians considering acquisition. The book also provides a brief historical overview of LGBTQ children's literature along with the major book awards for this genre, tips on planning welcoming spaces and offering effective library service to this population, and a list of criteria for selecting the best books with this content. Interviews with authors and key individuals in LGBTQ children's book publishing are also featured. A foreword by K.T. Horning of the Cooperative Children's Book Center An extensive bibliography of picture books, easy chapter books, nonfiction books and nonprint materials with LGBTQ content for children ages 12 and under An index of key terms for each title provides easy access to titles representing a specific aspect of LGBTQ culture
Call Number: Z1037 .N24 2012ISBN: 9781598849608
Reading Globally, K-8 by
In Reading Globally, K-8, the authors make the case for why it is necessary to be globally literate and multiculturally aware in today′s shrinking world, and they provide the tools teachers need to incorporate appropriate reading selections into primary and secondary school classrooms. By using books from or about other countries, teachers empower students to view the world in a more positive manner, enriching and broadening their students′ lives, and ultimately preparing them for life in a global economy and culture. This reader-friendly resource guides teachers and reading programme coordinators in selecting quality books for their classrooms, incorporating global literature into different content areas, and facilitating the discussions that follow. Practical guidance is provided on how to: - Integrate the reading of global texts across the curriculum, with specific application to language arts, social studies, science, maths, and the arts - Locate and evaluate the authenticity and literary merit of potential books, avoiding those that depict stereotypes - Get started!-with an annotated list of children′s books, samples of student work, and classroom vignettes from teachers.
Call Number: LB1575 .L37 2010 .CDROMISBN: 9781412973922
Reading Instruction for Diverse Classrooms by
This practical, teacher-friendly book provides indispensable guidance for implementing research-based reading instruction that is responsive to students' diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Structured around the "big five" core topics of an effective reading program--phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension--the book explains tried-and-true teaching strategies for fostering all students' achievement. Key topics include engaging diverse students in classroom discussion, involving families in learning, and assessing and teaching new literacies. Numerous classroom examples demonstrate a wide range of easy-to-implement lesson ideas and activities for students at different grade levels, including struggling learners. Issues specific to English language learners are woven throughout the chapters.
Call Number: LB1573 .M3917 2011ISBN: 1282916688
Representing the Rainbow in Young Adult Literature by
Discussions of gender and sexuality have become part of mainstream conversations and are being reflected in the work of more and more writers of fiction, particularly in literature aimed at young adult audiences. But young readers, regardless of their sexual orientation, don't always know what books offer well-rounded portrayals of queer characters and situations. Fortunately, finding positive role models in fiction that features LGBTQ+ themes has become less problematic, though not without its challenges. In Representing the Rainbow in Young Adult Literature: LGBTQ+ Content since 1969, Christine Jenkins and Michael Cart provide an overview of the literary landscape. An expanded version of The Heart Has Its Reasons, this volume charts the evolution of YA literature that features characters and themes which resonate not only with LGBTQ+ readers but with their allies as well. In this resource, Jenkins and Cart identify titles that are notable either for their excellence--accurate, thoughtful, and tactful depictions--or deficiencies--books that are wrongheaded, stereotypical, or outdated. Each chapter has been significantly updated, and this edition also includes new chapters on bisexual, transgender, and intersex issues and characters, as well as chapters on comics, graphic novels, and works of nonfiction. This book also features an annotated bibliography and a number of author-title lists of books discussed in the text that will aid teachers, librarians, parents, and teen readers. Encompassing a wider array of sexual identities, Representing the Rainbow in Young Adult Literature is an invaluable resource for young people eager to read about books relevant to them and their lives.
Call Number: PS374.H63 J48 2018ISBN: 9781442278066
Slavery in American Children's Literature, 1790-2010 by
The first comprehensive study of slavery in children's literature, Slavery in American Children's Literature, 1790-2010 historicizes the ways generations of authors have drawn upon antebellum literature in their own recreations of slavery. Beginning with abolitionist and proslavery views in antebellum children's literature, Connolly examines how successive generations reshaped the genres of the slave narrative, abolitionist texts, and plantation novels to reflect the changing contexts of racial politics in America. As a literary history of how antebellum racial images have been re-created or revised for new generations, Slavery in American Children's Literature ultimately offers a record of the racial mythmaking of the United States from the nation's beginning to the present day. Book jacket.
