
Explain the meaning of a “multicultural perspective.”

Discuss why multicultural picture books should be used.

Demonstrate how teachers can use these books.

Describe to choose and acquire appropriate picture books.
1.
A multicultural perspective

Acknowledges diversity by being sensitive to cultures and languages.

Recognizes diversity in preschools and kindergartens.

Uses books that feature characters of diverse racial and ethnic groups.

Integrates book extension activities into every learning center.

Improves reading scores and attitudes among children from different cultures.

Helps children develop positive attitudes toward children from different cultures even in an all-European American classroom.

Serves as a springboard into activities that promote early literacy.
2.
Multicultural characters from picture books help children

To identify with characters from different cultures.

To treat characters as if they are real people.

To want to pretend and perform various activities about them.

To come to love the books and want them read over and over.

To learn firsthand about children like themselves from other cultures.

To choose various characters as role models.

To want to participate in the same activities as the book characters.

To improve their own reading and writing skills.
3.
Lead-ins to a multicultural curriculum:
What you can do with a multicultural character book

Make a game of it.

Make puppets of its characters.

Build a house for its characters.

Pretend to be a character.


Make a flannel board story.

Make a puzzle of it.

Prepare food from the story.

Paint a picture about it.

Write a letter about it.

Tell, sing, and record the stories.

Begin to read it.
4.
Choosing appropriate books:

Use the Choosing Multicultural Picture Books checklist (Handout 2.1)

Books featuring physical differences, self-concept

Cover of books that show attractive, realistic cultural characters

Characters children can identify with

Curriculum-based theme familiar to children

Words catchy with rhyme, rhythm, or repetition

Plot fast-paced, easy for children to follow

Characters, theme or topic easily integrated into learning centers
5.
Acquiring Multicultural Picture Books

Visit bookstores, libraries

Write in for catalogs

Go online to publishers’ websites

Buy paperback copies from Scholastic

Have parents help with fund-raising projects for books
1.
Small group presentations
Class members sign up for one of six small groups and a presentation date. a.
Multicultural book approach: Each student selects an appropriate multicultural book and demonstrates to the class how it helps children develop early literacy and changes attitudes about children who are
“different.” Include research on the importance of using multicultural books and write up results. b.
Importance of picture-book characters as models : Each student selects a different book with a multicultural character that young children can use as a role model, explains the importance of this, and demonstrates how to use the book with children. Use overhead transparencies and handouts.

c.
How to stop teasing using books: Have pairs of students read aloud books like Chocolate Me and Red Is Beautiful . One student can point out the negative aspects of the teasing, and another student can point out the positive aspects. One student can ask the listeners how the teasing was neutralized. The other student can ask what other ways the teasing could have been stopped. d.
How to choose appropriate books : Each student prints out and uses
“Handout 2.1: Checklist: Choosing Multicultural Picture Books” to select a different book, demonstrates how the book meets checklist criteria, and how and why it could be used with children, using overhead transparencies and handouts. e.
Using books featuring physical differences : Each student chooses two multicultural books featuring characters with physical differences, and demonstrates ways each could be used as lead-ins to activities in three different learning centers using overheads, PowerPoint slides, or handouts. f.
Under-use of picture books: Create a questionnaire on the use of picture books in the classroom. Ask five teachers to fill out the questionnaire, discuss results using a graph or overhead transparencies, and write up how this problem could be overcome.
2.
Critique of children’s picture books with publication dates before 1990
Pairs of students visit the school or public library to select multicultural picture books published prior to 1990.

Compare and contrast each of the books to a current multicultural picture book.

Look for character, setting, and theme including possible stereotypes.

Make a class presentation of the findings (can use videos, DVDs, CD-
ROMs, the Internet, recordings, etc.).

Develop a new checklist of criteria for older multicultural books
(cite journal and book references).
3.
Using multicultural self-concept books
Each student chooses one of the self-concept books listed in the chapter.

Analyze it using the “Checklist: Choosing Multicultural Picture
Books” (Handout 2.1).

Describe how it could be used with children to comply with the three
NAEYC Social Studies Curriculum Criteria in the chapter (Fig.2.9).

Present results on overhead transparency or handout.
Multimedia:


Making Friends and Getting Along with Peers . DVD from NAEYC

Preschoolers: Social and Emotional Development.
DVD from Redleaf
Press.

Start Seeing Diversity . DVD from Redleaf Press

Welcoming All Children.
DVD from NAEYC
Books and journals:

Al-Hazza, T. & Lucking, B. (2007). Celebrating diversity through explorations of Arab children’s literature.
Childhood Education ,
83(3), 132-135.

Brinson, S. A. (2009). From Thunder Rose to When Marian Sang:
Behold the power of African American female characters. Young
Children, 64(1), 26-31.

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC Books.


Genishi, C. & Dyson, A. H. (2009). Children language and literacy:
Diverse learners in diverse times. Washington, DC: NAEYC.
Feeney, S. & Moravcik, E. (2005). Children’s literature: A window to understanding self and others. Young Children, 60(5), 20-28.

Harlan, R. Murray, R. & Shea, M. (2007). Broadening teachers’ views through multicultural book discussions. Childhood Education,
83(5), 299-303.

Quintero, E. P. (2005). Multicultural literature: A source of meaningful content for kindergartners. Young Children, 60(6), 28-32.

Ponciano, L. & Shabazian, A. (2012). Interculturalism: Addressing diversity in early childhood. Dimensions of Early Childhood.
40(1),
23-29.

