Reading Globally

Have you ever found yourself looking for books to help expand your student's view of the world?  Have you ever found yourself looking for books to help your student's develop respect for differences among cultures?  Then, Reading Globally, K-8 Connecting Students to the World Through Literature by Barbara A. Lahman, Evelyn B. Freeman, and Patricia L. Scharer is the book you need.  This book is filled with wise advice for using children's literature in various curriculum areas.  

Global literature is needed for children to develop their natural curiosity and show them opportunities they could have.  Global literature is needed to help student's think about others and accept differences.  Global literature is needed to help children experience right and wrong, exploring equality issues.  Social, economic, environmental, world health, national security, and immigration are all areas global literature can foster thinking and compassion for.

Global literature is defined as, "books that are international either by topic or origin of publication or author.  This is different than multicultural literature where "books that portray parallel cultures within the United States."  Global literature has two goals; students need to see themselves in realistic  life experiences and know there are life experiences different than their own.  

As we think about our busy days at school, the thought of adding one more category of books to try and fit in and use can be overwhelming.  That is why Chapter 2, Literary Theme Studies and an Integrated Curriculum is an important chapter to read.  The next few chapters give examples and book titles for using global literature in language arts, social studies, science and mathematics, and the arts.  The book ends discussing questions teachers have raised as they try to embrace using global literature.  The first step in using global literature is to find a book that you can replace representing life different than that found in your classroom.  

I do have to warn you between the text and the resources of books listed on the CD in the back, your book shopping cart might be bursting at the seams.  I'm excited to share global literature will be a new label and category of books I will be sharing with you.