Preschool Bilingual Children’s Reading of Picture Books With Nontraditional Gender Roles: A Case Study

• In Event: Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: Teaching and Learning With Texts

Abstract

This qualitative case study explores how picture books that challenge traditional gender roles can be implemented in preschool bilingual classrooms as a medium to help them develop a critical attitude toward gender roles. As part of eighteen-month longitudinal study, the current study focused on four-year-old Korean bilingual children’s reading of five picture books during reading-alouds at the Korean Language School. The findings suggest that discussing gender-themed books using two languages has the potential to help preschool bilingual children critically think about gender roles and avoid gender stereotypes. With vivid descriptions and engrossing narratives, this study will be beneficial for not only early biliteracy educators but also the broader community of educators interested in supporting and creating more democratic classrooms.

Authors

• So Jung Kim, The University of Texas - El Paso

• Josefina V. Tinajero, The University of Texas - El Paso