Table of Contents
Introduction
Slide # 3
Statement of the Problem
Slide # 4
Supporting Theorists
Slide # 5
Statement of Hypothesis
Slide # 6
References
Slide # 7
Introduction
From my observations most classroom education is done
by a curriculum based on “White standards”. Let me
explain myself, when children are learning about world
history; this is done by learning about the history of the
United States, but the United States is not the whole
world. When literacy blocks are being depicted in the
curriculum most books read are those that students living
in the U.S. understand, what does a student that just came
from the Caribbean understand about snow, or certain
holidays only celebrated here. By doing research on this
particular topic I want to better understand the impact
that multicultural and non-multicultural education has on
the students literacy level and on the teachers teaching.
Statement of the Problem
Literacy is a number one problem in the United
States. According to the United Nations Development
Programme Report 2009, the United States is
number forty-five on the list and number twenty in
rank. Based on the results of the standardized tests,
new instructional methods both for the teacher and
the students are needed. The United States is
becoming a very diverse country as each day passes
by and therefore we should adapt or structure the
system to meet everyone’s needs in order to reach
high literacy achievement rates.
Supporting Theorist
We need to stop the dishonesty and ineptitude
of policy makers whose prescriptions for change
are based on evidence-free ideological
convictions. (Nieto & Bode,2010; Hirsch,1988).
Hypothesis
Hypothesis #1: Integrating multicultural books in
the curriculum over a two month period with two
second grade classrooms in P.S. X; Brooklyn
N.Y., will increase literacy levels by way of
running records.
Hypothesis #2: Integrating multicultural
education awareness in teachers will increase
literacy levels in their students.
Refrences
Barksdale, M., Richards, J., Fisher, P., Wuthrick, M., Hammons, J., Grisham, D., & Richmond, H. (2002).
Perceptions of Preservice Elemtary Teachers on Multicultural Issues. Reading Horizons, 43 (1), 27-48.
Hinton, K.V., & Berry, T. (2004). Literacy, Literature, and Diversity. Journal of Adolescents and Adult
Literacy. (pp. 284-288).
Locke, T., & Cleary, A. (2011). Critical Literacy as an Approach to Literary Study in the Multicultural, High
School Classroom. English Practice: Practice and Critique. Vol. 10 (1), pp. 119-139.
May, Laura A. (2011). Situating Strategies: An Examination of Comprehension Strategy Instruction in One
Upper Elementary Classroom Oriented Toward Culturally Relevant Teaching. Literacy Research and
Instruction. 50: pp. 31-43.
McIntyre, E., Hulan, N., & Maher, M. (2010). The Relationship Between Literacy Learning and Cultural
Differences: A Study of Teachers Disposition. Journal of Reading Education. Vol. 35 (3), p. 19-25.
References: continued…
Richardson Bruna, Katherine. (2007). Finding New Words: How I Use Critical Literacy In My Multicultural
Teacher Education Classroom. Journal of Education for Teaching, 33(1), p.115-118.
McMunn Dooley, Caitlin. (2008). Multicultural Literacy Teacher Education: Seeking Micro-Transformations.
Literacy Research and Instruction, 47: 55-75.
Thomas,S., & Vanderhaar. J. (2008). Negotiating Resistance to Multiculturalism in a Teacher Education
Curriculum: A case Study. The Teacher Educator, 43:173-197.
Randencinch, Marguerite Cogorno. (1998). Multicultural Education for Literacy in the Year 2000:
Traversing Comfort Zones and Transforming Knowledge and Action. Peabody Journal of Education, 73
(3&4), p. 178-201 Literacy Research and Instruction, 47: 55-75.
Yoon, B., Simpson, A., & Haag, C. (2010). Assimilation Ideology: Critically Examining Underlying Messages
in Multicultural Literature. Journal of Adolescents and Adult Literacy, 54(2), p. 109-118.