Learning targets: 

1. Identify and explain what diverse literature is.

2. Identify and explain the benefits of incorporating diverse literature in the classroom.

3. Assess and explain the role of the teacher when incorporating diverse literature into the classroom.

In education, teachers encounter a variety of students with different learning styles and educational backgrounds. To ensure that each student has the opportunity to thrive, educators must practice educational equity. Educational equity is the idea that every student should access the proper resources to reach their full potential, academically and socially (“Diversity in the classroom,” 2024). Part of achieving educational equity includes incorporating diverse literature in the classroom, at every grade level (Steiner, 2016). 

Impact: 

Students need to read diverse literature to gain perspective of different cultures and to gain validation from their own (Blintt, 2020). By utilizing multicultural literature, students can learn to cope with confusion regarding their cultural identity by reading about children facing similar experiences (Dietrich & Ralph, 1995). When students can make connections with the text, they are motivated to read more and gain the ability to draw deeper conclusions from the text (Causarano, 2016; Eisenman, 2023). In a study by Reading Plus, the research found that when students were motivated to read by the content in their books, they “achieved significantly higher levels of reading growth” (Eisenman, 2023). When students can use some of their background knowledge, reading comprehension levels skyrocket, helping to end the nationwide literacy crisis (Eisenman, 2023). 

• Teachers can “support students' critical understanding of diversity” by introducing complex perspectives of culture, politics, and language (Causarano, 2016). 

• Teachers must learn beyond their beliefs and assess the classroom from a cultural, linguistic, and ethnic standpoint. (Causarano, 2016). 

• Teachers who utilize multicultural literature must be able to strike a balance between providing students with background information about the text and allowing them to make their own interpretations based on their cultural background and knowledge (Causarano, 2016). 

• Teachers should encourage students to pick from diverse texts and encourage independent reading. After this independent reading time, the instructors should support lively discussions, allowing students to absorb the content, compare conclusions, and learn from each other’s experiences (Blint, 2020).

Here are some lesson ideas and books you should consider adding to your classroom!

Multiple Choice: 

1) How does incorporating diverse literature in the classroom contribute to educational equity, and what impact does it have on students' reading motivation and comprehension?

A) It ensures that all students read the same type of literature, which simplifies teaching and reduces complexity.

B) It has no significant impact on students' reading comprehension or motivation.

C) It helps students from different backgrounds feel validated, promotes cultural understanding, and increases motivation to read, leading to improved reading comprehension.

D) It primarily focuses on improving students' vocabulary, without addressing cultural differences or motivation to read.

2)As a teacher, you are planning a lesson that incorporates multicultural literature. How would you apply the principles of supporting students' critical understanding of diversity while encouraging independent reading and discussion?

A) Allow students to choose books based solely on their reading level and interests, without considering cultural perspectives or diversity.

B) Encourage students to read independently from a variety of diverse texts, then facilitate group discussions where students share their perspectives and learn from each other's experiences, while also providing necessary context for better understanding.

C) Focus on providing detailed background information about the text to ensure students interpret the material in the same way.

D) Limit student choices to books that only reflect their own cultural background to ensure they can relate to the material.

References:

Blint, J. (2020, October 20). The importance of a diverse classroom library. International Literacy Association. https://www.literacyworldwide.org/blog/literacy-now/2020/10/20/the-importance-of-a-diverse-classroom-library 

Causarano, A. (2016). Preparing literacy teachers for a multicultural world - eagle ... https://scholar.umw.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1008&context=education 

Dietrich, D., & Ralph, K. S. (1995). Crossing borders_ multicultural literature - NCELA. NCELA. https://ncela.ed.gov/files/rcd/BE020474/Crossing_Borders.pdf 

Eisenman, J. (2023, September 1). Why diversity and equity in content matters for reading growth. NASSP. https://www.nassp.org/2021/06/08/why-diversity-and-equity-in-content-matters-for-reading-growth/ 

Racial/ethnic enrollment in public schools. NCES. (n.d.). https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/pdf/2023/cge_508.pdf 

Steiner, S. F. (2016, October 17). Multicultural literature: reflecting diversity in literature for youth. International Literacy Association. https://www.literacyworldwide.org/blog/literacy-now/2016/10/17/multicultural-literature-reflecting-diversity-in-literature-for-youth 

How I used AI: 

In my original research, I used ChatGPT to summarize long sources to determine their suitability for my topic. I also used it to give me ideas for my learning target. In my essay, I asked ChatGPT if my 3 learning targets were suitable for my topic. I also used Grammarly's spellcheck system. While completing the AI peer review, I used ChatGPT. I copied my essay into the chat box and gave it the rubric for the assignment. I felt like this part helped fix my citations and add additional information for context.  While creating my lesson draft, I used ChatGPT to give me ideas for classroom activities based on diverse texts and it helped me refine my multiple-choice questions. I didn't use it to revise my draft because I only had to fix small mistakes with my layout and two of my citations. I feel like AI was very helpful in each step of this assignment and saved me a good amount of time. It enhanced my lesson by adding to my ideas in ways I would have never thought of. It was especially helpful in creating classroom activities teachers could do based on certain texts.