DiversityDiversity

Academic and Socio-culturalAcademic and Socio-cultural

Considerations for Literacy Considerations for Literacy InstructionInstruction

Culture:Culture: The complex whole The complex whole which includes knowledge, which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs, belief, art, morals, law, customs, and any other capabilities and and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a habits acquired by man as a member of society, and the member of society, and the prism through which members of prism through which members of a group see the world and create a group see the world and create shared meanings. shared meanings. (Savage 1994)(Savage 1994)

Multicultural Multicultural CompetencyCompetency

The ability to teach effectively across The ability to teach effectively across cultures in a way that acknowledges cultures in a way that acknowledges and respects the culture of the and respects the culture of the person or organization being served.person or organization being served.

Linguistic DiversityLinguistic Diversity 54% of public school teachers have 54% of public school teachers have

students with limited English students with limited English proficiency.proficiency.

20% of them believe they are prepared 20% of them believe they are prepared to teach themto teach them (Mora &Grisham 2001).(Mora &Grisham 2001).

By 2030 English language learners will By 2030 English language learners will represent 40% of the student represent 40% of the student populationpopulation

(Harris 2003).(Harris 2003).

A Matter of A Matter of DebateDebate

Cognitive and Academic Cognitive and Academic DiversityDiversity

children who learn at a style children who learn at a style or pace different than that of or pace different than that of the majoritythe majority

learning disabled studentslearning disabled students

gifted studentsgifted students

Teaching StrategiesTeaching Strategies

Authentic Authentic CommunicationCommunication

When students are involved in When students are involved in meaningful communicative meaningful communicative activities, they become active activities, they become active participants, acquiring participants, acquiring important literacy skills within a important literacy skills within a real world context.real world context.

Letter Writing and Dialogue Letter Writing and Dialogue JournalsJournals

Offer a supportive framework Offer a supportive framework for the development of for the development of writing skills.writing skills.

Provide authentic Provide authentic communicative experiences.communicative experiences.

Provide freedom to take risks.Provide freedom to take risks. Students should be provided Students should be provided

with meaningful feedback on with meaningful feedback on writing efforts.writing efforts.

Give students a sense of Give students a sense of community.community.

Using Quality LiteratureUsing Quality Literature

Generates interest in reading when Generates interest in reading when student are introduced to characters student are introduced to characters and themes they can relate to.and themes they can relate to.

Exposure to rich language to help Exposure to rich language to help develop literacy skills.develop literacy skills.

Provide opportunities for critical Provide opportunities for critical thinkingthinking

Reading StrategiesReading Strategies

Shared readingShared reading Read aloudsRead alouds Guided readingGuided reading Choral readingChoral reading Discussion groupsDiscussion groups Use of predictable and repetitive Use of predictable and repetitive

texttext Use of picture booksUse of picture books

Multicultural LiteratureMulticultural Literature

When literacy instruction When literacy instruction celebrates diversity, students celebrates diversity, students gain knowledge and respect gain knowledge and respect for people of different for people of different cultures, and develop pride cultures, and develop pride in their own heritage.in their own heritage.

When people understand their When people understand their history and contributions to the history and contributions to the

society in which they live:society in which they live: They feel better about They feel better about

themselvesthemselves Other groups of people Other groups of people

will feel better about, will feel better about, and be more accepting and be more accepting of them.of them.

There is greater There is greater acceptance between acceptance between and within groups of and within groups of people.people.

-Dr. Carter G. Woodson-Dr. Carter G. Woodson

Use of Legends and Use of Legends and FolktalesFolktales

Help teachers connect cross-Help teachers connect cross-culturally with their students.culturally with their students.

Students of the culture being Students of the culture being studied, feel recognized and studied, feel recognized and valued.valued.

They are usually familiar to They are usually familiar to the students, giving them the the students, giving them the background knowledge background knowledge needed for effective reading.needed for effective reading.

Contain adventure, humor and Contain adventure, humor and rich language children can rich language children can enjoy.enjoy.

ActivitiesActivities Puppet Plays- can help ELL students Puppet Plays- can help ELL students

develop oral language skills in a playful develop oral language skills in a playful atmosphere.atmosphere.

Courtroom Drama- allows application of Courtroom Drama- allows application of critical reading skills, students can critical reading skills, students can develop and practice their own simple develop and practice their own simple script.script.

Talk Show Reenactments- enjoyable with Talk Show Reenactments- enjoyable with secondary students, involve character secondary students, involve character analysis and communication skills.analysis and communication skills.

Welcome to Multicultural Children's LiteratureWelcome to Multicultural Children's Literature

Language ExperienceLanguage Experience

Discuss a topic of interest with the student.Discuss a topic of interest with the student. Have student recite a story or past Have student recite a story or past

experience in their own words.experience in their own words. Record the story in the students own words, Record the story in the students own words,

modeling the writing process for them.modeling the writing process for them. Read the story for the student, and have Read the story for the student, and have

them illustrate each page to coincide with them illustrate each page to coincide with the text.the text.

Students practice reading their own story.Students practice reading their own story.

““Language is Language is easy to learn easy to learn when it is when it is functional, functional, and very hard and very hard to learn when to learn when it is not”it is not”

-Ken Goodman-Ken Goodman