Supporting Lower-Proficiency ELL Adults through Children’s Literature

ABE/ELL Professional Development Training Days

March 7, 2013

AGENDA

economy of words, stunning illustrations, captivating plots, universal themes

• Why Multicultural Children’s Literature?• Types of Multicultural Fiction• Criteria for Selection• A Plethora of Books and Experiences

A Continuum for Reader InvolvementAt one end, aesthetic reading: the reader

is drawn into the story and participates through identification with the characters; primary goal is enjoyment or entertainment

At the other end, efferent reading: the reader is primarily interested in gaining information

Readers will operate all along this continuum, using books for both enjoyment and learning

Source: Rosenblatt, L. (1995) Literature as Exploration. New York: Modern Language Association of America

Provide authentic reading experiences

by using high quality children’sliterature

Create a love/hate

relationship with “The Big B”

Types of Multicultural Fiction

General

Universal

Comparative

Universal Comparative

Specific

Universal Specific

Historical Fiction

EnhancementsWay to improve all four levels/components of

proficiency

Read aloud, as well as self-directed

Acquire valuable background knowledge

Predictions, pronunciation and vocabulary

Bridge the cultural and ethnic differences in various students’ backgrounds by examining universal themes

Varying cultural and social backgrounds, prior knowledge and experiences with literacy

“The Right Material”

Universal Specific

Cultural, Literary, and

Linguistic Evaluation of

a Specific Text

Cultural Information: Accurate and AuthenticDoes it offer an “insider’s” or “informed

outsider’s” perspective? ADULT perspective?

Does the student possess the background knowledge and life experiences required to understand the text?

Do the norms and values inherent in the text lend themselves to be understood and appreciated by the reader?

Does it represent and honor the cultural groups present in your classroom?

Plot: Well-Constructed and Substantial Is it well organized with actions and events that

are interrelated, logical and related to a student’s personal experiences?

Is the plot linear and easy to follow?

Are there confusing subplots or additional aspects that make the plot difficult to follow?

Are there flashbacks or skips in time and direction?

Proficiency DemandsDo the grammatical complexity and length of

the text match the student’s stage of oral language proficiency?

Is the core vocabulary known by the student or easily pretaught?

Does the form of the language match the student’s background (dialect, slang, idiom, forms of language)? Is it appropriate for various proficiency levels when read aloud?

Contextual Support Is the text structured in a logical, cohesive way

that students will find easy to follow?

Do the illustrations support the plot in a way that enables the reader to understand the story without full comprehension of the text? No comprehension of the text?

Language Authenticity Is the language natural and predictable (does it

lend itself to supporting sequencing and predictions and other literacy supports)?

Is the text based on the oral language and literary traditions of the students?

Emotional EngagementAre the theme and plot balanced so that

students encounter both a good story and a real message?

Does the story possess powerful and imaginative content?

Does the story lend itself to student interest and repeated readings?

Linguistic Comprehension Is the language memorable --- lively,

rhythmical, humorous?

Is there repetition in style and vocabulary for comprehension support and retention?

Does it use language that has multiple meanings that might be confusing?

Does it employ idiom or abstraction that make comprehension difficult or confusing?

Allen Say

As a girl, Alice loved to dance, but the rhythms of her life offered little opportunity for a foxtrot, let alone a waltz. World War II erupted soon after she was married. Alice and her husband, along with many other Japanese Americans, were forced to leave their homes and report to assembly centers around the country. 2004

One morning eight-year-old Martin looks in the mirror and sees a stranger. Overnight, he has changed. His parents take him to one doctor after another, only to be told that there is nothing wrong with their son. At school his teacher asks, "What have we here, trick or treat?" His classmates will not play with him. He has grown old in the space of one day.

1995

As a young Japanese boy recovers from a bad chill, his mother busily folds origami paper into delicate silver cranes in preparation for the boy's very first Christmas. 1991

A true story of Billy Wong, the first Chinese bullfighter. 1990

The amazing tricks two American soldiers perform on a borrowed bicycle are a fitting finale for the school sports day festivities in a small village in occupied Japan.

