Critical Multicultural Education: Using Children's Literature and Anitbias Education Helps Preservice Teachers Gain Skills in Culturally Responsive Teaching

• In Event: Culturally Responsive Pedagogies: Considerations for Policy and Practice in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the impact of intentional analysis of hidden bias in children’s literature used in an oral and written language acquisition course in an early childhood education program. Specifically, the study examined the experiences of preservice teachers (N=17) in analyzing children’s books for hidden bias using a critical multicultural lens (Botelho & Rudman, 2009). Data were collected and analyzed qualitatively using Grounded Theory approach (Glaser & Strauss (1967). Data showed that preservice teaches entered course work with limited knowledge of analyzing children’s book. However, at the end of the semester they had gained critical knowledge and skills that promoted culturally responsive teaching as well as critical multicultural analysis of children’s literature. The study calls for teacher education policies that promote critical multicultural education in order to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Importance of using children’s literature with a multicultural focus
Using books with a multicultural focus not only broadens children’s understanding of their respective cultures, but it also facilitates cross-cultural, intra-cultural, and multicultural understanding (author, 2015). When selecting anti-bias culturally responsive children’s books, educators should use critical lens to determine text appropriateness (Botelho & Rudman, 2009; Johnson, Mathis & short, 2017). Additionally, they should ask themselves if the books they intend to use are culturally relevant. Thus, this study explored impact of intentional analysis of hidden bias in children’s literature used in an oral and written language acquisition course in an early childhood education program.

Conceptual framework
A Multicultural Social Justice (MSJ) conceptual framework guided this study. An MSJ framework was especially relevant because of its supports for the “process of constructing knowledge through interaction of mind and experience,” (Sleeter & Grant, 2009, p. 209). To MSJ framework, multicultural literature is a viable way of examining issues of historical marginalization. Further, a Multicultural Social Justice (MSJ) framework supports education that is culturally inclusive, free from stereotypes, relates to learners’ experiential backgrounds, embraces diversity, recognizes the experiences, perspectives and contributions of diverse groups, and maintains high expectations for all students (Ladson-Billings, 2009; Tatum, 2005).

Methodology
This qualitative study was informed by a Grounded Theory (GT) approach (Glaser & Strauss,1967), A Grounded Theory approach was relevant because of its focus on the phenomenon of human experiences within the world of social interactions. Patton (2002) recommends Grounded theory because it “depends on methods that take the researcher into, and close to the real world so that results and findings are grounded in the empirical world,” (p.126).
Results
Data showed that although preservice teachers entered the course with limited knowledge and experience in analyzing children’s books for hidden bias, they gained essential pertinent knowledge, and were, therefore, ready to use critical multicultural education in their future classrooms. Thus, among other recommendations, this study calls for institutional policies that support explicit teaching of critical multicultural education in early childhood education programs.

Author

• Lydiah Nganga, University of Wyoming