Fostering Second Language Competencies with Multicultural Children Literature
Abstract
Due to the civil right movements and immigration in the United States, significant changes in society and educational policies took place during the past decades. As a result, 40 % of public school students come from minority cultures, and 10% has limited English proficiencies. Research indicates that their academic success is greatly influenced by their reading, comprehension and cultural competencies in the new language. This paper argues that multicultural children literature has the potential to effectively foster English language learners ’ competencies. The paper also presents tips for assessing and selecting authentic multicultural literature. Finally, it offers teaching strategies for a selection of multicultural children books to be successfully used with English language learners in elementary and middle schools.
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