1982

The newest from Allen SayHome of the BraveDuring World War II, more than 120,000 men, women, and children of Japanese descent living in America were incarcerated in internment camps by the United States government. Now, sixty years later, Caldecott medalist Allen Say eloquently depicts this dark moment in history with Home of the Brave.

SURFER OF THE CENTURY by Ellie Crowe and illustrated by Richard Waldrep

This book tells the story of "the Father of Modern Surfing," Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, from his childhood on Waikiki Beach, to his participation in five Olympics, through his lifelong promotion and development of surfing, and to his becoming the official State of Hawai'i Ambassador of Aloha.

HIROMI’S HANDS by Lynne Barasch HIROMI’S HANDS by Lynne Barasch

TThis first-person narrative tells the story of Hiromi's breaking away from the Japanese tradition in the male dominated sushi culinary and becoming an itamae san, professional sushi chef. The author vividly depicts two generations, beginning with her father's long and grueling training as an apprentice before emerging as a successful sushi chef in a Tokyo restaurant bridging two cultures: American and Japanese.

Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: the Sammy Lee Story by Paula Yoo and illustrated by Dom Lee

Sammy Lee was the first Asian American to win Olympic gold. This truly inspiring tale captures the American dream as a young person who overcame discrimination to bring Olympic recognition for a country that rejected him. Lee is the son of Korean immigrants who faced challenges just because of his skin color. Unable to practice in a whites only pool, Lee perfected his abilities in spite of discrimination. Yoo acknowledges the moment in an Olympian'sexperience in which life-long training culminates in just a brief sliver of time.

Bread Song by Frederick Lipp and illustrated by Jason Gaillard

Chamnan, an eight-year-old boy from Thailand, is very shy about speaking English to people. Each morning as they cross the street from their Thai restaurant to Alison's bakery, his grandfather teaches him how to count in English. Twenty-five steps between two stores seem to set two worlds apart to Chamnan; one is a familiar home and the other a new country, filled with people speaking a difficult language. Alison's ingenuous idea finally helps Chamnan loosen up his tongue and breaks away his reserve.

Apple Pie 4th of July by Janet S. Wong and illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine is a carefully honed story about a girl's experience as a first-generation Chinese-American. Readers first encounter the unnamed narrator as she looks unhappily out the glass door of her parents' market, open for business even on the Fourth of July. Hearing the "boom, boom, boom" of the approaching parade, sniffing the apple pie baking in a neighbor's oven, she is distracted by the cooking smells from the store's kitchen, where her parents are preparing chow mein and sweet-and-sour pork.

I Hate English! by Ellen Levine, and illustrated by Steve BjorkmanThough from 1989, still a great, great book and a favorite

"Such a lonely language. Each letter stands alone and makes its own noise. Not like Chinese." Mei Mei, a bright and articulate immigrant from Hong Kong, is having much difficulty adjusting to the new language and culture at school in New York City. When she hears a story in English about traveling by covered wagon, Mei Mei cries. "She didn't want English to have words that she didn't know in Chinese. . . . She felt she might lose something."

Eve Bunting

Grandfather Counts by A. Cheng and

Illustrated by A. Zhang.

When Helen’s grandfather, Gong Gong, comes from China to live with her family, he’s shocked to find that none of his grandchildren speak Chinese. How will he communicate with them? At first he keeps to himself. Then one day he joins Helen to watch the trains. He starts counting the train cars in Chinese, and she repeats the words. Then Helen says the numbers in English. They continue to teach each other, and Helen even learns her Chinese name, which means "flower.” In this luminously illustrated intergenerational story, the devotion between a young girl and her grandfather helps them overcome barriers of age and language.

