Literary Discussions About Gender Roles Among Spanish–English Kindergarteners: A Case Study

• In Event: 14.044 - Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: 14.044-13 - When School Matters: Critical Literacy Spaces by and for Black and Latino Youth

Abstract

This qualitative case study explores how literary discussions about picture books with non-traditional gender roles can help kindergarten bilingual children develop critical attitudes toward gender roles. During a period of five months, the data were collected by video/audio recordings, open-ended interviews, children’s artifacts, and observational field notes. Findings suggest that literary discussions about gender using two languages have the potential to help kindergarten 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 teachers and educators interested in the social nature of learning.

Authors

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

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