What is Multicultural Literature and Why the Importance?
Children are like small sponges. They absorb everything. Books can have the most significant impact on a child’s mind as it allows them to unleash the full power of their imagination. Reading is among the most enduring influences on shaping a child’s social conscience and world view; therefore, it is essential that a child has access to literature that presents many cultures to them in a positive and encouraging light. These stories can help a child to appreciate not just a stronger understanding of him or herself, but others around them. We live in a multicultural world and giving them a positive and accurate insight into the ideas and values of people who offer a different perspective in society teaches them valuable lessons about tolerance, equality, and cross-cultural friendships.
Where can I find great diverse children’s books?
Recently The New York Times paired articles by Walter Dean Myers and his son Christopher Myers, discussing the lack of representation of people of color in children’s literature. Those excellent articles—which pointed out that in the long history of children’s literature we haven’t made much progress—caught the attention of best-selling author Jennifer Weiner, who started the #colormyshelf hashtag on Twitter asking for suggestions of diverse books that she could go purchase for her daughter. What a wonderful way to bring attention to what parents can do! Just because diverse books don’t always show up front and center in bookstores doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Here’s a list of places to find great diverse books for young readers. Buy them, read them, recommend them.
Multicultural Music and Songs that Build an Appreciation of Diversity
Add some interest to your Social Studies curriculum by supplementing your lesson plans with Multicultural Songs! Whether you need educational music for teaching about diversity, songs from around the world or songs for embracing our differences, you'll find a varied selection below. These Multicultural Songs are for children of all ages... and many will also appeal to grown-ups. These song lyrics about diversity are available from a variety of albums: Songs About Diversity and Embracing our Differences A Train Ride to the Great Wall – Ella Jenkins All Over This World – Two of a Kind All the Children Sing - Wendy Rollin Asikatali - Children of Africa – Traditional Folk Song Because We're Friends – Music with Mar. Chotto Matle Kudasai – Ella Jenkins The Colors of Earth – Two of a Kind Come on Board!
CCBC Booklists
Compiled by Megan Schliesman, Kathleen T. Horning and Merri V. Lindgren At the CCBC, we define "multicultural" literature as books by and about people of color and First/Native Nations individuals: African and African Americans, American Indians, Asian/Pacifics and Asian Pacific Americans, and Latinos.
Characteristics of Quality Multicultural Literature
It's not on the list: An exploration of teachers' perspectives on using multicultural literature. By: Stallworth, B. Joyce; Gibbons, Louel; Fauber, Leigh.
The importance of multicultural literature
Australian primary schools are more culturally diverse now than ever before. By including multicultural literature in the school library fiction collection, teacher librarians ensure they provide their students with texts that represent the culturally diverse classrooms and home environments in this country, and those across the globe. With recent global events, it has become increasingly important that students do not become ethnocentric. Exposure to a variety of multicultural literature can assist in breaking down cultural barriers. What value does multicultural literature add to the school library fiction collection?
Book Lists by Topic
Books can encourage kids of all ages to enact change in their communities. Because it’s never too early to make a difference, each month we’ll be sharing a list of social activism books for each grade level starting with Kindergarten. Check out our social activism book roundup below, and for more social activism titles, check out our full printable Social Activism Diverse Reading List! Continue reading
Multicultural Fiction for Teenagers
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. 2007Budding cartoonist Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white farm town school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. 2006Alternates three interrelated stories about the problems of young Chinese Americans trying to participate in the popular culture. Presented in comic book format.
Strategies To Support Multicultural Instruction
Essential for developing multicultural/diverse perspective learnings is a positive and trusting classroom environment - one in which all students are made to feel welcome, comfortable, and respected. Listed below are several strategies that are particularly useful in promoting multicultural/diverse perspective learnings in such a classroom. Questioning Styles Questioning techniques that personally involve students will allow them to respond in a way that reflects their cultural diversity and that will expose their fellow students to those differences (Evans, 1991). Role-Playing
Why Teach Multicultural Literature?
iStockphoto.com I have taught literature at the college level for almost a decade and at as many as six different campuses. These have mainly been classes that were focused on non-western writing. One semester, I had assigned Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus and only a week earlier her TED talk, Danger of a Single Story had started to circulate on the web. I sent the link to my students and thought we could incorporate it into our discussion on colonialism, multiculturalism, issues of race and of course, the novel itself.
Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents - Multicultural Children's Book Day
Welcome! The following is a downloadable/clickable “List of Lists” designed so that parents, teachers, and caregivers can find the multicultural and diverse book titles for kids that they are in need of. These lists are broken down into easy-to-find topics and themes. Every blue title is a link to more book lists on that topic. Here are some examples of some of our lists that are in high demand right now: Anti-Racist Books and Resources