Henry’s First-Moon birthday by L. Look and

iIllustrated by Y. Heo. Jenny’s baby brother Henry is

having his one-month birthday -- his first-moon, as it’s called in Chinese. And even though Jenny’s sure he doesn’t deserve it -- all Henry does is sleep, eat, and cry – there’s a big celebration planned for him. Together, Jenny and her grandma get everything ready, from dyeing eggs a lucky red to preparing pigs’ feet and ginger soup. And someday, when Henry’s old enough to appreciate all her hard work, Jenny will tell him how lucky he was to have her in charge.

Uncle Peter’s amazing Chinese wedding. By L. Look and Illustrated by Y. Heo.

Jenny’s favorite uncle, Peter, is getting married, and everyone is happy happy -- everyone, that is, except Jenny. While her family runs about getting ready for the traditional Chinese wedding -- preparing for the tea ceremony, exchanging good-luck money called hungbau, helping the bride with her many dresses -- Jenny is crying on the inside. How is she supposed to still be Uncle Peter’s number-one girl, with her new aunt Stella around? Maybe if she can stop the day’s events from happening, he won’t get married at all...

Cora Cooks Pancit

Cora loves being in the kitchen, but she always gets stuck doing

the kid jobs like licking the spoon. One day, however, when her

older sisters and brother head out, Cora finally gets the chance to be Mama's assistant chef in

celebrating their Filipino heritage.

Written by Dorina K. Lazlo Gilmore and Illustrated by Kristi Valiant

Hannah is My Name by B. Yang

In an upbeat immigration story, Yang draws on her own experience of coming to America from Taiwan at age seven in the late 1960s. The bright gouache pictures of San Francisco draw strongly on Chinese and American traditions, with geometric cutout shapes depicting people crowding the streets, at school, and at the workplace--all from the child’s viewpoint. This story isn’t about missing the old country or being a stranger, and most people are friendly. Hannah learns to sing "This Land Is My Land,” and she reads Curious George in Woolworths. The tension is in the threat of deportation as the family waits for green cards that will allow everyone to live freely in the U.S.

THE HAPPY FUNERAL by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Vo-Dinh Mai. Though published in 1982, it is still a wonderful exploration of how Laura and her Chinese-American family deal with the death of her grandfather and what transpires between the death and the funeral. The beliefs, traditions, and customs surrounding the death generate a specific societal experience. The text is sensitive, quiet and loving, and the portrayal of grief realisticly.

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale, retold by Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Michael Austin

A retelling of a classic Cuban folktale, Martina is 21 days old and ready to give her leg in marriage. With the help of her Abuela's shocking advice, she interviews a cast of unlikely suitors to find her true love.

My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel García Márquez/Me llamo Gabito: la vida de Gabriel García Márquez, illustrated by Raúl Colón, written by Monica Brown

Raúl Colón's evocative, tropical illustrations pull the eye into Gabriel García Márquez's imaginative world, introducing children to the early life of this celebrated Colombian author.

Rafael López, Illustrator. My Name Is Celia/ Me Llamo Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/ La Vida de Celia Cruz. Written by Monica Brown.

This text is as full of movement and excitement as the life of Celia Cruz. Vibrant colors, extravagant illustrations and flowing patterns create a mood of energy in this book. Full of the details of folklore, fashion and music, the book teems with life.

The Pot That Juan Built by Nancy Andrews-Goebel and illustrated by David Diaz.

The Pot that Juan Built is a picture biography that combines a variant of “The House That Jack Built,” with the story of Juan Quezada, who rediscovered the ancient method of pottery making in Mata Ortiz, Mexico. Diaz's original type font and computer-generated art exudes a rich palette that glows like jewels and reflects the hot desert sun.

Family Pictures/Cuadros de FamiliaIn My Family/en Mi Familia

by Carmen Lomas Garza A picture book for children in English and Spanish of Ms Garza's artwork with a one-page story about each painting. Contains fifteen color reproductions. Also available in paperback and "big book" size.

