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Multicultural literature is a term used to describe books that include themes of diversity and representation. This usually means that there will be different cultures and/or ethnicities represented in the characters and world portrayed in the book.

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Masters In Library Science.net - Find Degrees, Careers and Salary

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Connecting with a novel can be life-changing. As the characters in a book struggle with love, loss, morality, and mortality, readers can feel that their own obstacles are parts of the universal human experience. Isolation melts away. Fears are identified and picked apart in beautiful prose.

For society's more marginalized populations, though, that kind of validation is often out of reach. According to a School Library Journal survey, only 34% of school and public librarians feel like their collections reflect their communities' demographics. How can the world become an equitable place when so many people are underrepresented?

Fortunately, according to data gathered by that same survey, 81% of librarians believe that stocking diverse literature is vital to their institutions' missions. But what is multicultural literature exactly? Why is it important to social, mental, and emotional health? And how can librarians bring diversity in literature to the masses?
The Importance and Characteristics of Multicultural Literature Librarians' Crucial Roles in Promoting Diversity in Literature Learn More About How To Become a Librarian That Promotes Diversity
The Importance and Characteristics of Multicultural Literature

Multicultural literature isn't a single genre. It can be literary fiction, fantasy, mystery, memoir, and really anything else a writer wants it to be. But no matter the genre, authentic multicultural works often share characteristics that enrich them with unmatched perspective and valuable insights.

Cultural Identity and Context Are Central

Culturally-representative literature explores culture in specific, meaningful ways. Characters' thought processes, actions, and experiences are shaped by the cultural contexts they live in. In that way, cultural context and identity aren't afterthoughts - they're main components of the work's structure and themes.

Take, for instance, the crime thriller Chinatown Beat by Henry Chang, a second-generation Chinese-American writer from Chinatown, New York. The novel has all the trappings of other works in the genre like gruff detectives and shadowy gangsters. But Chang lays these tropes on top of the nuanced and very real cultural struggles that urban Chinese-American immigrants face: exploitation, racist law enforcement practices, and the challenge of forging a future without forgetting the past.

In Chinatown Beat and other multicultural works like it, these specific experiences are central. They're described with the precision readers with similar backgrounds can relate to and readers outside of the culture can gain insights from.

It Avoids Turning Differences Into Novelties

Mainstream literary works often use cultural differences as set pieces. They're written about broadly and used solely for effect. While this practice can make others aware of different cultures, it can also reinforce stereotypes and reduce minority groups to mere curiosities devoid of complexity.

There's a world of works that navigate this issue with extreme agility. For example, Yaa Gyasi's historical fiction novel Homegoing tracks the descendants of two half-sisters from Ghana. One is sold into slavery and sent to America while the other marries an English aristocrat. The generations that follow aren't representative of one homogenous group, but members of different cultures dealing with the scars of colonialism in completely personal ways.

Outsiders may see the superficial similarities between different African and African immigrant cultures and ignore the complexities that exist between them. At best, this results in ignorance. At worst, it results in racist views that damage huge swaths of society for centuries.

When stocked with intricate works like Homecoming, libraries can become sources of cross-cultural insights that keep society from viewing different cultures as monoliths. At the same time, specific marginalized groups can feel represented by media that portrays them as the complex humans they truly are.

It's Written By Authors From Cultures Outside of the Mainstream

Promoting diversity in literature isn't just about the literature itself. It's about the historically ignored voices of women, people with disabilities, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Even in an increasingly diverse world, these voices can be drowned out by the mainstream.

According to a survey conducted by equity-focused publisher Lee and Low Books, the American publishing industry is:

To be heard, authors from discriminated-against groups still have to traverse a predominantly straight, white, neuronormative industry. Some self-publish instead or seek publishers that specifically spotlight minority voices. Whatever route these authors take, though, including them in library collections spreads the message that their voices matter - that every kind of person has value in the world.

The Impact of Diversity in Children's Literature

Children often explain experiences in comical ways that make sense to their developing brains. Bumps in the night are boogeymen. An upset tummy is butterflies. These rationalizations are generally harmless, but if children are deprived of conversations about cultural differences, their novel worldviews could set them up for future prejudices.

They may see people of different races as bad or scary. Their classmates with developmental disorders or same-sex parents become outsiders. Likewise, children in minority families may internalize negative social cues and develop severe identity issues before they even learn their times tables.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), these prejudices often form earlier than parents realize. Babies frequently demonstrate racial biases by the time they're three months old. The APA also notes that by age four, American children commonly associate whiteness with higher socio-economic status. Despite this, a survey shows that many parents don't start conversations about cultural differences until around a child's fifth birthday.

Children's books featuring diverse characters can help parents and educators explain cultural differences in age-appropriate ways. For children from marginalized communities, knowing that they're represented positively in media from an early age can build a sense of self-worth that may otherwise be unavailable to them.

Overall, promoting diversity in literature early in a child's life can be vital to their emotional and social well-being.

Librarians' Crucial Roles in Promoting Diversity in Literature

On the surface, a librarian's training seems a bit dry and academic. Through library science Master's programs, they learn how to organize vast physical and digital collections, help patrons conduct independent research, and balance sometimes slim budgets. But those same skills put them at the forefront of promoting diversity in libraries and the communities they reside in.
With a mind for inclusion and training provided by a Master's library science program, librarians can:

Make informed decisions about representative literature. Curating a collection of accessible, relevant, and authentic multicultural books takes a lot of time and research. A trained librarian can use their skills and input from colleagues to find literature that meets their patrons' immediate cultural and educational needs.

Make diverse books visible and accessible. A multicultural display can encourage readers who feel underrepresented by mainstream literature. This can include displays dedicated to specific ethnic groups, LGBTQ+ literature, and people with disabilities. With such accessible and visible representation, everyone can find books that speak to their experiences and educate them about groups they aren't familiar with.

Highlight literary awards that focus on diverse authors. Literary works don't need to win awards to be valid, but award-winning works can be a great way to draw in new readers. Today, there are fortunately organizations dedicated to promoting distinguished literary works written by groups overlooked by the mainstream literary press.

Organize cultural events. By working with local organizations, librarians can coordinate meaningful events centered around cultural holidays and inclusive book clubs. Isolated people can share their struggles while the community as a whole learns more about their neighbors' lives.

Advocate for disadvantaged communities. Participating in conversations about inclusion isn't easy for large segments of disabled and non-English-speaking communities, but their voices deserve to be heard. Multilingual librarians and librarians with connections to advocacy organizations can work together to create spaces where everyone feels safe and can speak freely.

Create a diverse library staff. Diversity in libraries isn't limited to books. Having an inclusive staff can help libraries make more equitable decisions and assist patrons from marginalized groups.

In many library science programs learning how to promote diversity in libraries is part of the curriculum. However, this education can continue on the job. By listening to patrons and drawing in new ones from marginalized groups, librarians can champion diversity in literature in a way that truly serves the community.

Librarians are in the unique position to learn about their communities' cultural divides and create ways to overcome them.

Learn More About How To Become a Librarian That Promotes Diversity

Upholding diversity in literature is only one way librarians make public, school, and academic libraries more equitable. Some careers in librarian science focus more on bringing technology to underserved communities while others involve teaching essential research and digital literacy skills. Now, learning the skills often needed to fill those roles is more accessible than ever before.

