Using multicultural literature in the classroom

As we welcome a new school year let's think about incorporating more literature into the curriculum. Using literature in the classroom is necessary to a student's educational development and success. Using multicultural literature is even more important, literature that reflects the diverse make-up of contemporary classrooms.

According to research, using literature increases student engagement, improves reading achievement for culturally and linguistically diverse students, and raises consciousness of cultural issues. Multicultural literature are books written by and about people of color. Education researcher Rudine Sims Bishop’s definition of multicultural literature involves texts that reflect the racial, ethnic, and social diversity characteristic of our society and the world. Bishop and other researchers point to the dual role that this literature serves - as a mirror and a window - where children can see their own life experiences and learn about another child’s life experiences.

Literature, in addition to a textbook, can be used to nurture children’s learning across the curriculum. Because we want to encourage students to look beyond one source of information, it’s important for literacy instructors and advocates to make purposeful decisions when selecting, evaluating, and researching books for children.

Suggestions for use of multicultural literature:
1. Introduce different genres:
(graphic novels, picture books, fantasy, historical fiction, informational texts, and poetry)
2. Introduce literature units (literary units):
(use literature to teach literary elements)
(use literature to launch writing)
3. Introduce content units:
(use literature to teach a topic other than the literature)
4. Introduce author/illustrator studies, genre studies, and thematic studies.
5. Encourage students to respond to literature in meaningful ways:
(note taking, keep a journal, write stories/plays/songs, act it out, share with peers)
6. Create text sets:
(collections of books that focus on a topic of study)
(sets can grow over time and give students choice over their learning)

Where to look for multicultural literature:
1. Award sites:
(like Coretta Scott King, Pura Belpre, and the Asian/Pacific American Award, etc.)
2. Publisher websites
3. Goodreads.com
4. Author websites and blogs.
5. Education research journals:
 (English Quarterly, Children’s Literature in Education, Journal of Young Adult and Adult Literacy, Children’s Literature Journal, Journal of Research in Reading, and Children’s Literature Review)