. My Diary from Here to There/Mi Diario de Aquí Hasta Allá.  Amada Irma Pérez

A touching account of a family emigrating from Mexico to California. A bilingual picture book, this young girl's diary chronicles the family's anxiety, excitement, and uncertainty as they leave home and experience the same journey made by many families.

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. Written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Yuyi Morales.

Morales uses brightly colored acrylics, handmade stamps, and computer-created cutouts to depict the life of this civil rights leader. Golden, earth-toned colors and wide, flowing brush strokes lend depth and honesty to the history and struggle of migrant farm workers in California.

Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book by Yuyi Morales

Morales' energetic and playful illustrations capture the essence of Mexican culture with bold and humorous motifs that illuminate Grandma Beetle's vitality and Señor Calavera's expressiveness.

Elena’s Serenade by Campbell Geeslin and illustrated by Ana Juan

A delightfully fresh take on the "anything you can do, I can do better" theme, Elena's Serenade follows a feisty little Mexican girl on a quest to prove to her father--and herself--that she can be a glassblower, even if she is a girl.

Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and Englishwritten by Alma Flor Ada, translated by Rosa Zubizarreta, illustrated by Simón Silva

With twenty eight poems that celebrate honor, pride, family, friends, history, heritage, and the bounty of the harvest, author Alma Flor Ada takes us into the fields and orchards, and the lives of the people that work them. The artist, Simón Silva, grew up in a farmworker's family, and his paintings speak directly from his own childhood. Using the Spanish alphabet as a template, this bilingual book presents an extrordinary learning experience for children of all ages.

I Love Saturdays y domingos/ Me encantan los Saturdays y domingos

by Alma Flor Ada

Through this affectionate and revealing portrait of a bilingual girl's weekend visits to her two sets of grandparents, Ada (Where the Flame Trees Bloom) and Savadier (A Bedtime Story) prove that straddling two worlds can be a blessing rather than a hardship. The left of each spread depicts the narrator spending Saturdays with her paternal grandparents, with whom she speaks English; on the right, she passes los domingos (Sundays) with her Mexican-American Abuelito and Abuelita and converses in Spanish. The situations in the two households share enough similarities that readers can extrapolate the meaning of the Spanish words in context.

CHATO SERIES

Coming April 30: Chato’s Day of the Dead

HOME AT LAST

By Susan Middleton Elya

Illustrated by Felipe Davalos

Ana and her family have just arrived in the U.S. from Mexico.  Everything is so different here.  Ana and Papá go to school and work each day, where they learn English.  Mamá stays at home with the twins and speaks only Spanish. After a series of miscommunications, Mama realizes that she must learn English.  Ana and Papá help her learn to make her new home in America.

A Birthday Basket for Tia by Pat Mora and Illustrated by Cecily Lang.

Colorful papercut illustrations accompany this story of Cecilia as she prepares a surprise gift for her great-aunt's ninetieth birthday with the help and interference of her cat, Chica.

Tomas and the Library Lady by Pat Mora and illustrated by Raul Colon

From the immigrant slums of New York to the fields of California, it’s an elemental American experience: the uprooted child who finds a home in the library. Mora’s story is based on a true incident in the life of the famous writer Tomás Rivera, the son of migrant workers who became an education leader and university president."

The Farolitos of Christmas

by Rudolfo A. Anaya and Edward Gonzales (Illustrator)Farolitos (or luminarias) are an inherently Southwestern tradition at Navidad. They are small, lighted velas (candles) placed in paper bags filled with sand to symbolize the path followed by Joseph and Mary as they sought shelter. In this heartwarming book for children we see the efforts of a grandfather and his granddaughter in New Mexico, who keep the tradition of the farolitos alive while the father of the family is away fighting in World War II.

Lights on the River by Jane Resh Thomas and

illustrated by Michael Dooling

This story of Teresa, a Mexican-American girl, describes the hardships she and her family face as migrant workers. Despite the hardships, she is able to keep memories of her beloved grandmother and life in Mexico alive.

