Chapter 11: Diverse Perspectives in Children's Literature

Chapter 11

The world that we live in is a very diverse place and this comes as no news to any of us. Especially pre-professional educators, we are consistently reminded of the need to include adaptations and foster diversity in our classrooms and lesson plans. However this has not always been the case. As stated in the text, in the 1940's and 1950's, which wasn't THAT long ago... culturally diverse literature (that is anything not about white culture) was nearly nonexistent. Now with the growing acceptance of the need to expose children to diversity there is more and more material available for us as teachers to share with our students and help them become informed and insightful citizens of the world. Especially because the world is heading in a more "diverse" direction. The 25% of  the U.S. population that is "of color" now will be 33% as we move through the next 80-85 years! It is time to educate our students and what better way to do that than by sharing literature that embraces different cultures and offers insight in an entertaining way. 

This chapter discussed how some multicultural books may be considered "risky" because they address social issues that are not easy to discuss, or because the teacher does not come from the culture the book is referring to and people believe that it is not appropriate for the teacher to speak from another cultures' point of view. However this is not true! It is important for teachers to read these books and discuss these topics because this is exactly how you educate the students. Diversity is not taboo, it should be embraced, discussed, and valued. Children can not do this unless they are exposed and allowed to explore cultural diversity. 

There are different categories of multicultural literature: 

Cultural Diversity:

-Culturally Neutral: Diverse characters, but topics are not about diversity.

-Culturally Generic: Focus on culturally diverse characters, but few details that differentiate 

                                    the culture.

-Culturally Specific: Incorporate specific, culturally authentic details that define the 

                                    characters and the story.

Religious Diversity:

5 Predominant Religions in the U.S. and notable books (other than Christianity):

-American Indian Spirituality: Native American Wisdom and Gifts by Niki Walter

                                                    and Bobbie Kalman

-Hinduism: This is my Faith: Hinduism by Anita Ganeri

-Buddhism: Buddha Boy by Kathe Koja

-Judaism: Festival of Lights: The Story of Hanukkah by Maida Silverman

-Islam: What Will You See Inside a Mosque? by Rukhsana Khan

Other topics covered in culturally diverse literature: 

-Aging

-Gender Equity

-Exceptionalities

-Language

-Social Diversity

-Family Structures

It is also important to read through diverse literature before sharing it with the class in order to examine it for things such as racism and sexism. 
There are things to look out for such as:

-The illustrations: stereotypes and minority roles: how are they depicted?

-The Story Line: how are the problems of the minority viewed?

-The Characters' lives: too simplistic? Do the lives of people of color represent stereotypes?

-Relationships Between People: Do whites have power? Females subordinate? 

-Discover the role of models and heroes:  do minority heroes resemble white heroes? In whose interests does the hero work? 

The benefits of reading translated books in your class are also discussed in this chapter such as the importance of knowing classic stories from other countries in order to create an attitude of understanding for said culture. 

Critical Literacy, a new term for me, invites readers to go beyond the author's message and examine the relations that exist between readers and authors. This allows the students to examine the literature on a much deeper level and also discuss some of the "taboo" topics that go hand and hand with multiculturalism. 

A list of the top 10 read alouds for diverse children's literature:

1. El Barrio by Debbi Chocolate

2. Faith by Maya Ajmera, Magda Nakassis, and Cynthia Pon

3. I lLost My Tooth in Africa by Penda Diakite

4. Jazzy Miz Mozetta by Brenda Roberts

5. Only One Year by Andrea Cheng

6. Poems to Dream Together by Francisco X. Alacron

7. Rickshaw Girl by Mitali Perkins

8. Saltypie: A Choctaw Journey from Darkness into Light by Time Tingle

9. Uncle Peter's Amazing Chinese Wedding by Lenore Look

10. We by Alice Schertle

Chapter 12: The New Literacies: The World of Online Children's Literature

Technology defines our culture, especially the young generations. Today children are consider "digital natives", 93% of children ages 8-18 spend an average of 90 minutes per day using a computer at home. Incorporating technology into literacy instruction seems to be the natural way to keep up with students interests and combine literacy with something very familiar. Digital texts are rapidly becoming the most predominant way that people are reading and communicating. 

Digital texts can be manipulated in ways that traditional text cannot. Students have the ability to change the color and size o the font as well as use interactive links that are embedded in the text to enhance the reading experience such as supporting websites, videos, and even games. 

New Literacies are the "skills, strategies, and dispositions necessary to successfully use and adapt to the rapidly changing information and communication technologies and contexts that continuously emerge in our world and influence all areas of our personal and professional lives". It is critical for students to acquire the skills and strategies of the new literacies.