Call Number: PS374.C454 C65 2013xISBN: 9781609381776
Understanding Diversity Through Novels and Picture Books by
Understanding Diversity Through Novels and Picture Books goes beyond the usual multicultural lists and looks at the wide expanse of the diversity of cultures and lifestyles impacting children's lives in America today and identifies good books to have in library collections for them to read. Included are annotated titles with discussion questions from all of the identified cultures and subcultures and annotated teacher/librarian resources, print- and Web-based, as well as an excellent list of topical annotated journal articles. Grades 4-8. Knowles and Smith examine current research on diversity and multiculturalism. They move away from the traditional aspects of multicultural education (food, fashion, folktales, festivals, and famous people) to a focus on novels and pictures books, and realistic fiction to show children with diversity issues that there are others in similar positions. The issue of authenticity (whether the author of the book should be of that culture or merely familiar with the culture) is discussed. Topics include: Ethnicities (Asian, Latino/Hispanic, African/Black, Native American, White/European, Bi/Multiracial), Exceptionalities, Ageism, Socioeconomic Status, Sexual Orientation, Gender, and Religion. The authors provide this valuable resource for libraries, schools, and communities that wish to utilize literature to help diverse students walk in the shoes of others and to match books to children and young adults to heighten understanding and acceptance. Grades 4-8.
Call Number: Z1037 .K597 2007ISBN: 9781591584407
Was the Cat in the Hat Black? by
Racism is resilient, duplicitous, and endlessly adaptable, so it is no surprise that America is again in a period of civil rights activism. A significant reason racism endures is because it is structural: it's embedded in culture and in institutions. One of the places that racism hides - andthus perhaps the best place to oppose it - is books for young people.Was the Cat in the Hat Black? presents five serious critiques of the history and current state of children's literature tempestuous relationship with both implicit and explicit forms of racism. The book fearlessly examines topics both vivid-such as The Cat in the Hat's roots in blackface minstrelsy- and more opaque, like how the children's book industry can perpetuate structural racism via whitewashed covers even while making efforts to increase diversity. Rooted in research yet written with a lively, crackling touch, Nel delves into years of literary criticism and recent sociological data inorder to show a better way forward. Though much of what is proposed here could be endlessly argued, the knowledge that what we learn in childhood imparts both subtle and explicit lessons about whose lives matter is not debatable. The text concludes with a short and stark proposal of actionseveryone-reader, author, publisher, scholar, citizen - can take to fight the biases and prejudices that infect children's literature. While Was the Cat in the Hat Black? does not assume it has all the answers to such a deeply systemic problem, its audacity should stimulate discussion andactivism.
Call Number: PN1009.5.R32 N47 2017ISBN: 9780190635077
You, Me and Diversity by
This book shows how appropriate picture books can bring the world into the primary classroom and promote development education and children's intercultural understanding. It responds to the research by the United Kingdom Literacy Agency in 2007 which revealed that many teachers are unaware of such books, feel unable to select contemporary literature for children and tend to rely on the books they enjoyed as children. You, Me and Diversityis based on research funded by the Development Education Unit of Irish Aid designed to offer teachers approaches for teaching development and intercultural education in primary schools through the use of picture books. It critiques a selection of the books identified and advises on how to use them in the classroom. It provides a directory of picture books published since 2000 which feature development and intercultural themes such as culture, climate change, migration and gender. The framework used for categorizing the picture books gives teachers a planning tool to ensure they offer children a full range of development and intercultural perspectives while also adhering to literacy guidelines. Every primary school teacher needs to read this book so they can widen their pupils' horizons while developing their literacy.
Call Number: LC1099 .D65 2014ISBN: 9781858565224
Scholarly Articles
- Diversity in Children's Literature: Not Just a Black and White Issue. Diverse characters in children's literature have been used for many years to introduce children to a variety of cultures and ethnic peoples. Using characters in literature is also a strategy that is available to educators who wish to introduce children in a classroom to their peers who have disabilities. The article explores both how books can be analyzed and what educators should look for if they are using books that contain characters with disabilities.