Explore some of the best fully-accredited online Master's in Library Science degree programs available today and find out how you can become a champion of inclusion in a world that desperately needs it.

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What is Multicultural Literature? - Masters In Library Science.net

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Multicultural literature is vital to diversity in libraries and equity in communities. Find out what it is and how librarians keep it in the public eye.

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Books have a way of sparking empathy, drawing readers into the lives of characters who may be different from themselves -- or different from other characters in the story. Kids and teens walk in others' shoes as these characters -- or real-life kids -- navigate the school bus, deal with bullying, fall in love, face physical or mental challenges, or have fantastical adventures in another time or galaxy. It's a diverse world, and these books reflect the view that we're all in it together. For more great reads, check out our Books with Characters of Color and Books That Teach Empathy.

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Books That Promote Diversity and Inclusion

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Books have a way of sparking empathy, drawing readers into the lives of characters who may be different from themselves -- or different from other characters in the story. Kids and teens walk in others' shoes as these characters -- or real-life kids -- navigate the school bus, deal with bullying, fall in love, face physical or mental challenges, or have fantastical adventures in another time or galaxy.

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School Library Journal Diverse Books List

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School Library Journal Diverse Books List

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Amanda Jones, 2021 School Librarian of the Year, was supported by her principal and district leadership while handling a challenge to the award-winning book.

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Each year the American Library Association honors books, videos, and other outstanding materials for children and teens. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, the ALA Youth Media Awards, including the prestigious Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards, guide parents, educators, librarians, and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by committees composed of librarians and other literature and media experts, the awards encourage original and creative work in the field of children’s and young adult literature and media.

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Goodreads: Best Multicultural Books for Children

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Goodreads: Best Multicultural Books for Children

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This is a list of multicultural books for children - picture books through elementary chapter books. A good multicultural book should:
- present the character's culture accurately and sensitively;
- feature marginalized protagonists or protagonists of color;
- empower children of different ethnic backgrounds;
- have strong literary merit.

Books that do not meet these criteria are subject to removal from this list, as there are many books out there that feature characters of ethnicity, but are not respectful toward their culture.

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451 books based on 353 votes: Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan, The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi, Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale by John St...

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Diverse BookFinder | Identify & Explore Multicultural Picture Books

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Are you looking for multicultural children’s books? We’ve got you covered! You can search our circulating collection of picture books (2002-present), explore our quick lists, then borrow our books from your own library through interlibrary loan. We believe that too many children are left out of main…

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Why Diversity Needs to Be at the Heart of Children’s Literature

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Why Diversity Needs to Be at the Heart of Children’s Literature

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Literacy Daily is a space to connect educators, students, and leaders with the latest news, ideas, tools, strategies, and research in literacy instruction.

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It's important for all kids to see themselves on the pages.

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Why Diverse Books Matter: Mirrors and Windows

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Why Diverse Books Matter: Mirrors and Windows

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'There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you until the day you begin to share your stories.' - Jacqueline Woodson, The Day You Begin
The books we use offer a valuable opportunity to bring our students' languages, cultures, histories, and voices into our classrooms. They also provide the opportunity to introduce students to a wide range of diverse stories that reflect different perspectives and experiences - both theirs and others.

This concept is often referred to as "mirrors and windows" and was introduced by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop in her iconic essay, " Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors."

Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop: Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors

Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop discusses her "Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors" analogy to highlight the importance of diversity in books.

What Are Mirror Books?

Mirror books are books that reflect different aspects of students' identity, including:

family

gender

race

ethnicity

culture (such as special traditions, celebrations, songs, nursery rhymes, and games)

language and how language is used

religion

socio-economic status

immigration experience / status

other aspects of identity and lived experiences

By enabling students to make connections to themselves, mirror books:

provide validation and affirmation

tell students that their stories matter

show students possibilities of who and what they can be

Maya Christina Gonzalez: Seeing Ourselves in Books

Author and illustrator Maya Christina Gonzalez talks about why it is so important for all children to see themselves in books and also shares her book My Colors, My World/Mis colores, mi mundo with young readers.

Connections with curriculum

Seeing themselves in books can also communicate important messages to students about their place in school. The authors of More Mirrors in the Classroom: Using Urban Children's Literature to Increase Literacynote that "Seeing oneself represented in the characters, authors, and illustrators in a classroom and school library can go a long way in making sure we are conveying a message to children that school is for and about them." (Fleming et al, p. 20)

This is also one reason that using mirror books is such a powerful example of:

For example, in an excerpt from Colorín Colorado's award-winning film You Are Welcome Here, filmed in Dearborn, MI, middle school teacher Anna Centi talks about connections her refugee students from Yemen made to Linda Sue Park's book A Long Walk to Water, observing that she has been able to push her students with more rigorous text when they feel connected to the stories they read. You can read more about the research supporting the use of culturally responsive instruction from the New America Foundation.

When mirror books are missing

Along those lines, when children do not see themselves in the literature they read, or when they encounter negative stereotypes or inaccuracies about their communities in books, they may think that their stories or experiences don't matter.

They may also believe the "people like them" do not:

read for pleasure

appear as the protagonist or hero of the story

appear in different kinds of stories, like detective or fantasy stories

enjoy different types of genres, like poetry or science fiction

have experiences they see others having, such as spending time in nature or going to the library

work in different kinds of careers, like science or engineering

write or illustrate books (or work in the publishing industry)

Just as the use of mirror books can have a positive impact on students' self-concept in the school setting, a lack of mirror books can have a negative impact. The authors of More Mirrors in the Classroom note, "Many children develop the impression that books are not about them or for them, and they can start to feel disinterested in and excluded from school" (p. 11)

The More Mirrors team also reflects on students' limited access to culturally responsive materials in their literacy instruction, noting that within commonly used basal readers and text sets,

"(F)ew text selections include urban settings, multicultural and multilingual communities, and the urban architecture and ecology with which young children in urban public schools are familiar. When urban selections are included, they often depict communities, families, and children from a deficit perspective, rather than presenting authentic and affirming images of urban life." (vii-viii)

Grace Lin: Cultural mirrors and windows

Grace Lin talks about her first picture book, The Ugly Vegetables, and reflects on her own childhood experience as the only Asian girl in her class. She also talks about what happened when she told her classmates she wanted to try out for the part of Dorothy inthe school's production of The Wizard of Oz.

What Are Window Books?

Window books are books where children see aspects of a world that is different than their own.

Window books offer a glimpse into other people's lives and:

introduce readers to new worlds, perspectives, and experiences

allow readers to develop new interests

engage readers with important topics and social issues

Window books also remind readers that their view is not the only view, which is why Dr. Bishop notes in the video clip above that "diversity needs to go both ways," observing that "children who always find their mirrors in books...get a false sense of what the world is like because it's becoming more and more colorful and diverse as time goes on."

Hena Khan: "I hope my books are mirrors and windows"

Hena Khan talks about her middle grade novel Amina's Voice and shares her hopes that kids of all backgrounds will connect to her books and that adults will share them with diverse groups of students.

When Windows Become Mirrors

Even as they introduce readers to different perspectives, window books also show us what we all have in common. Dr. Bishop reminds us that a story that seems to be about someone very different than ourselves can provide powerful moments of recognition.

