20 Research Articles for 2020

"Multicultural Literature and Discussion as Mirror and Window?" by Jocelyn Glazier and Jung-A Seo (Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 2005)

Multicultural literature is a necessary part of all language arts classrooms. However, a text standing alone will not achieve the goals required to meet the needs of our diverse classrooms. As we know, silenced topics are a common occurrence in many classrooms. We cannot continue down this path just because they are too difficult or dangerous to discuss. We must find ways to allow all students to examine their cultural voices, and create classroom spaces that respect and value cultural diversity. Glazier and Seo offer such a path forward by incorporating dialogic practices along with multicultural texts (talk and text) to provide students with a window to other cultures and a mirror as a reflection of their own cultures. They provide a concrete example of how this can be accomplished by highlighting this work in one ninth-grade English language arts classroom. This article features actual conversations that took place within the classroom, a closer analysis of two students as they worked through this unit and, finally, things that need to be considered as educators move forward with this work.

—Reviewed by Kristen I. Evans, Kent State University

Glazier, J., & Seo, J-A. (2005). Multicultural literature and discussion as mirror and window? Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 48(8), 686–700. https://doi.org/10.1598/JAAL.48.8.6