- Exploring Culturally Relevant Texts with Kindergartners and Their Families This article shares a monthly curricular model that can help teachers and families bridge the gap between home and school by using literature and response inspired from the cultures in the classroom. Integrating culturally responsive texts and family response journals into the classroom and the home can help children, their families, and peers make critical connections to the literature as well as understand diversity as a productive resource. This yearlong curriculum model took place in a diverse kindergarten classroom that included children and families representing a wide range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. This article focuses on three months of the curricular structure where families engaged in literature focused on adoption. Findings demonstrated that families' responses led to expanded views of family structures and cultures and provided space for critical conversations around texts in the home and school. Authentic family and child responses are included in the article.
- Exploring Names and Identity through Multicultural Literature in K-8 Classrooms Children's names reflect their gender, culture, religion, language, and family history. Use of students' personal names has the power to positively affirm identity and signal belonging within the classroom and school community. However, naming practices also have the power to exclude, stereotype, or disadvantage students. For many students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, their names can be a source of cultural conflict and a watershed for issues of identity and belonging within the school setting. Through multicultural explorations of students' names, educators can affirm students' cultures and identities, and draw upon these as resources to support learning and development from early childhood through the adolescent years. The purpose of this article is to (a) discuss the importance of a person's name to cultural identity, (b) describe strategies to build multicultural communities in K-8 classrooms through exploration of students' names, and (c) suggest multicultural children's literature and curricular activities to teach about the importance of personal names, and develop cross-cultural understandings.
- Overcoming Cultural Inequalities With Diverse Children’s Literature: Recommendations That Support Culturally Responsive Teaching With Multicultural Literature In a diverse society, teachers must adopt a culturally relevant pedagogy that utilizes culturally responsive teaching practices, such as the incorporation of diverse children’s literature. In doing so, teachers build global perspectives and global citizenry in students as they see themselves in text, encounter alternative perspectives, and develop understandings of lives beyond their own. The purpose of this article is to articulate three literaturebased recommendations that enhance educational opportunities and overcome cultural inequalities through the inclusion of diverse children’s literature
- Refugees and Immigrants in Children's Fiction: New Books to Build Understanding Across Borders With immigrant youth an important presence in Texas schools, reading new books for children and adolescents about their experiences can help to grow understanding and empathy for refugees and other immigrants. This article highlights five new books by Latina, Latino, and Latin American authors with characters who migrate to the United States from Central American countries. The recommended books are written and illustrated by René Colato Laínez with Laura Lacamara, Jairo Buitrago with Rafael Yockteng, René Saldaña, Jr., Alexandra Diaz, and Maria E. Andreu. Teachers provide students with crosscultural experience through contemporary literature.
- Teaching Diversity: Elementary School Teachers' Opinions and Experiences on the use of Multicultural Children's Books Diversity in the US is rapidly growing and as such, teachers are being faced with increasingly diverse classrooms. Culturally relevant teaching focuses on the representation of different cultures in schools and provides information about the cultures (Jeffy&, Cooper, 2011). Within this framework, using multicultural literature and the books related to diverse issues become more important than ever. The purpose of the study was to determine teachers’ opinions and experiences on the use of multicultural children’s literature for supporting multiculturalism. For this study, I interviewed four elementary teachers, referred to by the pseudonym within the study, who are currently working in elementary classrooms in public schools in the United States. For this study, the data were collected from the interviews with semi-structured and open-ended questions. According to the findings, teaching religious, linguistic and cultural differences are the main objects that the teachers plan on teaching multiculturalism. Another finding says that positive representation of others’ cultures is a necessary part of their diverse classrooms.
- Using Multicultural Literature to Engage Students in Critical Conversations About Gender Identity Gender identity is influenced by a variety of characteristics, including race, social class, sexual orientation, language, and gender. This article explores the importance of critical literacy, critical pedagogy, and the influence on identity development. Furthermore, it seeks to provide practitioners and teacher educators with an understanding of the importance of introducing school-aged children to diverse multicultural literature and facilitating critical conversations to increase awareness around topics of gender identity.