In her groundbreaking essay on windows and mirrors, she writes, "When lighting conditions are just right, however, a window can also be a mirror. Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection we can see our own lives and experiences as part of the larger human experience. Reading, then, becomes a means of self-affirmation, and readers often seek their mirrors in books."

Gene Luen Yang echoes that theme in the video clip below.

Gene Luen Yang: Finding our common humanity in "Black Boy" by Richard Wright

Gene Luen Yang recalls the impact that Richard Wright's novel Black Boy had on him in high school.

Building Empathy and Community

Since diverse books can serve both as mirrors and windows of different human emotions and experiences, they offer a powerful opportunity to build community, increase students' empathy, and push back against bias and prejudice. This can also make them a valuable tool to support social-emotional learning (SEL) and discussion in the classroom.

For example, the books on this booklist highlight the ways that schools and communities can make children from diverse backgrounds feel welcome:

These booklists dig deeper into tougher topics, providing an entry point into hard, important conversations:

Access to Diverse Books

Knowing that all students can benefit from diverse books is only the first step in increasing students' access to diverse books, which is often limited in many schools, including those serving primarily students of color.

The authors of More Mirrors in Classrooms write, "Many classroom libraries in under-resourced urban public schools still have few books with characters of color. In some cases, those books are relegated to a single 'multicultural' bin, even in cases where 100% of the students are African American or Latino." (p. 11)

Why is access limited?

This lack of access is due to a few factors, including, as noted above, a lack of resources for schools, limited awareness of the value of diverse books for all students, and minimal familiarity with the high-quality diverse books that are available to students.

There is also a tremendous disparity in the publishing industry. The Cooperative Children's Book Center has been tracking statistics on diversity in children's publishing since the 1990s, and their data have told the same story since they started their work.

Even though more diverse books are being published than ever before:

the number of diverse books published each year still is dwarfed by the number of titles published featuring white, English-speaking, middle class protagonists as "the norm"

the number of books featuring animals also greatly outnumbers the numbers of diverse books published each year.

(See the infographic below for a powerful visual representation of this disparity.)

As a result:

children who would see themselves reflected in diverse books have many fewer choices available

educators, librarians, and families may not be familiar with the diverse books that are being published

fewer diverse books are included in classroom activities, curriculum materials, text sets, literacy celebrations, and library events

Video: Matt de la Peña reflects on why his books are easier to find in some schools rather than others

Award-winning author Matt de la Peña recalls a conversation with a teacher who said she enjoyed his books but didn't have many copies at her school since the student population was so different from his characters.

We Need Diverse Books

The good news is that there is tremendous energy around creating, sharing, and celebrating diverse books across the country. We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) has played a major role in this conversation, starting as a social media campaign and grassroots movement that has shone a spotlight on the importance of diverse books for children and youth. (You can learn more about how WNDB started in our interview with founder Ellen Oh below.)

WNDB is now a non-profit organization that has created a range of opportunities within the publishing industry for authors and students. In addition, WNDB has:

created a new award recognizing diverse books called The Walter Award, named after the late Walter Dean Myers, a lifelong champion of diversity in publishing for children and youth

published multiple anthologies for children and young adults featuring diverse authors

Awards

The number of diverse books being published and winning awards has continued to increase in recent years. For example, in addition to The Walter and other numerous awards highlighting diverse books, the following books have won Newbery and Caldecott Awards in recent years:

Changes in publishing

At the same time, broader, deeper changes are happening. For example:

Award-winning writer Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee) started Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint at HarperCollins, in response to the need for more titles written and illustrated by Native authors.

Chispa Comics will be a new LatinX comics book imprint led by David Bowles, Hector Rodriguez III, and Javier Chapa.

Linda Sue Park has started KiBooka, a website that features books by authors and illustrators of Korean descent.

These kinds of structural changes help not only increase the number of titles available but also ensure that there are more diverse voices in the conversations and decisions within the children's publishing industry, librarian circles, and education - a necessary step in increasing students' access to mirrors and windows through diverse books.

Finding diverse books

To find recommendations of diverse book titles, see How to Find Diverse Books.

Authors Reflect on Asian Representation in Children's Books

In these interviews, authors reflect on seeing themselves in books (or not) and how their Asian heritage has shaped their work. Featured authors include Erin Entrada Kelly, Gene Luen Yang, Ellen Oh, Hena Khan, Uma Krishnaswami, Grace Lin, and Rukhsana Khan.

Cynthia Leitich Smith: What inspired Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids

Cynthia Leitich Smith shares the story behind Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids, an anthology she edited that features stories, poems, and artwork from a diverse group of Native contributors. These connected stories center on a powwow held at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI.

Closing Thoughts

This is an exciting time to be using diverse books with your students given how many outstanding books are being published and how many people are working to increase students' access to diverse book. As our students come of age in an increasingly global world and navigate a wide range of issues and challenges, the mirrors and windows we provide for our students have never mattered more.

We hope that this guide will provide you with lots of ideas for books you can share with students and ideas for bringing these books into the classroom.

Recommended Resources

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Why Diverse Books Matter: Mirrors and Windows

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'There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you until the day you begin to share your stories.'

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Diversity in the Classroom: Teaching, Types, and Examples

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Diversity in the Classroom: Teaching, Types, and Examples

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Learning about and understanding diversity in the classroom can enhance the perspective of both prospective and developing teachers in many ways as they engage with the realities of today's classrooms.

First, today's teachers are likely to confront a range of different types of students-students with different socioeconomic backgrounds, different learning abilities/disabilities, and different ethnic or religious identities. Second, working effectively with classroom diversity is critical to promoting educational equity and optimizing both access and outcomes. Third, learning about diversity and developing strategies for working productively with those who are different entails short- and long-term benefits for students. Finally, diversity in the classroom is a teaching tool and opportunity for educational enrichment in itself.

Explore the impact of diversity in education, why diversity matters for students, and how teachers can foster diverse and inclusive learning environments.

Educational Equity

Educational equity refers to the idea that every student should have access to the necessary resources to reach their full academic potential.

Without educational equity, academic success is significantly more difficult for some students. Systemic barriers-such as housing insecurity, inadequate nutrition, and underfunded classrooms-continue to prevent students from reaching their full potential. Certain groups of students do not receive the same educational opportunities and accommodations as their peers. This can lead to a lack of diversity in the workforce, barriers to social mobility, mental health issues, and increased poverty.

When students from disadvantaged backgrounds have access to the same resources and opportunities as their more privileged peers, they are more likely to succeed academically and professionally. Educational equity is important because it prioritizes all students having the opportunity to reach their potential, regardless of their identity or circumstances.

Diversity, Culture, and Social Identities

Diversity in the classroom refers to differences in social identities. A person's age, race, socioeconomic status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, and nationality all comprise a person's social identity. Our identities are intersectional and overlapping, and many aspects of our identities change over time.

Types of diversity that can be present in the classroom include:

Ability diversity: This includes differences in students' physical, mental, and learning abilities.

Age diversity: This includes differences in students' ages.

Gender diversity: This includes differences in students' gender identity and expression.

Ethnic diversity: This includes differences in race, ethnicity, national origin, and languages spoken at home.

Religious diversity: This includes differences in belonging to and identifying with the values and/or practices of a particular religion or sect.

Socioeconomic diversity: This includes differences in income, education levels, occupations, and housing security and stability with regard to students or their families.

Experiential diversity: This includes differences in students' life experiences, such as immigration, military service, adoption, or foster care.

