1. Multicultural Literature in the K-8 Classroom L Taylor Ocean County Library Fall 2008

2. W hat is multicultural literature?

3. An umbrella term that may include International Literature International Literature African American Literature African American Literature Native American Literature Native American Literature Hispanic/Latino(a) Literature Hispanic/Latino(a) Literature Asian/Pan Pacific American Literature Asian/Pan Pacific American Literature Inclusive Literature Inclusive Literature (Jewish, GLBT, Arabic, disability, etc.)

4. Why is it important in the classroom?

5. Multicultural Literature …

6. Expands horizons, “In schools often segregated by lines of color and class, literature may present one of the few opportunities for all students to encounter people of different racial, ethnic, and socio-economic groups.” (Rudine Simms Bishop)

7. Affirms identity, “We have a whole generation growing up without ever seeing themselves in print. What does it mean if you don’t see yourself in books? There is a strong connection between images and identity” (Pat Mora)

8. Builds bridges “Cultural diversity is a strength for building powerful learning contexts, not a problem to be solved. Difference, not sameness, makes a classroom and society strong.” (Kaser and Short, 1998) “Cultural diversity is a strength for building powerful learning contexts, not a problem to be solved. Difference, not sameness, makes a classroom and society strong.” (Kaser and Short, 1998)

9. can… Multicultural Literature can… Provide knowledge or information Provide knowledge or information Offer varying perspectives Offer varying perspectives Span the curriculum Span the curriculum Promote or develop an appreciation for diversity Promote or develop an appreciation for diversity Develop critical thinking skills Develop critical thinking skills Provide enjoyment! Provide enjoyment! Sonia Nieto (1992) (Sims Bishop, 1997)

10. What determines cultural authenticity in literature?

11. Look for … Authentic and balanced characters Authentic and balanced characters A setting consistent with a historical or contemporary time A setting consistent with a historical or contemporary time Themes, values and illustrations consistent with those of the specific culture Themes, values and illustrations consistent with those of the specific culture Rich cultural details Rich cultural details

12. A celebration of diversity as well as common human bonds A celebration of diversity as well as common human bonds An in-depth treatment of cultural issues An in-depth treatment of cultural issues Characters who interact substantively and authentically Characters who interact substantively and authentically Minority characters included for a purpose, not a quota Minority characters included for a purpose, not a quota

13. A story that invites reflection, critical analysis and response A story that invites reflection, critical analysis and response A book that meets generally accepted criteria of quality for its genre A book that meets generally accepted criteria of quality for its genre An appealing format and enduring quality An appealing format and enduring quality (Source: Sylvia Vardell, TWU 2007)

14. How can you determine cultural authenticity?

15. Look for… Authors and illustrators respected within the culture Authors and illustrators respected within the culture Books that have won cultural awards Books that have won cultural awards Well known multicultural publishers Well known multicultural publishers Reviews by persons or groups within the cultural group Reviews by persons or groups within the cultural group

16. Authors and Illustrators Authors and Illustrators

17. INTERNATIONAL Mem Fox Mem Fox Graeme Base Graeme Base Dick King-Smith Dick King-Smith J.K. Rowling J.K. Rowling AFRICAN AMERICAN Mildred Taylor Mildred Taylor Virginia Hamilton Virginia Hamilton Jerry Pinkney Jerry Pinkney HISPANIC AMERICAN Gary Soto Gary Soto Pat Mora Pat Mora George Ancona George Ancona Selected Authors and Illustrators

18. NATIVE AMERICAN NATIVE AMERICAN Joseph Bruchac Joseph Bruchac Paul Goble Paul Goble Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve ASIAN AMERICAN ASIAN AMERICAN Laurence Yep Laurence Yep Allen Say Allen Say Yoshiko Uchida Yoshiko Uchida INCLUSIVE (OTHER) INCLUSIVE (OTHER) Naomi Shihab Nye Naomi Shihab Nye Eric Kimmel Eric Kimmel

19. Awards

20. Selected Awards HISPANIC AMERICAN Pura Belpre´ Pura Belpre´ http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc /awardsgrants/bookmedia/belpremedal /index.cfm http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc /awardsgrants/bookmedia/belpremedal /index.cfm http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc /awardsgrants/bookmedia/belpremedal /index.cfm http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc /awardsgrants/bookmedia/belpremedal /index.cfm The Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature The Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CLACS/outreach/a mericas.html http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CLACS/outreach/a mericas.html http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CLACS/outreach/a mericas.html http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CLACS/outreach/a mericas.html Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award http://www.riverabookaward.info/?t=a non http://www.riverabookaward.info/?t=a non http://www.riverabookaward.info/?t=a non http://www.riverabookaward.info/?t=a non AFRICAN AMERICAN AFRICAN AMERICAN Coretta Scott King Coretta Scott King http://www.ala.org/ala/emiert/corettas cottkingbookaward/corettascott.htm http://www.ala.org/ala/emiert/corettas cottkingbookaward/corettascott.htm INCLUSIVE INCLUSIVE Schneider Family Book Award Schneider Family Book Award http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=a wards&template=/ContentManagement/Cont entDisplay.cfm&ContentID=161878 http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=a wards&template=/ContentManagement/Cont entDisplay.cfm&ContentID=161878 Stonewall Book Awards Stonewall Book Awards http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/glbtr t/stonewall/stonewallbook.htm http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/glbtr t/stonewall/stonewallbook.htm