Diego by Jonah Winter and illustrated by Jeanette Winter

Josefina by Jeanette Winter

Frida by Jonah Winter and illustrated by Ana Juan

Friends From the Other Side=Amigos del Otro Lado. By Gloria Anzaldua and illustrated by Consuelo Mendez

Vibrant colored-pencil illustrations accompany this story of Prietita, a brave young Mexican American girl who befriends and helps Joaquin after he crosses the Rio Grande into Texas with his mother in search of a new life.

ABUELA'S WEAVEby Omar S. Castañedaillustrated by Enrique O. Sanchez

A girl in Guatemala learns about family tradition and trust from her grandmother.

This touching story of personal growth and family pride is illustrated with authentic Guatemalan scenery that gives life to the country's radiant landscape and bustling city streets.

The Three Javelinas/Los tres pequeńos jabalíes by Susan Howell and illustrated by Jim Harris

In this retelling of The Three Little Pigs set in the American Southwest, the cherished porkers are transformed into javelinas, the hairy, swinelike creatures also known as peccaries. Their pursuer, no longer the wolf of traditional lore, becomes Coyote, that ubiquitous Southwestern trickster. Check out the sequal JOSEPHINA JAVELINA.

GOING HOME

By Eve Bunting

Illustrated by David Diaz

Christmas is coming and Carlos and his family are going home-driving south across the border to Mexico. But Mexico doesn't seem like home to Carlos, even though he and his sisters were born there. Can home be a place you don't really remember? Eve Bunting and David Diaz-the Caldecott Medal-winning team behind Smoky Night- collaborated once again to create a dazzling picture book that glows with holiday joy and the spirit of Mexico.

Hairs / Pelitos

By Sandra Cisneros

illustrated by Terry Ybáñez

This jewel-like vignette from Sandra Cisneros's best-selling The House on Mango Street shows, through simple, intimate portraits, the diversity among us.

Carlos and the Squash Plant

Carlos and the Cornfield

Carlos and the Skunk

Carlos Digs to China

By Jan Romero Stevens

Illustrated by Jeanne Arnold

Having ignored his mother's warnings about what will happen if he doesn't bathe after working on his family's New Mexican farm, Carlos awakens one morning to find a squash growing out of his ear.--

Other Books by Arthur DorrosABUELA/ by Arthur

Dorros and Illustrated by Elsa Kieves

ISLA/ by Arthur Dorros and Illustrated by Elsa Kieves

WHEN THE PIGSTOOK OVER

by Arthur Dorrosillustrated by Diane Greenseid

A riotous tale of two very different brothers. Alonzo's big brother, Don Carlos, always wants "más," more. If Alonzo eats one ice cream cone, Don Carlos eats four. When Alonzo wears one hat, Don Carlos puts on seven. Trouble begins when Don Carlos decides to add snails to the menu of his village restaurant, and snails eat their way through the village. The brothers bring in birds, then pigs, and the village is overrun with the pigs trying to eat everything in sight before Alonzo has an idea that may save the day.

Braids/trencitas

Isabela’s abuelita weaves colorful stories as she weaves her hair,

encouraging her to write stories of her own. Using the traditional Mexican

bingo game la loteria, she teachs her beloved illiterate grandmother to read.

Written by Kathleen Contreras and Illustrated by Margaret Lindmark

From North to South/Del norte al sur

A young boy travels with his father from San Diego to Tijuana

to visit his mother, recently deported to Mexico.

Written by Rene Colato Lainez and Illustrated by Joe Cepeda

The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq by Jeanette Winter

The true story of everyday heroism against a tragic backdrop. Books "are more precious than mountains of gold" to Basra librarian Alia Muhammad Baker. When "the beast of war" looms on the horizon, she and willing friends remove more than 30,000 volumes from the library and store them in their homes, preventing the collection's destruction when a bomb hits the building. As appropriate for her audience, Winter's bright, folk-art style does much to mute the horrific realities of war.