32nd Annual Student Research Conference
New Perspectives: Using Multicultural Literature
Autumn M. Lavezzi♦
Dr. Rebecca Dierking, Dr. Summer Pennell, and Dr. Sarah Mohler, Faculty Mentors
Teaching multicultural literature has been a pivotal part of the English classroom for many years. Multicultural literature gives students the opportunity to explore experiences that differ from their own. This study explored the impact multicultural literature had on students' perspectives. In a suburban Midwestern high school twenty-three English II students examined literature that focused on the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII. They explored statements released by the government that rationalized the internment of these people as well as stories written by Japanese-Americans about their time in these camps. Multiple forms of data were collected, including student artifacts, students’ final reflections, and observational field notes. The data was used to determine if exposing students to an event from different cultural perspectives had an impact on their perspectives.
Keywords: Multicultural Literature, Eductation, MAE
Topic(s):English, Secondary MAE Research
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 107-2
Location: MC 208
Time: 8:45