Sexual orientation diversity: This includes differences in students' sexual orientations.

Geographic diversity: This includes differences in students' local or regional identity and experiences based on where they live, learn, and play.

Diversity in the classroom is not limited to these examples. Individuals can belong to multiple social groups at the same time. Note that diversity is not only about visible differences. Along with the last three categories above, differences in learning styles, personality, mental health, and more are often present without being visible.

Why a Diverse Teacher Workforce Matters

Diversity in the classroom is not limited to the student population-it includes teachers, too.

The teacher workforce that supports elementary students is far less racially and ethnically diverse in the US than the students they teach, according to data published in 2021 by Pew Research Center. While the share of Asian American, Black, and Hispanic teachers has increased over the past two decades, this minor increase has not kept pace with the rapid diversification of the general US population.

For example, Pew reports that between 2017 and 2018 (the most recent study based on National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) data):

79 percent of US public school teachers identified as non-Hispanic White, whereas only 47 percent of all public elementary students identified this way.

9 percent of US public school teachers identified as Hispanic, whereas 27 percent of public elementary students identified as Hispanic.

7 percent of US public school teachers identified as Black, whereas 15 percent of public elementary students identified as Black.

Recent empirical studies show evidence for improved learning outcomes for students who have teachers from the same racial and/or ethnic groups. According to findings synthesized by Brookings Institute in 2022, students who had a same-race teacher tended to experience educational benefits such as:

Improved test scores

Improved course grades

Improved working memory

Better attendance

Better interpersonal self-management

Higher likelihood of taking an advanced math class

Higher likelihood of being selected for a gifted and talented program

Higher likelihood to graduate from high school

Higher likelihood to intend to enroll in college

Diversifying our educational system must therefore include increasing the representation of teachers who belong to different racial and ethnic communities. Students of color deserve to have the opportunity to learn from teachers who may share similar cultural experiences as them.

Teaching Diversity in the Classroom

Valuing inclusion in the classroom can help to create a more respectful learning environment for everyone.

Students can be taught as early as pre-school and elementary school how to use accurate terms to describe their own social identity. For example, a child can proudly affirm that they are both Black and Korean American, having a mother who is a Black woman from Chicago and a father who is a Korean man from Busan. Likewise, a child can proudly affirm simply having two mothers or two fathers.

Students should also learn to celebrate and respect people from cultures different from their own. Diversity is crucial for elementary school students to learn about because it helps them to appreciate the differences among people and cultures. In a rapidly diversifying world, students deserve educators and educational resources that teach diversity in the classroom and affirm the importance of inclusion, respect, and justice for all.

Learning about diversity from an early age can lead to more inclusive and respectful interactions with others and can also help students develop a sense of empathy and understanding for people who may have different experiences or perspectives.

Kids often express a natural curiosity toward the food, sports, art, clothes, children's books, games, toys, and dances of different cultures. This openness and enthusiasm for learning from and about people who are different is something teachers must encourage and nurture.

Students who learn to appreciate and support members of diverse groups as children can grow up to be strong leaders of diverse and inclusive communities.

Contribute to the Ongoing Effort to Diversify Education

With the right teaching tools, educators can foster diversity and inclusion for the next generation of students. The significance of diversity in the classroom takes its impetus directly from a historical context where many classrooms were not diverse-either by political fiat or teaching philosophy-but its impact and its mission lies in promoting equity and positive outcomes for today's students.

If you're interested in an enriching career as an educator who embraces the mission of using diversity in the classroom as an educational opportunity, American University's Online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) and Online Master of Education (MEd) in Education Policy and Leadership programs may be a great next step for you. We prepare graduates with the tools they need to approach the diversity landscape in education with an informed perspective and teach students from diverse backgrounds.

Start pursuing your goals in education with American University.

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Diversity in the Classroom: Teaching, Types, and Examples

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Why learn about diversity in the classroom? Explore the impact of diversity in education and how teachers foster diverse and inclusive learning environments.

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10 Ways to Teach Diversity in the Classroom

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10 Ways to Teach Diversity in the Classroom

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University of San Diego - Professional & Continuing Education

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USD's May Sale: Save 25% on most Educator, Professional Business, and Healthcare Courses during the month of May!

As an educator, your mission is to teach your students about a wide variety of concepts, theories, subjects and cultures. In that pursuit of learning, many teachers find themselves wondering, how can I create an inclusive and well-rounded curriculum? While that can mean teaching about lesser-known historical events or unique grammatical nuances, it can also be as simple as teaching students about diversity, inclusion and acceptance of perspectives and cultures that are different from theirs.

Unfortunately, these are not universally taught concepts, so teachers don't have as many resources at their disposal. To help you get started, here is our quick guide to teaching diversity in the classroom.

What is Diversity in the Classroom?

To define diversity in the classroom, it helps to understand what diversity is in and of itself. Simply put, diversity is everything that makes people different from each other, such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ability or religious belief.

When it comes to education, diversity in the classroom is a phrase that refers to "a broad range of ideas and initiatives to create learning environments that are safe, inclusive and equitable for as many identities as possible. Recognizing, fostering and developing sensitivity to the needs of people in various identity categories are primary aims of educational diversity."

Why Is Diversity in the Classroom Important?

The benefits of teaching diversity are statistically proven to improve a number of student outcomes. The following are just a few results from years of research and study into the value of including diversity teachings in the classroom.

1. According to research conducted by Queens University of Charlotte, when lesson plans reflect the students and their varied backgrounds, they develop a deeper knowledge of a subject as they explore it from varying perspectives.

2. Studies have shown that having diverse classrooms helps develop tolerance and a greater sense of security when in environments with other foreign cultures present. It also helps students learn about other languages and cultures, encouraging them to be interculturally sensitive.

3. When working and learning with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, students gain a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

4. Diversity among students in education directly impacts their performance. Studies show that students work better in a diverse environment, enabling them to concentrate and push themselves further when there are people of other backgrounds working alongside them.

5. Teaching diversity in the classroom promotes creativity, as well as better education, as those with differing viewpoints are able to collaborate to create solutions.

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10 Ways to Support Diversity in the Classroom

1. Examine your teaching materials: This is a natural first step for anyone looking to focus more on teaching diversity in their classroom. While you may already be teaching some aspects of a diverse or inclusive curriculum, there are probably also subjects that will naturally be best-fits for some refreshed material.

2. Get to know your students (and their backgrounds): When the school year starts, consider sending home a survey to learn more about your students and their backgrounds. Always be mindful to word your questions in a thoughtful and inoffensive way. But by taking the initiative to demonstrate your interest in their culture or background, you're already doing the work of building a foundation of trust and openness about who they are and where they come from.

3. Address inequality: This can be one of the more difficult subjects you broach in your classroom, but it is critical that students see their teacher demonstrate an awareness of inequality. You can use examples from history, from current events or from hypothetical scenarios, but using real instances that students can relate to can help improve their comprehension and understanding.

4. Connect with parents: This can be done through the survey you send home or as a separate initiative, but try to engage with your students' parents too. They may have questions about how you will be teaching diversity as a subject or they may want to share their culture and background. Either way, having an open dialogue will prove beneficial for you, students and parents.