21. NATIVE AMERICAN NATIVE AMERICAN Native American Youth Services Award Native American Youth Services Award http://aila.library.sd.gov/activities/yout hlitaward.htm http://aila.library.sd.gov/activities/yout hlitaward.htm http://aila.library.sd.gov/activities/yout hlitaward.htm http://aila.library.sd.gov/activities/yout hlitaward.htm INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL Hans Christian Andersen Award Hans Christian Andersen Award http://www.ibby.org/index.php?id=273 http://www.ibby.org/index.php?id=273 http://www.ibby.org/index.php?id=273 Mildred L. Batchelder Award Mildred L. Batchelder Award http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc /awardsgrants/bookmedia/batcheldera ward/batchelderabout/index.cfm http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc /awardsgrants/bookmedia/batcheldera ward/batchelderabout/index.cfm http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc /awardsgrants/bookmedia/batcheldera ward/batchelderabout/index.cfm http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc /awardsgrants/bookmedia/batcheldera ward/batchelderabout/index.cfm ASIAN AMERICAN ASIAN AMERICAN Asian Pacific American Award for Literature Asian Pacific American Award for Literature http://www.apalaweb.org/awards/awar ds.htm http://www.apalaweb.org/awards/awar ds.htm

22. Noted Publishers

23. INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL Kane/Miller Publishers of Foreign Children’s Books Kane/Miller Publishers of Foreign Children’s Books http://www.kanemiller.com/ http://www.kanemiller.com/ http://www.kanemiller.com/ HISPANIC AMERICAN HISPANIC AMERICAN Arte Publico Press Arte Publico Press http://www.latinoteca.com/app-home http://www.latinoteca.com/app-home http://www.latinoteca.com/app-home AFRICAN AMERICAN AFRICAN AMERICAN Just Us Books Just Us Books www.justusbooks.com Jump at the Sun Jump at the Sun http://www.jumpatthesun.com Selected multicultural publishers

24. ASIAN AMERICAN ASIAN AMERICAN Lee and Low Books Lee and Low Books http://www.leeandlow.com http://www.leeandlow.com http://www.leeandlow.com NATIVE AMERICAN NATIVE AMERICAN Fulcrum Publishing Fulcrum Publishing http://www.fulcrum- books.com/ http://www.fulcrum- books.com/ http://www.fulcrum- books.com/ http://www.fulcrum- books.com/ INCLUSIVE INCLUSIVE AWAIR Arab World and Islamic Resources and School Services AWAIR Arab World and Islamic Resources and School Services http://www.awaironline.org/in dex.html http://www.awaironline.org/in dex.html

25. Insider Reviews

26. NATIVE AMERICAN NATIVE AMERICAN Oyate Oyate http://www.oyate.org http://www.oyate.org http://www.oyate.org ASIAN AMERICAN ASIAN AMERICAN Asia for Kids Asia for Kids http://www.afk.com http://www.afk.com http://www.afk.com INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) www.ibby.org Selected review sources

27. Additional Resources HISPANIC/LATINO(A) HISPANIC/LATINO(A) Texas State Library “Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros” Texas State Library “Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros” http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/projects/n inos/contents.html http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/projects/n inos/contents.html http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/projects/n inos/contents.html http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/projects/n inos/contents.html NATIVE AMERICAN NATIVE AMERICAN Cynthia Leitich Smith Cynthia Leitich Smith http://www.cynthialeitichs mith.com/index.html http://www.cynthialeitichs mith.com/index.html

28. Using multicultural literature in the classroom

29. Ocean County teachers can use multicultural literature to expand students’ horizons. Consider the following statistics…

30. Minority population percentages in Ocean County as compared to the State of New Jersey

31. Classroom suggestions… ART – use picture books for older readers to introduce artists or art techniques ART – use picture books for older readers to introduce artists or art techniques Frida Kahlo biography, Javaka Steptoe books Frida Kahlo biography, Javaka Steptoe books SOCIAL STUDIES – use historical fiction to introduce the minority viewpoint in important events SOCIAL STUDIES – use historical fiction to introduce the minority viewpoint in important events Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich, An Innocent Soldier by Josef Holub, Samir and Yonatan by Daniella Carmi

32. SCIENCE – use books that introduce a minority viewpoint or minority contribution SCIENCE – use books that introduce a minority viewpoint or minority contribution The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 by Laurence Yep complements the study of plate tectonics, earthquakes The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 by Laurence Yep complements the study of plate tectonics, earthquakes MATH – MATH – use multicultural books to introduce counting in the lower grades Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book by Yuyi Morales

33. LANGUAGE ARTS – introduce multicultural books for book reports assignments, poetry, theme-related studies LANGUAGE ARTS – introduce multicultural books for book reports assignments, poetry, theme-related studies In Daddy’s Arms by Javaka Steptoe, The Afterlife by Gary Soto, A Step from Heaven by An Na In Daddy’s Arms by Javaka Steptoe, The Afterlife by Gary Soto, A Step from Heaven by An Na FOREIGN LANGUAGE – use picture books, poetry or short stories to introduce foreign cultures FOREIGN LANGUAGE – use picture books, poetry or short stories to introduce foreign cultures Marimba! Animales from A to Z by Pat Mora, Baseball in April by Gary Soto

34. Acknowledgments Information for this presentation was adapted from the following sources: Dr. Sylvia Vardell’s Multicultural Literature for Children class, Texas Woman’s University, Summer 2007 www.twu.edu Dr. Sylvia Vardell’s Multicultural Literature for Children class, Texas Woman’s University, Summer 2007 www.twu.eduwww.twu.edu US Census Bureau http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html US Census Bureau http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html TeacherTube www.teachertube.org TeacherTube www.teachertube.org www.teachertube.org Please continue to the final slide

35. A final argument for the increased use of multicultural literature in the classroom… What is the Holocaust? Be sure that sound and internet access is enabled, then click link This eye-opening video from TeacherTube ends the presentation.