Strategies for Adopting Children's Refugee Literature in the Multicultural Classroom
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18533/journal.v3i12.615Keywords:
Celebrate the culture, Effective strategies, Multicultural education, Refugee literature.Abstract
Although many studies currently detail refugee experiences about famine, war, and frightening events like the holocaust, little research about the portrayal of the refugee experience in children’s literature exists (Hope, 2008). This lack of research or gap creates a problem of understanding for educators and students in the multicultural classroom. These refugee children have had little or no formal education and this has created a major learning block for them in American classrooms. This study seeks to answer the question: what are examples of refugee children’s literature and effective strategies to help children better understand and appreciate one another and their cultures? A book review of selected refugee children’s literature and an analysis of pedagogy of effective instructional strategies were the methodologies used in the study. Study findings indicate four refugee children’s books represent similarities and the uniqueness of the literature and identify effective instructional strategies and activities to enhance greater understanding of the refugee experience. Policy implications from the study suggest strategies that educators may employ to adopt children’s refugee literature in the multicultural classroom. The path to embrace, to enhance, and to celebrate the life experiences of refugee children may be accomplished through the implementation of these effective instructional strategies in the multicultural classroom to help children better understand and appreciate one another and their cultures.
References
Bennett, C. (1999). Comprehensive Multicultural Education. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Bunting, E. (2005). Gleam and Glow. Boston, MA: HMH Books for Young Readers.
Boles, M. (2006). The Effects of Multicultural Literature in the Classroom. Retrieved from commons.emich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1061&context=honors/62/.
Dolan, A.M. (2014). Intercultural education, picture books and refugees: Approaches for language teachers. Children’s Literature in English Language Acquisition, Vol. 2. Issue 1.
Freemantle, T. (2012). Texas leads the nation in refugee resettlement. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from http://chron.com/news-houston-texas/article/Texas-leads-nation.
Garland, S. (1993). The Lotus Seed. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Hope, J. (2008). One Day We Had to Run: The Development of the Refugee Identity in Children’s Literature and its Function in Education. Department of Educational Studies, Goldsmiths College, New Cross, London, UK.
Inglesia, M. (2008). Multicultural literature for children. Retrieved from http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48493.
Irwin, L. (2011). Welcome Home, Multicultural Literature! Eliminating Stereotypes and Encouraging Acceptance in Kindergarteners Using Parent/Teacher Collaboration. The Journal of Multiculturalism in Education, vol. 7, Dec.
Landt, S. (2011). Integration of Multicultural Literature in Primary Grade Language Art Curriculum. The Journal of Multiculturalism in Education, vol. 7, Dec.
McLaughlin, Maureen (2010). Content area reading: Teaching and learning in an age of multiple literacies. Boston, MA: Pearson. ISBN: 0-205-48661-4.
Moats, L. C. (2010). Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers (2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Paul. H. Brookes Publishing Co.
Ranaivo, Y. (2012). Catholic Family Service to Aid Fewer Refugees: Money, school woes lead to nonprofit’s action. Retrieved from the Amarillo Globe News. yann.ranaivo@Amarillo.com (April 8, 2012).
Robertson, K. & Breiseth, L. (2008). How to Support Refugee Students in the ELL Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/23379/
Tompkins, Gail. (2015). Literacy for the 21st Century: A Balanced Approach (6th Edition). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Williams, K. L. & Mohammed, K. (2007). Four Feet, Two Sandals. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.
Williams, M. (2005). Brothers in Hope: Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan. New York: Lee& Low Books.
World Refugee Survey. (2009). World refugee fact sheet. Retrieved from http://immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/refugees-fact-sheet.
Zerby, D. B. (2012). Worth the Sacrifice: Leaving behind their homes and families, refugees rebuild their lives in hope of offering sanctuary, education to children. Retrieved from the Amarillo Magazine, posted April 27, 2012 noon at www.amarillomagonline.com/article/556.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
