ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we’ll examine another important component of culturally relevant English and language arts instruction: the practice of applying reading strategies to texts that represent diverse backgrounds. We’ll begin with an overview discussion of what it means for teachers to do this; after that, we’ll reflect on why applying reading strategies to texts that represent diverse backgrounds is so important to our students’ experiences in school. Next, we’ll explore how this practice can look in action by considering an instructional process I’ve used with elementary-, middle-, and high-school students. Finally, I’ll present key points to keep in mind when putting the ideas discussed in this chapter into action in your classes. (In this chapter, I’ll describe examples of texts I’ve used with my students that represent diverse backgrounds; Appendix C of this book, “Classroom Library Recommendations: Multicultural Texts by Grade Level” provides some additional titles to consider using with your students.)