5. Be a culturally responsive educator: This may seem like a no-brainer, but work on actively being a culturally responsive educator. We all have unconscious bias to some degree, but by working to actively come to understand different cultural backgrounds, teachers can show their students that they are learning in an inclusive environment.

6. Seek out PD opportunities around diversity initiatives: This can come in the form of a workshop, conference, or even a professional development course. There are a growing number of diversity teaching professional development opportunities out there, and these can really help you start introducing these concepts into your own teaching.

7. Be honest about and aware of your own cultural biases: This will require some self-reflection and can be a bit uncomfortable, but to teach diversity and inclusivity you must first assess where you're coming from or where students might be coming from. By understanding your own cultural biases you can be more aware of your perspective and choices, and help other students do the same.

8. Include classroom signs in multiple languages: An easy and quick way to display diverse cultures in the classroom is to include bulletin boards and signage in a number of languages. You don't have to be a foreign language teacher to use this in the classroom, and a quick Google Translate will help you use the right terminology.

9. Invite guest speakers into your classroom: There is no better way to introduce your students to diverse people and cultures than by bringing people of diverse backgrounds into the classroom. This can be an opportunity to bring parents into class, or you can seek outside resources from perhaps a local college/university or a multicultural organization.

10. Take field trips to cultural events in your community: Many community organizations host events throughout the calendar that celebrate different holidays, festivals or significant dates in other cultures. These can be a great way to expose your students to the concepts they're learning in the classroom, and will give them first-hand knowledge of what they're studying.

Teacher Resources for Cultural Diversity in the Classroom

There are a handful of reputable online resources for educators looking to teach diversity in their classrooms in some form or fashion. Some of these resources come from nonprofits dedicated to diversity initiatives while others are from education-focused websites and organizations.

Professional Development in Classroom Cultural Diversity

Teaching diversity and inclusion can feel like an abstract concept. However, there are professional development programs that have courses dedicated to teaching these concepts across all grade levels. At the University of San Diego Division of Professional and Continuing Education, we proudly offer our Teaching for Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity in the Classroom series. This collection of courses focuses on giving educators the skills and strategies needed to create a culturally inclusive classroom, while also helping them to value inclusion and promote cultural respect and tolerance within their daily lives.

FAQs about Teaching Diversity

What is diversity in the classroom?

Diversity in the classroom is a phrase that refers to "a broad range of ideas and initiatives to create learning environments that are safe, inclusive and equitable for as many identities as possible. Recognizing, fostering and developing sensitivity to the needs of people in various identity categories are primary aims of educational diversity."

Why is diversity in the classroom important?

There are a number of studies that show the many benefits of teaching diversity, some of which include: students have been proven to perform better, they learn tolerance and cultural sensitivity, and students work and learn better in a diverse environment.

Are there PD opportunities around teaching diversity?

There are a number of studies that show the many benefits of teaching diversity, some of which include: students have been proven to perform better, they learn tolerance and cultural sensitivity, and students work and learn better in a diverse environment.

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University of San Diego - Professional & Continuing Education

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10 Ways to Teach Diversity in the Classroom - University of San Diego - Professional & Continuing Education

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10 Ways to Teach Diversity in the Classroom. Advance your career with professional and continuing education from the University of San Diego.

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How to Increase Access to Diverse Books in the Classroom and Community

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How to Increase Access to Diverse Books in the Classroom and Community

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There are many ways to advocate for the use of diverse books in your school, district, and beyond.

Here are some ideas to help you get started, as well as some resources that can help support your advocacy around diverse books.

Diverse Books in Schools

How can I advocate for the use of more diverse books?

In order to advocate for more diverse books, it is important to show the connections and interest to reading that students have shown after engaging with these texts.

Find out what your district and state is doing to support culturally responsive instruction. You may find that you can tie your efforts to initiatives that are already in place or that are getting under way.

If those initiatives are not yet in place, learn about the research supporting culturally relevant practice to help support your efforts. (This summary from the New America Foundation provides a helpful overview.)

Share the conversations and students' enjoyment and engagement with your peers in your building and across the district.

Invite administrators and school board members into your classroom to share the work that you and your students are doing.

Ask your colleagues if they would like to participate in a book group that introduces new titles of diverse books.

What about reading programs that don't include many diverse books?

It is important to look carefully at your reading program and be ready to look at books beyond the program, even when those programs include diverse texts or offer bilingual books. The books provided by reading programs may just be a translation of English version of the texts, or they may not have different connections to your student population. It's also important to include literature and texts in different genres that connect to the multiple identities represented in your classroom and that can be used in different content areas.

This means each year you may have to make some additions to your book collection given the identities and needs of your particular student population that year. Be creative and follow the lead of your students - and be prepared to continue sharing the research that supports the use of culturally responsive instruction and diverse books in your work to help expand the resources that your students can access in your classroom.

Note: If you think you may need additional support in order to add books into your reading instruction, talk with colleagues about how to approach this shift as a team and collect data that can help pinpoint effective practices around diverse books.

How can I find diverse books to donate to classrooms or at events?

You can often find books for donation for classroom collections or particular events. These articles offer ideas on where to look!

Diverse Books in Communities

How can I advocate for diverse books in my community?

The first step is to find partners. For example, your local bookstore may also be looking for ways to support diverse books. Reach out and find ways to support each other, through purchasing books via the local bookstore, hosting writing celebrations, and inviting the community to attend.

Another idea might be to reach out to your local college or university college of education and see if they might be interested in partnering with your class for reading and writing initiatives - including author visits, book fairs, etc.

In addition, you can ask your local libraries, bookstores, and even big box stores to feature diverse books all throughout the year and be sure to include them in any reading celebrations or holiday events.

Pat Mora: Gathering a Diverse Committee for "Día"

Award-winning author Pat Mora talks about the benefits of having a diverse planning committee for Día de los niños/Día de los libros (Día) book celebrations - and doing things a little differently!

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How to Increase Access to Diverse Books in the Classroom and Community

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There are many ways to advocate for the use of diverse books in your school, district, and beyond. Here are some ideas to help you get started, as well as some resources that can help support your advocacy around diverse books.

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Going Beyond a Diverse Classroom Library

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Going Beyond a Diverse Classroom Library

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Going Beyond a Diverse Classroom Library

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By using culturally inclusive texts to spark conversation, teachers can help young learners get the most out of these books.

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I know it sounds cliché, but I was in Kansas, I was in Topeka, and it was an all white school, and the teacher said to me, well, we don't get a lot of books about African Americans because we don't have African Americans in our class, in our school.

I thought, are your kids always going to be here? I said, when your kids leave here and they come to New York City, I don't want my child to be the first black person they ever encounter, because that's gonna be way too foreign for them, so why don't we start with the literature.

I think it's important that if your school system is not racially or economically or diverse in terms of gender, that the books still reflect that because the kids need to meet people unlike themselves and find a place in those people and in the story where they are, they share a common ground.

Because it's the beginning of the connection that literature's trying to form, that education is trying to form. We're trying to figure out how to connect with people and work together and make a better world. I mean that's what education is, is about understanding, it's about overcoming ignorance, it's about overcoming intolerance and you now bigotry.

The more people know about other people, the less doubt there will be. I think that we have to constantly publish books that talk about that. There's always going to be a need and I think now we have a lot of books and if you use a lot more books.

I think there is a need of getting more books out into the world and people realizing that this book about this gay white boy from California is very valid in my classroom because I don't want my kids to grow up to beat up this boy. That kind of stuff is so important.

