Multicultural Literature and Technology in the Classroom

1
Multicultural Literature and Technology in the
Classroom

• Alston Davis
• ECI 521
• Teaching as Scholarship

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My Position

• I think there is an important place for
  multicultural literature in the classroom.
• Students benefit from reading about diverse
  cultures and become more accepting of classmates
  from different backgrounds.
• Online discussions and the internet can have an
  impact on student learning of the text.

3
Quote

• Mary Astor (American actress, 1906-1987) Real
  education should educate us out of self into
  something far finer - into selflessness which
  links us to all humanity.

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What is Multicultural Education?

• Some discuss multicultural education as a shift
  in curriculum, perhaps as simple as adding new
  and diverse materials and perspectives to be more
  inclusive of traditionally underrepresented
  groups.
• Gorski and Covert (1996 2000)

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Multicultural Literature in the Classroom

• The use of culturally diverse childrens
  literature in the classroom can enhance students
  learning and teachers instruction.
• Leftwich, 2002

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How should you use multicultural books?

• Like any new idea or lesson, diversity can and
  should be taught in relation to real life and
  connected with other subject areas so that it is
  more meaningful and easier to understand. Telling
  students to be more sensitive toward others or to
  respect the world's cultures is not as effective
  in achieving the goal of awareness as, for
  example, introducing them to the intelligent,
  interesting, and admirable characters in the
  literature of other countries.
• 
  Wallace, 1998

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Benefits of Multicultural Literature

• Because literature tells a great deal about a
  country's culture and people, it is very
  important to expose your students to the
  literature of and about the country you are
  studying so they can get a feel for the
  characteristics of the country and its people.
• 
  Wallace, 1998

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Multicultural Books in the Classroom

• How can we use multicultural books in our
  classrooms? This question was asked by teachers
  in a school in my home city, where students from
  diverse backgrounds attend. The answer has been
  to suggest that they move beyond looking for
  brown faces in the text to finding books that
  deal with important human values and dilemmas.
  Issue-centered literature works at two levels,
  first by enabling students to see themselves and
  then by transcending cultural specifics to the
  exploration of core human values. This is not to
  say that it isn't important to use books with
  stories and illustrations that reflect diversity
  of all kinds, but that isn't enough in itself.
• 
  Ward, 1999

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How to choose multicultural books

• General accuracy Books should contain current,
  correct information.
• Stereotypes Beware of reinforcing stereotypes.
• Shioshita, 1997

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How to choose multicultural books (cont)

• Setting Books should include accurate settings.
• Language If a book includes the language of a
  specific culture, the actual language should
  appear, not nonsense words or an invented
  language that mimics the authentic one.

• Author's perspective Writers should avoid
  treating cultural practices as exotic.
• Illustrations Illustrations should convey the
  reality that members of any ethnic group look
  different from one another.
• Shioshita, 1997

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Using Discussion Forums for Literature

• The Internet has a great potential to address
  issues of equity and to support efforts that give
  a voice to those previously unheard, even in
  their own communities.
• Dalton, 2000

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Using Discussion Forums (cont)

• Threaded discussion online provides an effective
  means of literary exploration. Through threaded
  discussion groups (TDG), students are allowed
  time to think about their responses to literature
  and to the comments of other students in the
  group.
• Wolsey, 2004

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Students may not benefit from face to face
discussions because.

• Students may not be prepared for assigned roles
  or readings
• Students may rely too heavily on the discussion
  role sheets (perhaps because they are doing what
  they think the teacher wants)
• Students may not be engaged with the discussion
  process
• Appropriate modeling of discussion skills may not
  have occurred
• The curriculum is crowded, so discussion becomes
  rushed and fragmented
• (Grisham Wolsey, 2002)

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Investigation TLWYA

• Students will read Number the Stars by Lois
  Lowry.
• They will find similarities and differences
  between their lives and the characters.
• I will post topics to discuss on the Quick Topics
  discussion board.
• Students will discuss impressions the book made
  on their cultural views.

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Discussion Questions

• Why is teaching multicultural literature in the
  classroom important?How do you define
  multicultural education?Why are having diverse
  viewpoints important in education? Are there any
  repercussions?How can the internet be
  incorporated into teaching multicultural
  literature?What is the benefit of having
  students relate different cultures to their lives
  and using a discussion forum?
• What are some other multicultural books to
  use in the classroom?

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References

• Dalton, B. (2000, May). To see one another more
  clearly A Pacific children's literature Web
  project Exploring Literacy on the Internet
  department. The Reading Teacher, 53 (8).
  Available http//www.readingonline.org/electronic
  /elec_index.asp?HREF/electronic/RT/5-00_Column/in
  dex.html
• Gorski, Paul and Covert, Bob. Defining
  Multicultural Education. EdChange and Paul C.
  Gorski, 1995-2005.
• Leftwich, S. (2002, September). Learning to use
  diverse children's literature in the classroom A
  model for preservice teacher education. Reading
  Online, 6(2). Available http//www.readingonline.
  org/newliteracies/lit_index.asp?HREFleftwich/inde
  x.html
• Shioshita, Joy. September-October 1997
  Children's Advocate newsmagazine, published by
  Action Alliance for Children. Beyond Good
  Intentions Selecting Multicultural Literature.
• Wallace, Deborah A. (July 1998). Teaching
  Multiculturalism Focus on People. International
  Reading Association, Inc.
• Ward, Angela. (May 1999). Literacy in
  Multicultural Setting Whose Culture Are We
  Discussing? International Reading Association,
  Inc.
• Wolsey, T.D. (2004, January/February).
  Literature discussion in cyberspace Young
  adolescents using threaded discussion groups to
  talk about books. Reading Online, 7(4).
  Available http//www.readingonline.org/articles/a
  rt_index.asp?HREFwolsey/index.html