TEACHING CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENT LITERACY THROUGH

APPROPRIATE BOOKS AND STRATEGIES IN LITERATURE

Literacy - derived from Latin word littera, meaning “letter”, is the ability to write, speak, and listen in a
way that lets us communicate effectively and make sense of the world. Having literacy skills is
important for both children and adolescents, thus having different strategies and books in order to
hone them.

1.MULTICULTURALISM - It is defined as allowing many individual cultures to exist within one

country. It is the simple fact of cultural diversity. Literary texts that incorporate multiculturalism are
called multicultural literature.
Examples:
● Rick Riordan Presents - a publishing company owned by American author Rick
Riordan which aimed writers around the world to share their works exploring their
country’s culture and mythology.
➢ Books such as The Spirit Glass, Lords of the Night,Pahua and the Soul Stealer
etc. are some of these books.
➢ Additionally, Rick Riordan is the author of the Percy Jackson series.
● Life of Pi - a 2001 novel about a young Indian boy who explores issues of spirituality
and metaphysics at an early age while being stranded on a lifeboat with a Bengal Tiger.
● Other examples of multicultural books are The Dreamer, Under my Hijab, Colors of Us,
Hair Love, and many more.

Significance of multiculturalism in teaching children and adolescent literacy

➢ Multicultural literature serves as a powerful tool in enabling students to gain a better

understanding of both their own culture and the cultures of others.
➢ Determine whether student perspectives on diversity and the acceptance of others
altered once they were exposed to multicultural texts.
➢ Promotes empathy, unity, cross-cultural friendship, and helps students look critically at
the world.

Choosing a Quality Multicultural Literature

● Prioritize accuracy in portrayals - it helps preserve the truth about cultures or how
realistic they were portrayed in literature and other forms of media.
● Avoid stereotypes - it helps for children and adolescents to understand that not all
people of the same nationality or culture have the same characteristics.
● Promotes inclusivity - it means that all race, religion, ethnic background, gender, etc.
are treated as equal.

2. STORYTELLING AND READING ALOUD - the processes of sharing stories to the audience.
➢ Storytelling - telling a story by heart, live, verbal and non-verbal, interactive, to a group
of listeners, does not require a book present, and takes more time in preparation.
➢ Reading Aloud - reading a story from a book, live, verbal and has limited interaction
with the audience; gives immediate connection to books.
 Significance of storytelling and reading aloud in teaching children and adolescent
literacy
1. Require and promote listening skills.
2. Hone your learners to make their own images of the story.
3. Let them understand the structure of stories.
4. Helpful in language development or learning of different languages.

3. CHOICE AND TYPES OF BOOKS - self selecting books allow students more latitude to be deeply
involved with the learning process, thus fostering an interest in, as well as developing an ownership of
the reading process.
Different Appropriate Books for Children and Adolescent Literacy
Picture Book
● A story intended for the youngest of readers, in which the illustrations and the text work
together to tell the story.
● Primarily intended for children aged 3-7.
Textbook
● A book containing a comprehensive compilation of content in a branch of study with the
intention of explaining it.
● Textbooks are produced to meet the needs of educators, usually at educational institutions.
Novella
● A narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most
novelettes and short stories.
● Notable examples are The Little Prince and A Christmas Carol.
Novel
● A narrative work of prose fiction that tells a story about specific human experiences over a
considerable length.
● It comes in different genres such as fantasy, horror, historical fiction, romance, etc.
● Examples are Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden, Little Women, etc.
Audio Book
● A recording, on a CD or made available on the internet, of a book being read aloud.
● Nowadays, audio books are available in famous streaming platforms such as Spotify and
YouTube.

4. MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENT LITERATURE - media and

technology can be used to engage children in reading, enhance their language and literacy skills, and
foster critical thinking about technology's role in society.

Significance of media and technology in teaching children and adolescent literacy

➢ Digital tools (e.g. smartphones, ebooks, tablets) can aid in providing learning
opportunities for children such as supporting their language, reading, and writing
development.
➔ In other words, digital tools can be used in project-based learning and
after-school programs to empower students and promote authentic literacy
practices.
➢ Children's literature can also serve as a starting point for creative discussions about the
nature of technology and its effects on individuals, society, and nature.