We still have a lot of issues of censoring, censorship, of books getting challenged, of parents thinking they know what the book's about by reading the flap copy and deciding that's enough and not allow their kids to read the book. We're still living a time of fear and censorship which is heartbreaking.

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I know it sounds cliché, but I was in Kansas, I was in Topeka, and it was an all white school, and the teacher said to me, well, we don't get a lot of books about African Americans because we don't have African Americans in our class, in our school.

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Incorporating Diversity and Multiple Perspectives

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Incorporating Diversity and Multiple Perspectives

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Incorporating diversity involves designing your course with varied course materials, teaching methods, and learning activities that accommodate a diverse group of students with a range of learning modalities, abilities, experiences, and cultures. It may also mean that issues of diversity are part of the course learning outcomes and topics related to diversity are embedded within the course content.

Why Incorporate Diversity?

Incorporating diversity into a course allows you to:

Create an inclusive course climate.

Connect with and reach out to a wider range of students.

Motivate students (Ginsberg & Wlodkowski, 2009).

Create more positive educational experiences for students.

Help students gain an understanding of, and respect for, multiple perspectives and backgrounds.

Considerations for Incorporating Diversity

What personal cultural influences or teaching styles might influence your choices in course design?

What cultural influences or learning modalities might influence your students' motivation to learn and their expectations of the course?

Getting Started with Incorporating Diversity

There are several ways to build inclusive classrooms. Review the following suggestions to get started and/or consider attending the Center's Faculty Institute for Diversity:

Include issues of diversity as a learning goal of your course and tie current events and local histories to classroom activities.

Communicate your dedication to diversity by including diversity and disability statements in your syllabus. You might also include a classroom code of conduct to highlight expectations for classroom behavior.

Critically examine your course from multiple viewpoints to include materials that represent various perspectives accurately (consider gender, nationality, ethnicity, age, sexuality, political affiliation, socio-economic status, ability, linguistic background, etc.).

Be inclusive of various learning modalities and preferences. Plan to utilize a variety of teaching techniques. When designing assignments, try to provide a choice in how students can demonstrate their learning. Refer to inclusive teaching strategies for ideas.

Whenever possible, incorporate universal design for learning principles into your instructional methods and materials in order to increase accessibility to students of various abilities.

References

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Incorporating Diversity and Multiple Perspectives | Center for Teaching Innovation

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Incorporating diversity involves designing your course with varied course materials, teaching methods, and learning activities that accommodate a diverse group of students with a range of learning modalities, abilities, experiences, and cultures. It may also mean that issues of diversity are part of the course learning outcomes and topics related to diversity are embedded within the course content.

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The Importance of Diversity & Multicultural Awareness in Education

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The Importance of Diversity & Multicultural Awareness in Education

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The Importance of Diversity & Multicultural Awareness in Education

Drexel University School of Education

Cultural diversity in the classroom is on the rise. In 2014, U.S. public schools hit a minority majority milestone with Latino, African-American, and Asian students having surpassed the number of white students. In 2044, the U.S. Census predicts that over half of the nation's population will be people of color, so this trend will likely continue.

In our increasingly diverse and multicultural society, it's more important than ever for teachers to incorporate culturally responsive instruction in the classroom -- whether teaching elementary school, middle school or high school students. And the increase of diversity doesn't only relate to race and ethnicity; it can include students of different religion, economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and language background.

Interested in becoming a teacher? Learn more about Drexel's Teacher Certification program.

Why is it Important to Encourage Diversity in Schools and Workplaces?

Fostering inclusion and awareness around multicultural education and taking a culturally responsive approach to teaching benefits all students. Not only does creating greater multicultural awareness and inclusion help students with different backgrounds and needs succeed, but it encourages acceptance and helps prepare students to thrive in an exponentially diverse world. Our Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Wellness Certificate Program is a great opportunity for teachers to learn how to create positive classroom environments and can serve as a foundation for understanding how to promote diversity in your classroom.

Diversity in and out of the classroom will continue to grow, so it's essential we prepare students to adapt to an evolving world and embrace those different from themselves. Learn more how the programs at the Drexel School of Education are helping to prepare more culturally-responsive educators today.

Types of Cultural Diversity in the Classroom

Every student is unique. In order to properly understand and promote cultural awareness, teachers need to understand all the different types of diversity they may encounter in their classrooms including:

Race

A person's skin color can have a great impact on their experience in society. It can also impact how they view themselves and others when engaging in classroom activities.

Ethnicity

Ethnicity relates to a person's culture and nationality. Ethnicity is sometimes confused with race, but it is important to recognize that while some people may have the same skin color, they may come from different places and have vastly different cultural beliefs and views of the world.

Religion

It is important to understand that people have different religious belief or no religious beliefs, and it may impact their participation in the classroom. Students may react differently to lessons based on their religion or may not be able to be present on certain religious holidays.

Language

While English is commonly used in American classrooms, for some students, it is not the language they speak at home. Accommodations should be made to help students for whom English is a second language.

Socioeconomic Status

A student's socioeconomic status can affect their ability to participate in the classroom without some type of accommodation. For instance, access to a computer at home or reliable internet access is not a given for some children. Teachers should be aware of this and the stress it may cause students who may struggle due to a lack of resources.

Sexual Orientation

A student's sexual orientation can have a great impact on how they are experiencing the world. Teachers should understand the struggles that exist and ensure that the lessons taught in their classroom are inclusive.

Gender Identity

Similar to sexual orientation, it is important to understand each student's gender identity and how they would prefer to be recognized. Teachers should respect their student's identity and use preferred pronouns when interacting with their students.

How can you Promote Diversity and Multiculturalism in the Classroom?

There are several ways teachers and administrators, such as principals and coaches, can ensure that both the classroom environment and curriculum are responsive to the increasing cultural diversity of our society. These strategies will encourage all students' cultural awareness, enhancing each student's sense of identity, and foster inclusion in the classroom community.

1. Get to Know Your Students Ensuring that cultural awareness is promoted in the classroom starts with the teacher understanding each individual student. Take the time to learn about each student's cultural background, hobbies, learning styles, and what makes them unique. Demonstrating a genuine interest in learning about each student and their culture will help establish trust and allow you to form a bond with them so they feel valued. If students feel appreciated by and comfortable with the teacher, there's a better chance they'll feel comfortable talking with and respect their peers in the class - and communication is the core to a culturally aware and inclusive classroom.

2. Maintain Consistent Communication Aside from getting to know your students, teachers should also continue to maintain ongoing communication throughout the semester or school year. Scheduling 1-on-1 meetings with students to "check in" every so often will allow you to consistently improve how accessible the classroom is to everyone. Students can talk about whether they felt included in the classroom culture. This can help identify issues or ways to improve the overall experience. It's also an opportunity to discuss their progress in the class and offer guidance on how they can improve, based on their individual needs as a student.

3. Acknowledge and Respect Every Student It's also important for students to celebrate and respect their own diverse backgrounds, as well as each other's. When appropriate, teachers should encourage students to research and learn about their own ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This allows them to better understand their own culture as well as the differences and nuances with their peers. As a bonus, this can be a great ice breaker assignment, allowing students to give presentations about their family traditions and culture to help expose the class to concepts outside of their own familiar comfort zone. Acknowledging these differences and creating a safe space for discussion helps promote understanding in the classroom and beyond. Also, as you encourage students to learn about their diverse backgrounds, remember to take the time to highlight what's offensive and the distinction between cultural celebration and appropriation. Learning how to talk about other cultures in a respectful, mature way is essential for success in life outside the classroom.

