Culturally Relevant Literature: What Matters Most to Primary-Aged Urban Learners

• In Event: The Impact of Students’ Characteristics and Motivation on Literacy Competencies

Abstract

There is some limited but promising research indicating that culturally and linguistically diverse learners more easily read and comprehend culturally relevant literature,. This study builds upon previously noted work with a focus on the attractive and facilitating aspects of culturally relevant literature. Twenty-five first- and 22 second-grader African American students each read 30 passages reflecting their cultural backgrounds and personal experiences. Students read and rated the passages. An item analysis of student responses revealed the type of passages the students preferred and why. The dominant resulting themes were self-identity, altruism, and excitement. Negative reactions typically centered on self-identity or unkind/injurious actions. These findings have implications for selecting literature to motivate and facilitate the reading for young urban learners.

Authors

• Gwendolyn Cartledge, The Ohio State University

• Susan Keesey, Western Kentucky University

• Jessica Bennett