Using new literacies as a future teacher:

• Online Read Alouds and Interactive Storybooks: Sites that have stories that are interactive, including videos, music, and the text read aloud.  ex:http://www.storybookonline.net and http://libriivox.org
• Online Books: Build your library using technology for a very small price. Many books can be found online for free! ex:http://www.childrensbooksonline.org
• Virtual Meet the Author: Stream video chat or email an author with the entire class. This is a way to have more interaction with authors than is allowed with traditional visits due to time and financial constraints. ex:http://skypeanauthor.wetpaint.com
• Use author websites to get to know the author that wrote the books the class will be reading.
• Research topics that are read about online and teach the SEARCH method of researching (Set a purpose for searching, Employ effective search strategies, Analyze search engine results, Read critically and synthesize information, Cite your sources, How successful was your search?)
• Webquests: lead children through an assignment online. Provide the appropriate links and a worksheet or assignment to be completed through the use of those links.
• Remember to use caution when using the internet with your class. Use only approved sites, and review content before allowing students to log on.

Be sure to check the links on the sidebar that go along with this chapter: Top 10 Children's Literature Websites, and Building Your Classroom Library.

Chapter 13: Reading to and with Children: Reading aloud, Shared and Guided Reading and Writing

Chapter 13 Response

     This chapter discusses the importance of reading aloud to your students as an Elementary school teacher. Reading aloud can be the way that children fall in love with books and reading in general. I have been taught by one of my professors who suggested incorporating a fun short book with every lesson taught, no matter what the subject, especially for science and math. This fits in with what the text says perfectly. As stated in the text "it is a passion and enthusiasm for reading that separates effective from ineffective teachers". Our own personal memories and current research support the effectiveness of reading aloud to students. The benefits of reading aloud include increased motivation, language and literacy development, conventions of print, vocabulary development and listening comprehension, decoding and reading comprehension, and literacy understanding. 

     When to read aloud is also discussed in this chapter. Examples of appropriate times to read aloud include an introduction to a lesson, when discussing current events or social studies objectives, and just for fun too!
     I think it is very important to include reading aloud in the classroom frequently and to make sure the content being read is appropriate for a lesson and the age and reading level of the students. 
     I found the section that went into detail about how to read aloud to be helpful and interesting. For example, finding the book's voice. This is done by understanding the tone of the book and interpreting the mood, rhythm, characters, setting, use of language, etc. 
     Think Alouds are something that I am not completely familiar with, though after reading this chapter I understand the importance and how to do it. It provides a model for students to think through literature when they are reading on their own by listening to the teacher voice their thoughts that come up while reading aloud. Some prompts for thinking aloud include: "I'm thinking...", "I'm picturing in my mind..." and "I think this character is...". 
     Writing aloud is also something I was not familiar with. As stated by the text: "The teacher vocalizes her thoughts as she composes text, inviting the children to contribute at selected points". This allows students to see that the writing process includes editing and revising. 
     Shared reading is something that I had learned prior to reading this chapter of the text, but my understanding of its importance was solidified. Research shows that shared reading produces significant positive impacts on all aspects of reading proficiency. Shared reading is something that should be included in the classroom daily. 
     Shared writing plays off of shared reading and writing aloud. The teacher acts as a scribe and the students collaborate to construct text. The teacher can paraphrase and model good writing practices while being the scribe. 
     Guided reading focuses on small groups reading a shared text simultaneously and receiving support from the teacher. The groups should read a new text each time they meet. The texts should be just slightly challenging for the students in the group, but within their zone of proximal development and instructional level. This is why creating the groups carefully is so important. 
    Overall this chapter provided a good overview and explanation of the techniques used to read aloud to and with children as well as directing their writing and individual reading.
The strategies and activities discussed in this chapter are important aspects of classroom literacy instruction, and I have personally seen them used successfully in the classroom.

     My personal experiences with reading aloud have been great! As a child I loved having anyone read me a story. I can fondly remember my grandma reading aloud with me explaining that when there was a comma in a sentence I should take a short pause and that when there was a question mark or exclamation point that I should change the way my voice sounded (inflection). In school I do remember being read aloud to some, but not as much as it is suggested in the text. 

Things to remember about reading aloud:
1. Do it often.
2. Find the books "voice" before sharing with the class to enhance the reading experience.
3. Find books that correspond with as many lessons as possible.
4. Think aloud while reading aloud to students, it will help them process the text and become a better reader.

Be sure to check the sidebar for my links relating to reading aloud in chapter 13.

A Short Introduction

Welcome to my blog!

I hope to share many insightful things about children's literature that 

I learn throughout this semester. 

Each week I will discuss a chapter from the course textbook, 

The Joy of Children's Literature by Denise Johnson,

as well as share some gadgets that may be helpful or interesting.

Enjoy!