Souto-Manning, M. (2013). Multicultural Teaching in the Early
Childhood Classroom. New York: Teachers College Press.
Children’s Books:

Ashley, B. (1991). Cleversticks . New York: Crown.

Baiker, K. (2003). I can do it too ! Brooklyn, NY: Hand Print Books.

Cook, M. (2009). Our children can soar . New York: Bloomsbury.

Diggs, T. (2011). Chocolate me.
New York: Feiwel and Friends.

DiPucchio, K.(2008). Grace for President.
New York: Hyperion.

Dole, M.L. (2003). Drum, Chavi, drum
. San Francisco: Children’s Book
Press.
 Isadora, R. (2005). Luke goes to bat. New York: Putnam’s.

John, R. (2003).
Red is beautiful.
Flagstaff, AZ: Salina Bookshelf.

Nolen, J. (2003). Thunder Rose . Orlando: Harcourt.

Pinkney S. L. (2007). I am Latino : The beauty in me. Boston: Little,
Brown.

Pinkney, S.L. (2000). Shades of black . New York: Scholastic.


Recorvits, H. (2003). My name is Yoon.
New York: Frances Foster
Books.

Smith, C. L. (2000). Jingle dancer . New York: Morrow.

Winans, C. (2007). Colorful world . Oak Park Heights: MN. Maren Green
Publishing.
Websites:

Association for Childhood Education International
 Children’s Book Council

International Reading Association

Reading is Fundamental

Teaching Tolerance
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1.
A multicultural perspective for early literacy in preschool and kindergarten means
a) most teachers are prepared to teach in multicultural classrooms.
b) teachers must put children from different cultures in groups.
c) teachers should provide books with multicultural characters
d) teachers must celebrate different cultural holidays.
.
2.
One of the most effective methods for recognizing diversity in preschools is
a) learning a second language.
b) reading books to children featuring multicultural characters.
c) having a special day for each culture.
d) celebrating holidays from different cultures.
3.
Distrust of people from cultures different from children’s own can be overturned by their reading multicultural books because
a) they identify with the characters in the story.
b) they like the stories.
c) they learn what the cultures are like.
d) they understand the cultures better.
4.
Research on using multicultural literature in preschool and kindergarten has shown
a) it had little effect on children’s attitudes.
b) positive multicultural literature changed children’s negative attitudes toward different races.
c) older readers had more changes in their attitudes.

d) older readers’ attitudes did not change.
5.
One of the most effective ways for integrating cultural diversity into a curriculum is to a) have children communicate with children from another culture.
b) teach a second language. c) help children identify and bond with storybook characters like themselves from other cultures.
d) cook food from different cultures.
6.
Using multicultural characters from picture books helps children
a) know what the books are about. b) give names to different characters. c) learn to read the stories aloud. d) want the books read over and over.
7.
Children interact with multicultural book characters as if a) they are real people. b) they can speak their language. c) they like to eat the same things. d) they will help them learn to read.
8.
Reading a multicultural character picture book helps children a) want to know about other characters. b) participate in activities similar to the characters. c) learn what to wear. d) want to travel to other countries.
9.
Besides listening to the stories of the multicultural characters children can a) make up their own stories. b) pretend to be one of the characters. c) tell their own stories. d) read the book again.
10.
If your classroom has only European-American children
a) reading multicultural books will not be effective.
b) they will not understand children from other cultures.
c) it is even more important for them to learn about other cultures.
d) you should invite multicultural children to the class.
11.
For multicultural education to be effective it must be a) included in holiday celebrations. b) available several times a month c) taught to children d) an everyday affair in the classroom.

.
12.
The character Chavi from Drum Chavi, Drum tells a story that promotes early literacy especially well because a) she is a Cuban girl. b) she can drum so well. c) she has trouble getting into the festival. d) she tells the story in both English and Spanish.
13.
Teachers should select multicultural character books based on a) how old they are. b) how well the story can be integrated into the curriculum. c) how long the story is. d) how many characters it contains.
14.
The “clever sticks” that the Chinese boy Ling Sung uses are a) chopsticks. b) pencils. c) rulers. d) paintbrushes.
15.
The best cultural character picture books are those a) selected based on important criteria. b) from bookstores. c) used the previous year. d) from a library.
TRUE/FALSE
1.
The single most important activity for helping young children learn to read is reading aloud to them. (T/F)
2.
One of the most effective approaches for integrating cultural diversity into a classroom is inviting children of different cultures to the class.
(T/F)
3.
“Book-character-bonding” means that a child likes a character so much he wants to hear the story over and over. (T/F)
4.
The under-use of picture books by preschool and kindergarten teachers means that the teacher reads the books to the children but does not use them in classroom activities. (T/F)
5.
If the culture from the picture book is not present in the classroom the teacher should find a different book to read. (T/F)
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. One of the most effective methods for teaching young children about diversity is
________________________________.
2. Besides reading multicultural picture books to children teachers also need to
________________________________.
3. A children’s multicultural picture book about teasing is ______________________.
4. Jenna in the book Jingle Dancer is a Muscogee Creek girl who wants to_________,
5. The true story of an African boy who brought electricity to his village is ________.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. c
2. b
3. a
4. b
5. c
6. d
7. a
8. b
9. b
10. c
11. d
12. d
13. b
14. d
15. a
TRUE/FALSE
1. T
2. F
3. T
4. T
5. F
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. reading multicultural picture books
2. integrate activities from them into classroom learning centers
3. “Chocolate”( or “Mud Tacos” or “Red Is Beautiful”)

4. dance the jingle dance like her grandma
5. “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind”