Multicultural Children's Literature: Through The Eyes Of Many Children - Softcover

Norton, Donna E.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0131178067 ISBN 13: 9780131178069

Publisher: Pearson College Div, 2004

Synopsis

Written by one of the most highly regarded names in the field of children's literature, this compact guide to selecting high-quality examples of multicultural literature offers future teachers the broad-based introduction they need to the literature of the many cultures that comprise America today. Coverage focuses on three main ideas: incorporating the best multicultural books into the classroom, honoring and respecting both the literature and the cultures inhabiting the classroom, and using quality children's literature to motivate readers while simultaneously nurturing a culturally-responsive classroom. Educators and pre-service teachers of children's literature and reading.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

Preface

This text is intended for any adult who is interested in evaluating, selecting, and sharing multicultural literature written for children and young adults. The focus and organization of the text are designed for classes in departments of Education, English, and Library Science. The text focuses on the most outstanding literature in the following areas: African American, Native American, Latino, Asian, Jewish, and Middle Eastern. The text is written in the hope that those who share books with children will help them develop an appreciation for and an understanding of a varied and rich cultural heritage. HIGHLIGHTS

Two-Part Chapter Organization
Each chapter focuses on two important areas related to multicultural literature. The first part of each chapter includes a discussion of specific literature, nonfiction, and fiction that develops a historical perspective of the culture, poetry, and contemporary literature. The second area in each chapter develops the techniques and methodologies that adults may use to help children develop an understanding for the culture.

Time Lines
Each of the chapters is introduced with a time line that highlights historical and literary milestones within the culture. These time lines encourage students to develop an in-depth understanding of the culture.

Criteria for Evaluating Literature
Each chapter discusses criteria that could be used when selecting and evaluating the literature. These criteria may be used in a historical perspective so that students understand the various changes in evaluation that may have occurred over time.

Issues
Each chapter discusses various issues that are associated with writing, publishing, selecting, and evaluating the literature. These issues are written in such a way as to encourage students to discuss or even debate various viewpoints.

Authentication
Examples are developed that show how students can authenticate the text and the illustrations in multicultural literature. Many of these authentication examples are research projects developed by university students.

Additional Activities for Developing Understanding of Each Literature
Each chapter includes lists of additional activities that university professors may use as assignments with their students. There are also lists of additional activities that may be used with each of the phases to be used with children.

Involving Children Sections with Each Chapter
Each chapter includes a five-phase procedure of activities and learning experiences that may be used to help children develop an understanding of culture. These activities progress in the following order: phase one, general approach to traditional literature; phase two, folklore from a narrower region; phase three, historical nonfiction; phase four, historical fiction; phase five, contemporary literature. The activities in these phases were developed during field research in which the activities were tested with school children.

Text Teaching Aids
Each chapter includes various charts, webs, and teaching strategies that increase understanding of and interest in the culture. For example, several chapters include modeling activities that help teachers develop understanding of the culture and the literature.

Annotated Bibliographies
Each chapter concludes with annotated bibliographies that describe the literature. These annotations provide a short description of the book, readability level, and an interest level. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank the reviewers of the manuscript for their insights and comments: Richard F. Abrahamson, The University of Houston; Mingshui Cai, the University of Northern Iowa; Rodney D. Keller, Ricks College; Janice V. Kristo, The University of Maine; Roberta Rosenberg, Christopher Newport University; and Masha K. Rudman, The University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

From the Back Cover

A well-known author designed this unique book for Education, English, Library Science, and Humanities classes that emphasize selecting, analyzing, evaluating, and using children's multicultural literature. It includes chapters on African American, Native American, Latino, Asian, Jewish, and Middle Eastern cultures. Each chapter follows a five-phase approach, developed by the author, to lead readers to an understanding of the literature. The five-phase approach begins with a broad introduction to the ancient myths, legends, and folktales of the culture. Phase II narrows the topic to the ancient myths, legends, and folktales from one specific area. Phase III studies the historical nonfiction selections such as biographies, autobiographies, and informational literature that encourage students to understand the early experiences of the social and political history of specific people. Phase IV is a study of historical fiction selections based on characters from specific cultures or on interactions between people and other cultures. Phase V is a study of contemporary literature including fiction, poetry, biography, and autobiography. For teachers of children's literature courses.

Edition details

• Publisher: Pearson College Div
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0131178067
• ISBN 13: 9780131178069
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 366