Literature discussion in the elementary school classroom

Multicultural Education, Fall 2000 by Montgomery, Winifred

The books should give insight into and perspective on the depicted cultural group and its members' experiences. The stories must be historically and culturally accurate; they must reflect an authentic cultural consciousness (Goforth, 1998). For example, Yoshiko Uchida has written several books that both inform and help children understand a significant piece of the history of Japanese Americans in the United States. In her book, The Invisible Thread, she shares her memoirs growing up in America and being sent, during World War II, to an internment camp in Topaz, Utah. Knowledge of the injustices her family experienced, as well as the remarkable recovery of Japanese-Americans after the war, should provoke critical and introspective discussion among upper elementary students.

Further, the books teachers select should evoke reactions from the readers; they should be books that are written in styles that are familiar to the readers and connect with the existing knowledge and cognitive background of the reader. Additional books with culturally significant themes must be available in the school or in local public libraries so that children will have access beyond the classroom. A list of suggested titles should also be available for children who need some help finding appropriate literature independently (a sample list of culturally relevant children's books is presented in Appendix A).

In recent years, many good works of literature with culturally diverse themes have been published (Sutherland, 1997). Teachers will find that there are excellent writers of children's books who understand and respect the racial and ethnic groups portrayed in their stories. These authors care about combating racism and, thus, present characters in varied and unstereotypic fashion. They exclude commentary that would foster racist attitudes and responses from their readers. Their well-told stories introduce the readers to people from different cultural backgrounds and to themes that are culturally relevant neither exploitative nor self-serving (see additional titles in Appendix B).

From the characterizations, illustrations, settings, storylines, or specific references to historical events and human endeavors in such books, students will learn about interesting and fascinating differences among people. They will discover many common emotions, experiences, and remembrances that bind us all to each other as fellow human beings.

Introducing Literature Discussions

Literature discussions do not happen because teachers suggest the activity or because they ask children to discuss a particular book in their cooperative reading group. Successful literature discussions are the result of careful planning. Moreover, teachers must understand that taking part in a discussion is a learned behavior. Children must learn how to listen to their classmates; to develop, corroborate, or challenge classmates' ideas; and to introduce new ideas within the flow of ongoing comments (Glazer, 1997).

Galda, Cullinan, and Strickland (1997) provide a teaching idea that will help children develop the critical listening skills needed for literature discussion. They suggest that teachers read aloud or tell a story to children that includes a problem of some sort or an issue of current interest in the news. The children then listen in order to discuss alternative solutions to the problem or issue. Their suggestions which must be based on the facts presented are listed on the chalkboard and discussed as a whole group or in small groups. A consensus is then reached regarding the best alternative approaches to the problem.