Abstract
Statement of Problem
It is critical that students have access to high-quality multicultural literature that reflects the diversity in the United States to develop a better understanding of diverse cultures and perspectives. Students should be able to find their voices in the texts as a reflection of their unique identities; a validation that their perspectives are equally important as their peers. Selecting high-quality multicultural literature can, at times, be problematic. For example, an educator might choose a text for the classroom that has diverse perspectives but with inaccuracies or unintentional stereotypes that can further perpetuate negative biases and intolerance. This project aims to provide teachers with a tool that will help them select classroom library books with an equity and social justice lens. Many evaluation tools were developed in the past by several esteemed researchers, which include Day (1999), Sims Bishop (1982), and Slapin and Seale (2006). Unfortunately, most are outdated and do not fit the current needs of students due to evolving social and political changes, and a broadened consciousness of political correctness. As society evolves, educators must also reassess their standards for selecting high-quality literature through an evaluative tool that mirrors the characteristics of the students they serve
Sources of Data
Guided by relevant research studies, the researchers devised a Multicultural Literature Evaluation Tool (MLET) consisting of eight criteria that would help educators decide as they incorporate reading materials in their curricula. To test the validity of the tool, the researchers applied the MLET to thirty texts, ranging from primer through high school levels and from 2019-2022 publication dates. In each book selected, three readers were assigned to evaluate: the two researchers of this project and a third reader was solicited.
Conclusions Reached
Overall, the MLET proved to be successful in determining the strengths and the problematic or limited features in a text. Educators generally do not advocate for excluding a text or removing it from the classroom library shelf. Instead, this project shares ways for teachers to recognize books’ strengths and limitations, and offers a tool to examine a text’s quality. Further, this project offers strategies to educators who may want to use or keep multicultural texts in their classrooms.