Multicultural Literary Analysis: Tableaux

My group reenacted this part from

Elenas Serenade because it was
the best scene to show that Elena
was able to accomplish what she
loves to do through determination
and commitment.

Reflection
From reading the article, critical literacy encourages readers to
analyze what is being read and can ultimately change the reader and their
world. Instead of just the typical reading and writing, critical literacy
incorporates critical thinking, questioning, and transformation of self or ones
world. In teaching, it is crucial for a teacher to reflect and be aware of ones
self and the world. Ignoring critical literacy hinders childrens ability to
transform into thoughtful, cooperative, and active citizens of a democracy
(McDaniel, 2004).
I believe critical literacy and multicultural literature go hand in hand.
Multicultural literature eliminates stereotypes and prejudices, helps students
create cultural identity and increase academic success, and provides a

perspective form different cultures around the world (Al-Hazza, 2008). To be

able to evaluate and analyze multicultural books, one should have a strong
sense of critical literacy skills. I was able to evaluate: Is it Passover Yet? by
Chris Barash, When Christmas Feels Like Home by Gretchen Griffith, The Pot
That Juan Built by Nancy Andrews-Goebel, and Black is Brown is Tan by
Arnold Adoff. Critical literacy enabled me to evaluate this genre of literature
to see if the culture is being portrayed accurately, researching about the
author/time period, and analyze if the illustrations are free from stereotypes
and generalizations.