Abstract:

The discussion on how to deal with the visible diversity in our schools today has naturally focused on the appropriateness of the teaching material and methods. For teachers that rely on literature in their everyday practice, the question of the suitable kind of literature has often been posed.

This paper offers a dual aspect of children’s literature used in multicultural class environments. The first part deals with the influx of multicultural literature (a term produced in the USA in the early 1980s) as a means of dealing with the diversity in classrooms. By describing concisely the aspects of multicultural literature, possible ways of using this kind of literature will be discussed.

The second part will focus on the use of literature, wordless books, in particular, aiming to provide a deeper understanding of their ability to enhance literacy skills and promote multicultural awareness for the whole class in a motivating and engaging way.

Facing the multiple challenges of teaching language in a multicultural class setting is an intriguing and often demanding task for educators. Literature can help in creating a common ground, a starting point, for all students, while supporting cultural and social negotiations. Visual arts can complement language development by offering non-verbal means of communication and understanding and by engaging students in multiple learning opportunities.

Through examples of activities based on specific wordless children’s books, we will further examine ways of integrating visual images (illustrations, artworks etc.) and language in order to reveal how wordless books can be a significant tool in enhancing literacy development, creative thinking and aesthetic growth.

In this context children are inspired to create their own stories, share their ideas and their cultural and linguistic backgrounds, thus enriching their learning experiences, increasing their confidence in speaking, reading and writing, and building social relationships across cultures.

Keywords:

Innovation, Education, Literacy Development at School, Social and Cultural Learning, Learning through the arts, Creativity, Inclusion, Acceptance, Children’s books, Multicultural books, Wordless books.