Teaching About Immigration Using Picture Book Thematic Text Sets

Luz Carime Bersh, Ph. D.National-Louis University

Presented at NCTE 2009 National ConventionPhiladelphia, November 2009

Presentation’s Description

• This presentation discusses a picture-books’ thematic text set on the topic of immigration and its integration across the curriculum in the elementary and middle-school classroom.

• It offers teachers a variety of useful literature resources and strategies, multiple perspectives and cross-discipline connections. These support a multicultural curriculum that strengthens English literacy development at different levels of complexity.

Why teach about Immigration (K-12+)?Your thoughts:

Immigration Facts:

• We all come from immigrants!

• Since 2000, 10.3 million immigrants have arrived — the highest seven-year period of immigration in U.S. history

• In 2007 there were 10.8 million school-age children from immigrant families in the United States.

(Census Bureau, 2007)

• This combination of nationalities, religions, ethnicities, races, languages, cultures has also brought along major institutional, social, political and economic complexities.

• Pros and Cons• The FBI statistics suggest that

hate crimes against Latinos climbed 35 percent from 2003 to 2006.

(Southern Poverty Law Center, 2009)

Are teachers prepared to work with such diverse population?

• Alexandra (Ecuadorian Middle School Teacher, Pinellas County, FL.):

• “The biggest challenge is working with so many different levels of [English] proficiency. I can relate to my one only Hispanic student from Mexico…but the thing is he doesn’t want to work with anyone and no one wants to work with him”.

Other Challenges:

• “My classroom is segregated: There are two Asian girls (one from Japan and the other one Vietnamese); six African Americans , eleven White-American and Francisco. They all sit in clusters of their own ethnic background […] It’s a big problem to get them to work with others [ethnic groups]. The Asian girls and Mexican boy are all ELL’s…so they aren’t welcome in the other groups”

Teaching with Picture Books and Thematic Text Sets

Picture Books• Support language & literacy development:

R,W, S,L,V.• Power of imagery in conveying meaning.• Images complement text.• In media-literacy era, adolescents are

attracted to visuals & short text.• Awareness of different issues of interest

that connect with their own experiences and those of others.

• Support ELL’s with comprehension.• Broad span of complexity: Accessible to all

readers.• Picture books are for everyone: Ages 0-100

Thematic Text sets• Multiple options to read widely about

one topic. Choice is important for adolescents.

• Engage in reading content about different subjects: E.g. Science, Social Studies.

• Support comprehension of complex issues (e.g. racism, mental illnesses)- diverse perspectives.

• Exposure to different literary genres: Rich literary experiences.

• Positive psychosocial benefits: awareness, respect, therapeutic, appreciation of self and others.