A Study of the Use of Multicultural Literature in the Elementary Classroom

Abstract

The first purpose of this study was to find out how teachers at the elementary level in suburban and urban schools implement multicultural literature • into their classrooms. The second purpose was to find out where these teachers received instructional training on how to use multicultural literature in the classroom. Today's classrooms are more culturally diverse than ever. It is important for teachers to be able to teach students from all ethnic backgrounds. Using multicultural literature can be a way to address diversity in the classroom. Three Monroe County elementary schools are included in this study. Two of the schools are in a suburban setting and one school is in an urban setting. A survey, developed by the researcher to find out the usage and level of training in multicultural literature, was given to all teachers teaching grades kindergarten through sixth grade. Forty-five teachers responded to the survey. A descriptive analysis of the data from the surveys indicates that all the subjects used multicultural literature in their classrooms. Multicultural literature is integrated into several subject areas, student libraries, and teacher libraries. The data also revealed that teacher preparation institutions have provided very little instruction in the use, evaluation, and selection of multicultural literature. The data indicated that the suburban school district barely provided any teacher in-services on multicultural literature. However, the urban school district did provide opportunities for teachers to receive instruction on how to use multicultural literature through the use of teacher in-services.