4. Practice Cultural Sensitivity While it's important to keep an open dialogue amongst students, it's equally as important to make sure you're being sensitive to everyone's culture, beliefs, and language concerns. Take the time to understand each student's cultural nuances - from learning styles to the language they use - and use these insights to design your lesson plans. For example, provide English language learners with appropriate and relevant resources that help them improve their English comprehension skills. Rather than teach with a traditional lecture style, create learning experiences that are more interactive and require collaboration. These considerations will help ensure that every student feels included, is given the space to learn in their own way and is given a chance to succeed.

5. Incorporate Diversity in the Lesson Plan The classroom environment is important for fostering cultural awareness, but you also should ensure diversity is represented in your actual lesson plan. For example, broaden history lessons so that they encompass the world beyond United States history and culture. Or, use references and analogies to other cultures in your lessons and assignments to help students with diverse backgrounds personally connect. Another great strategy is bringing in diverse speakers to add varying points of view and real-life context to different subjects.There are several ways you can ingrain cultural awareness and diversity into your lesson plan, and it will vary depending on the cultures represented in your classroom and the course you're teaching. Regardless of the subject, always try to present and connect lessons to real-world issues. It's easier to promote cultural awareness within your lessons when there's a real example for students to relate to.

6. Give Students Freedom and Flexibility Teachers often feel like they need to take on a strict, authoritative approach when it comes to managing their classroom. The most valuable lessons are often learned through a student's own experiences, so giving them some freedom in the course encourages more connection to the curriculum. Allow students to read and present their own materials that relate to the fundamental lesson so they can approach the topic from their own perspective. As a teacher, you can act as a facilitator and encourage conversation and healthy debate between diverse opinions. Group assignments are also a great way to expose students to diverse perspectives, allowing them to work together to explore and solve a problem. This will also help prepare them for a diverse workforce where they'll have to partner with a range of people to accomplish their professional goals.

Why is it Multicultural Education Important to Students?

It is important to remind ourselves why diversity and cultural awareness is so crucial in the classroom and the benefits it can have on students now and in the long-term. Teaching diversity exposes students to various cultural and social groups, preparing students to become better citizens in their communities. These culturally responsive teaching strategies will help you to promote diversity in the classroom.

With these culturally responsive teaching strategies in mind, it's important to remind ourselves why diversity and cultural awareness is so crucial in the classroom and the benefits it can have on students now and in the long-term.

Students Become More Empathetic

Promoting awareness and creating a personal connection with diverse cultures in the classroom can prevent students from developing prejudices later in life. It allows them to empathize with people different from themselves since they're more aware of the experiences someone of a different race or cultural group may face.

Students Gain a Better Understanding of Lessons and People

When working and learning with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures present in the classroom, students gain a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. It also teaches students how to use their own strengths and points of view to contribute in a diverse working environment.

Students Become More Open-Minded

Naturally, by exposing students to a diverse range of opinions, thoughts, and cultural backgrounds, you're encouraging them to be more open-minded later in life. This will make them open to new ideas and be able to attain a greater comprehension on a topic by taking in different points of view.

Students Feel More Confident and Safe

Students who learn about different cultures during their education feel more comfortable and safe with these differences later in life. This allows them to interact in a wider range of social groups and feel more confident in themselves as well as in their interactions with others.

Students Are Better Prepared for a Diverse Workplace

With the rise of globalization, it's more important to be able to work with people from different cultures and social groups. If students are exposed to diversity and learn cultural awareness in the classroom, it sets them up to flourish in the workforce.

Learn More About Cultural Diversity in Education

There are additional resources available to help educators grow their knowledge of cultural diversity and apply it to their classrooms. Here are a few sites where you can find more information:

Additionally, Drexel offers programs that can help broaden a teacher's expertise in multicultural education including our online Teaching English as a Second Language and Social Emotional and Behavioral Wellness certification programs. You can also contact us to request more information.

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The Importance of Multicultural Education - School of Education

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As classrooms become more diverse, it's crucial for students to learn about other cultures. Discover how students benefit from classroom diversity with Drexel.

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Defining the Humanities: Multicultural Literature

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Defining the Humanities: Multicultural Literature

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A Guide to Selecting Multicultural Literature

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A Guide to Selecting Multicultural Literature

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Separating the Wheat from the Chaff

Introduction

The language arts curriculum presents an extraordinary opportunity for sharing powerful multicultural perspectives. Multicultural literature opens up the world, allowing all students to hear voices both different from and similar to their own, both from within their own community and beyond. Powerful literature can transport students into a world where they can feel the joys and struggles of others and where they can inhabit the cultural landscape the characters live in. Our ability to take students on these journeys has been greatly enhanced in recent years by an explosion of multicultural literature for children and young adults.

Our challenge today is to prepare ourselves for this journey and, especially, to know what to pack for it. Too often, we pack the old classics without making room for the new. Research suggests that at the secondary level, the choice of authors has remained "remarkably resilient since English coalesced as a school subject at the end of the nineteenth century." (Appleby, NCTE, 1993). While the elementary level has seen some broadening of selection, standard book lists for selecting literature continue to recommend few multicultural texts.

This guide to selecting multicultural literature is intended to encourage broader use of this literature by offering guidelines for selecting titles. Guidelines are unfortunately still necessary, because culturally biased books continue to be published and even to to receive awards. Moreover, it is difficult for any one teacher to evaluate books from so many different cultures both within the United States and around the globe. In addition to the selection guidelines, this essay will recommend ways to become self-reliant in evaluating titles, so that long after the bibliography becomes dated, educators can continue to make their own assessments.

What do we mean by multicultural literature? The general meaning refers to literature which embraces many cultures and where culture itself is an integral part of the story. Such a definition has implications beyond its dictionary-type appearance. For example, if we use "multicultural" as a shorthand for works about people of color, then we continue, even if only unconsciously, to place this community into the category of "other." Thus, we continue with the old paradigm of "literature" (white/European) and "multicultural literature." Such usage assumes that white/European is the universal culture, because it is simply "literature," while all other literature come with a special cultural designation. Multicultural literature should embrace all literature-the Greek epic, The Iliad, as well as Sundiata, the great epic from ancient Mali. At the elementary level, multicultural literature includes both Cinderella and Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters. However, our challenge today lies in insuring the inclusion of cultures which have been historically marginalized. Thus, for the purposes of theses guidelines, we will focus on the literature about people of color in the U.S. and abroad. However, we should also keep in mind the need for works about other underrepresented groups, such as the working class.

General Considerations

Three general comments are in order before turning to the main criteria for evaluating multicultural literature. First, any literature selection should be able to stand on its own in terms of quality of characterization, language, illustration and the other standards of good writing. Secondly, accurate and perceptive writing on a culture is a key element in choosing a work. While authors who are members of a given culture generally offer this, non-members also can. Writers such as Vera Williams, Katherine Paterson, and Rush Jhabvala have all succeeded at this leap of imagination. Thirdly, while copyright dates can sometimes aid in reviewing a book, they are not a sure indicator. Some new titles do still contain stereotypes. Moreover, some old titles are and should remain classics, such as Richard Wright's Native Son and Langston Hughes' Dream Keeper. Finally, while there are still some publishing gaps in multicultural titles at the elementary reading level, students at the adult level can choose from the enormous treasury of U.S. and world literature.

