Why Multicultural Texts?
Students need to know that they matter and that their lives are respected, visible, and valued (Braden & Rodriguez, 2016). One way of empowering our students’ identities is through the increased use of multicultural texts in our classrooms. The use of diverse texts is beneficial for all students, but is critical for students who are culturally and/or linguistically diverse.
Multicultural texts act as both windows and mirrors; windows that allow others to learn about cultures different from their own, and mirrors that allow diverse students to engage in texts that reflect their lived experiences. Texts that represent cultures other than the mainstream provide a lens to make meaning as students relate the text to their lives. When reinforced with critical conversations, diverse students increasingly make critical connections with text and escalate academic skills (Stewart, 2017).
In some cases, the use of multicultural texts may help English learners acquire reading skills faster when they relate to the characters in the text (Araujo, 2013; Giouroukakis & Honigsfeld, 2010). Students do not exchange their identities when they begin to learn English (Suárez-Orozco, & Todorova, 2008). In fact, students often begin a process of creating their new identity as a person in a new country, acquiring a new language, and choosing the aspects of culture they wish to retain from their heritage and adopt through new experiences (Brooks & Browne, 2012). By utilizing texts that reflect the lived experience of our students, English learners may make stronger and faster connections with English vocabulary through reading.
Using multicultural texts is also beneficial for students who identify with the mainstream culture. Reading about different lived experiences helps students from the majority or mainstream culture realize that their life experiences play just one small part in the world (Galda, 1998). “When young children are presented with literature that only reflects their background, cultural heritage, and experiences, they may believe that their experiences dominate others” (Braden & Rodriguez, 2016). Our efforts to increase equitable education opportunities may be better served when we thoughtfully consider the texts with which all our students engage throughout their day.
The opportunity to learn from the narratives of many diverse lives, builds bridges of understanding for each individual as they examine, compare, and contrast other cultures with their own. In the end, multicultural texts are an invitation to explore not only other cultures, but to develop a deeper understanding of each person’s own culture and identity.
References
Araujo, J. (2013). Expanding the learning zone: Decisions that transform the practices of two
English language arts teachers. In S. Szabo, L. Martin, T. Morrison, L. Haas, & L. Garza
Garcia (Eds.), 35th Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers yearbook (pp. 87-108). Louisville, KY: Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers.
Braden, E. & Rodriguez, S.C. (2016). Beyond mirrors and windows: A critical content analysis
of Latinx children’s books. Journal of Language and Literacy Education 12(2), 56-83.
Brooks, W., & Browne, S. (2012). Towards a culturally situated reader response theory. Children’s Literature in Education, 43(1), 74–85. doi:10.1007/s10583-011-9154-z
Galda, L. (1998). Mirrors and windows: Reading as transformation. In T. E. Raphael & K. H. Au
(Eds.), Literature-based instruction: Reshaping the curriculum (pp. 1-11). Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon.
Giouroukakis, V., & Honigsfeld, A. (2010). High-stakes testing and English language learners:
Using culturally and linguistically responsive literacy practices in the high school English classroom. TESOL Journal, 1(4), 470–499. doi:10.5054/tj.2010.240193
Stewart, M. (2017). “I love this book because that’s like me!” A multilingual refugee/adolescent girl responds from her homeplace. International Multilingual Research Journal, 11(4), 239–254. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19313152.2016.1246900
Suárez-Orozco, C., Suárez-Orozco, M. M., & Todorova, I. (2008). Learning a new land:
Immigrant students in American society. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Diverse Texts for Elementary Students
The 2019 Ultimate List of Diverse Children's Books - from Here We Read
25 Children's Books that Celebrate Difference by Taylor Pittman
Diverse Texts for Secondary Students
Why Kids and Teens Need Diverse Books and Our Recommended Reads - a blog from Resilient Educator
30 Multicultural Books Every Teen Should Know - Cooperative Children's Book Center, University of Wisconsin/Madison
22 Diverse Books for All Grade Levels - Edutopia
Books that Share Immigrant and/or Refugee Family Experiences
The Refugee Experience: Books for Children - Colorin' Colorado
Books to Help Kids Understand What it is Like to be a Refugee - by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Each and Every Child by Susan Friedman and Alissa Mwenelupembe
Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond
Resources through the Heartland AEA Library
The Heartland AEA library has purchased numerous titles in the last few years with an eye toward multicultural characters, situations, and themes; diverse characters and themes; books by authors of color; etc. Titles were chosen from national reading lists and reviews so many of the titles may be recognized by teachers. Teachers are welcome to call the library and the library staff will select titles for you. For example: Notable women for a 4th grade class. Books about immigration for 5th grade research project. Chapter books with African American characters. Stories about the refugee experience. And more.
The Heartland AEA library also has a collection of bilingual books or books in these languages: Spanish, Russian, Bosnian, Vietnamese, Arabic. Go to the Medianet online catalog, limit format to children's books, then search for spanish language, russian language, etc. Or, call the library and we'll select titles for you.
