Teaching Kindergartners Racial Diversity through Multicultural Literature: A Case Study in a Kindergarten Classroom in Korea

Y

19

Foreign Countries; Kindergarten; Ethnic Diversity; Multicultural Education; Multicultural Textbooks; Qualitative Research; Case Studies; Reading Aloud to Others; Racial Attitudes; Racial Bias; Stereotypes; Social Environment; Cultural Centers; Social Justice; Childrens Literature; Social Influences; Cultural Influences; Reading Instruction; Observation; Video Technology; Interviews

10.1080/10409289.2015.1069110

1040-9289

Research Findings: This qualitative case study examines Korean kindergartners' literary discussions about racial/cultural diversity during a whole-group read-aloud. Using multiple sources of data, including observations, open-ended interviews, and written materials and children's artifacts, this study found that (a) the children exhibited a biased attitude toward African characters, and their stereotypical views reflected their allegiance to their social/cultural contexts; (b) literary discussions about race provided the children with valuable opportunities to explore racial diversity, equality, injustice, and freedom; and (c) reading multicultural literature helped the children develop and practice their racial language and literacy skills. Practice or Policy: The findings of the study add several important contributions related to teaching young children multicultural literature. Reading literature should be used to provide a chance to explore real-life problems and critically analyze all of the differences children encounter on a daily basis. Teachers should encourage young children to freely share their views about diverse social issues by creating a space where children feel secure in exchanging different views. In order to create a more supportive literacy surrounding, teachers should understand how profoundly children's social and cultural environments affect their reading practices.

As Provided

74

2016

EJ1093582