TSLB3093

LANGUAGE ARTS IN THE

PRIMARY ESL CLASSROOM

MULTICULTURAL ELEMENTS IN
CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
What is Multicultural Literature?
• Literature about the sociocultural experiences of
underrepresented groups. Includes those who fall outside
the “mainstream” of categories such as race, ethnicity,
religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, language.
• Yokota's own definition of multicultural literature as
"literature that represents any distinct cultural group
through accurate portrayal and rich detail"
(http://www.kjodle.net/multicultural/definitions.php)
• Serves as a powerful tool in enabling students to gain a
better understanding of both their own culture and the
cultures of others
• Through this deeper knowledge, relationships can be strengthened,
bridging the gap between students from diverse cultural
backgrounds (Hseu & Hetzel, 2000)

• As students of the 21st century are global participants, it is important

that they possess cultural sensitivity.

• Through extensive research, Norton (2009) has discovered that

when students can relate global events to the themes, conflicts and
characterisations found in multicultural literature, it helps them to
better understand current world issues.

• Students therefore develop greater cognitive skills as they learn to

engage with and critically evaluate the texts that they read.
The Role of Multicultural Literature
Cultural Authenticity
• Increase cultural awareness.

• The literature used should accurately portray the

history, customs, values, and language of a
particular cultural group.

• Through sharing literature, students can learn to

understand and to appreciate a literary heritage
that comes from many diverse backgrounds.
Improves Self-Concept
• Benefits from literature that reflects their
own ethnic and cultural background.

• Helping all students develop a healthy

self-concept - one that is based on a
knowledge of and a sense of pride in
family background.
Promotes Understanding Among Cultures
• Extend students' knowledge about parallel cultures by
exposing them to the differences and similarities
between their culture and that of other groups.

• Expand students' awareness and decrease negative

stereotyping of individuals from other cultures.

• Literature can present students with clear contrasts in

perspectives and can help them to understand their own
cultural heritages and those of others.
Promotes empathy and unity
• fosters positive self-esteem and prevents students from
feeling isolated. It has the ability to nurture respect,
empathy and acceptance among all students (Steiner et
al, 2008).
• can promote unity among different cultures.
• It suggests that although people have many differences,
there are common traits that unite us.
Promotes cross-cultural friendship

 promotes the interaction of

children across differing ethnic
backgrounds (Steiner et al.,
2008)

 Stories portraying cultural

diversity can foster the belief
that race is not a barrier, but
rather a contribution to the
beauty of our multicultural world
Helps students look critically at the world
• develop global can help students
awareness by introducing them to current
cultural issues.
• When students vicariously experience the
feelings and emotions of others through
literature, they are encouraged to look
critically at the world and gain a greater
understanding of the global community
(Monobe & Son, 2014)
 Why teach Multicultural books?
• Multicultural books transport
• Multicultural fairy tales show common
human
• Great multicultural books help to dispel
stereotypes
• Books teach us about kids around the
world
• Multicultural books teach tolerance and
respect
• Multicultural literature features characters
and themes from countries around the
world.
• Writers in this genre express their ideas
and values through the characters
featured in their work.
 Task

Choose any literary

genre suggested in
KSSR curriculum.
Design one
activity which promot
e cultural
understanding in
Malaysian context.