Criteria for Selecting Culturally Inclusive Works

Works chosen must meet two broad, overlapping criteria: the works must have cultural integrity and must avoid exoticising the culture.

Cultural Integrity
Literary works should be specific to a culture, both in the written work and in our use of it. Aspects of the culture should be embedded in the text and the illustrations. In picture books, the illustrations should enhance our understanding of the locale and the characters. We need to keep the "cultural" in multicultural. If there is no cultural context, the work may represent only a token effort at diversity. Thus, a folktale described in the text or preface as "African" is dubious, as all folktales are indigenous to a country or area. A reading of a folktale such as Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain gives us the opportunity to explore the cultural landscape of Kenya which bears little resemblance to, say, Ghana's. Similarly, readings from Puerto Rico cannot represent the "Latin American experience," as this enormous region is too diverse for such an effort.

Illustrations should be evaluated not only for their general cultural embedding, but specifically for their accuracy in portrayal of people. Caricatures of Arabs and Blacks continue to surface. For example, Arabs may be portrayed as dark-skinned, menacing men. Drawings of African-Americans should show individuality of character and should neither exaggerate nor minimize physical characteristics. Likewise, the diversity of color among Latin Americans should be reflected in the illustrations.

U.S. ethnic groups should not be confused with their overseas counterparts. Thus, Asian-American life and literature differ substantially from Asian life. Further, the Asian-American experience differs significantly along both national and generational lines. In addition, the experience of recent immigrants differs from those who arrived much earlier, even from the same countries. A novel such as The Joy Luck Club, with its theme of inter-generational differences, illuminates this point well.

Dialect should be appropriate to the situation and the time period. For example, African-American dialect differs across time and place. Moreover, its usage varies according to circumstance and person. Thus, choosing only books on African-American life written in dialect (or written with no dialect at all) misrepresents African-American life.
Avoidance of Exoticism
Literary selections should be chosen for their representative character, especially as our students often are not able to distinguish between the typical and the unrepresentative. Stereotyping comes in two main forms: 1) focusing on atypical cultures and situations and 2) allowing a typical situation represent all situations of a given culture. Careful selection is especially important, given that our students are not generally familiar with a wide range of cultural groups and may take a single work of literature to be representative of a whole group.

The first form of stereotyping comes from stories focusing on an atypical cultural group, such as the tiny Maasai population in Kenya. The second form of stereotyping can occur when only a single piece of literature is used to represent a whole culture, especially a culture with which students are unfamiliar. For example, literary selections which focus exclusively on traditional Native American tales can reinforce preexisting student notions of Native Americans as a people living in the past and without a presence today. Again, stories which place Chinese-Americans only in Chinatown can be misleading.

No single piece of literature can represent a culture. Because of this reality, we face a conundrum: our students need a variety of texts, yet we have time for only a limited number. There are a number of ways to resolve this problem, among them:

choosing additional works, perhaps short ones, to give variety in viewpoints;

looking for variety in what students read over a period of years rather than focusing just on what they read in a single year;

supplementing the reading of the work with a study of that culture, thus offering an opportunity for interdisciplinary learning.

Fundamental to any literature program is the goal of creating lifelong readers. Our sharing of multicultural literature can open new vistas for students, making way for new explorations not possible within the time constraints of the school calendar.

We need to be mindful of our audience and the preconceptions they bring to a reading. Thus, a novel of horrors set in Africa, such as Heart of Darkness, reinforces student notions about Africa being mysterious and dangerous. Similarly, stories focusing on violence in African-American characters may reinforce notions about violence in this community.

Folktales can be a powerful entry point to a culture unfamiliar to our students and to its values. Folktales also offer a wonderful entree to oral literature. (We are facing an publishers' explosion in folktales, because they promise cultural accuracy and they are inexpensive to produce, as the tales have already been told and are in the public domain.) However, there are certain pitfalls we need to avoid to use this literature well. The main one is balance. In particular, folktales abound from Asia and Africa, yet our students need exposure to other cultural experiences and genres of these peoples. Young students (and often older ones), unfamiliar with a culture, may not be able to differentiate between the world of the folktale and the world of today. Thus, students may hold on to the impression that Chinese life has not changed for two hundred years or that wild animals are found everywhere in Africa. (Most Africans today have today have never seen any wildlife.) Such misrepresentations are often reinforced by T.V. and movies.

Offensive and inappropriate language is not the problem it once was. We should remain alert, however, to two problems. The first is where language encodes stereotypical views such as a "noble people," or "a typically meek Chinese girl." Illustrations can also encode stereotypes, such as an overabundance of Asian-Americans wearing eyeglasses. The second problem arises when authors use non-parallel language. Non-parallel language occurs when an author uses different words for another culture to describe the same things which exist in mainstream U.S. life. Thus, works like "hut" for house or home, "a native" for a person, and "superstition" for a religious belief are offensive.

Racially charged remarks are acceptable if they are for the purpose of exposing a character and if they are used in a context which will easily be understood by the readers as defining that character.

Becoming Self-Reliant Reviewers of Multicultural Literature: READ, READ, READ

Any bibliography quickly becomes dated. Thus, we need to develop habits of mind for finding, evaluating and enjoying quality multicultural literature.

Of first importance is the need to model engagement with literature from a variety of cultures. Reading such literature brings joy and power form new perspectives and powerful language. For example, a short Senegalese novel, So Long a Letter, struck such a cord among teachers that it spread out from a Boston summer institute to a number of reading groups. It has been quoted at an award ceremony for an outstanding teacher and has given one woman a fresh perspective on her impending divorce. As we know, reading one amazing book often whets our appetite to explore further. Establishing a teacher reading group is one effective way to foster such engagement with new works. Choosing writings by recent recipients of the Nobel Prize in Literature gives us an opportunity to read from a wide range of writers: playwrights from Nigeria and the West Indies, or novelists from Japan, Britain or the United States.

The more we read, the more we learn about cultures and become attuned to cultural accuracy. We can in turn engage our students in developing criteria for quality multicultural literature, guiding them to be critical readers. As we read critically, we should also evaluate what is currently on our shelves and consider moving some books, such as Travels with Babar, to a special section for the study of stereotypes.

We all rely on outside resources in selecting good books. There are several such resources focusing on literature about peoples of color. The periodical, Multicultural Review, and publications from the Cooperative Children's Book Center at the University of Wisconsin, including Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults, v.1 and v. 2 are terrific resources.

For highly recommended books on Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and South Asia, visit these websites, which list award-winning books published in the United States on these regions:

Finally, we must continue to look for new titles to read, particularly in areas currently underrepresented. While there has been an explosion in children's literature in recent years, large gaps remain. Some of the most critical gaps are: literature on Hispanic and Latin American life, Asian-American children's literature which is culturally embedded, Arab literature for children, and African literature beyond picture books and rural environments.

Barbara B. Brown, Ph.D.
Director, Outreach Program
African Studies Center, Boston University
http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach
Email: africa@bu.edu
Phone: 617-353-7303

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A Guide to Selecting Multicultural Literature

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