ERIC ED379597: Teacher Book Clubs: A Study of Teachers' and Student Teachers' Participation in Contemporary Multicultural Fiction Literature Discussion Groups. Reading Research Project No. 22. PDF
Preview ERIC ED379597: Teacher Book Clubs: A Study of Teachers' and Student Teachers' Participation in Contemporary Multicultural Fiction Literature Discussion Groups. Reading Research Project No. 22.
DOCUMENT RESUME ED 379 597 CS 011 994 AUTHOR Flood, James; And Others TITLE Teacher Book Clubs: A Study of Teachers' and Student Teachers' Participation in Contemporary Multicultural Fiction Literature Discussion Groups. Reading Research Project No. 22. INSTITUTION National Reading Research Center, Athens, GA.; National Reading Research Center, College Park, MD. SPONS AGENCY Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. PUB DATE 94 CONTRACT 117A20007 NOTE 33p. PUB TYPE Reports Research/Technical (143) EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Comparative Analysis; *Discussion Groups; Fiction; Higher Education; *Multicultural Education; *Student Attitudes; *Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Education IDENTIFIERS *Book Clubs; *Cultural Sensitivity; Discourse Communities; Flood and Lapp Coding System; Multicultural Materials; Response to Literature ABSTRACT Over a 2-year period, several teacher book clubs were studied. Teachers' and preservice teachers' responses to a series of texts that focused on multiculturalism in American society were examined. Twelve elementary school teachers, representing four ethnic groups (European American, Asian American, African American, and Hispanic), volunteered to participate in the book club. Ten preservice teachers, representing four ethnic groups, participated in the preservice teachers' reading discussion group as part of a teacher education course. Teachers read and discussed a collection of multicultural titles including works of Sandra Cisneros, Amy Tan, and Toni Morrison. Sessions were videotaped and analyzed using the Flood and Lapp Coding System. Results indicated different patterns for teachers and student teachers. Student teachers expanded and responded to conversational utterances more often than did teachers. Teachers, however, asked and answered more questions, redirected the discussion and retold parts of the stories more often than student teachers. Both groups believed that they grew in their understanding of sensitivity toward mtlAiculturalism. By talking about the feelings, thoughts and a,tions of literary characters, participants gained insights about cultures of which they had previously had limited knowledge. (Contains the coding system, 7 tables. 8 figures of data, and 27 references.) (Author/TB) ********************************************************** **********) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ********************************************************************** Teackka- Book Clubs: A Study of Teachers' and Student Teachers' Participation in Contemporary Multicultural Fiction Literature Discussion Groups James Flood Diane Lapp San Diego State University Doris Alvarez Alice Romeo Hoover High School, San Diego, California Wendy Ranck-Buhr Roosevelt Junior High School, San Diego, California Juel Moore Mary Aim Jones Oak Park Elementary School, San Diego, California Carol Kabildis Granger Junior High School, Chula Vista, California Linda Lungren Valencia Park Elementary School, San Diego, California U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 0' EclaCation.I. P0fAtarth and ImplovemeN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) )(This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OEM position or policy National NRRC Reading Research Center READING RESEARCH REPORT NO. 22 Fall 1994 2 8 r COPY AVAILABLE. ES NRRC National Reading Research Center Teacher Book Clubs: A Study of Teachers' and Student Teachers' Participation in Contemporary Multicultural Fiction Literature Discussion Groups James Flood Diane Lapp San Diego State University Doris Alvarez Alice Romero Hoover High School, San Diego, California Wendy Ranck-Buhr Roosevelt Junior High School, San Diego, California Juel Moore Mary Ann Jones Oak Park Elementary School, San Diego, California Carol Kabildis Granger Junior High School, Chula Vista, California Linda Lungren Valencia Park Elementary School, San Diego, California READING RESEARCH REPORT NO. 22 Fall 1994 The work reported herein is a National Reading Research Project of the University of Georgia and University of Maryland. It was supported under the Educational Research and Development Centers Program (PR/AWARD NO. 117A20007) as administered by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. The findings and opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the position or policies of the National Reading Research Center, the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, or the U.S. Department of Education, 3 NRRC National Reading Research Center National Advisory Board Executive Committee Phyllis W. Aldrich Donna E. Alvermann, Co-Director University of Georgia Saratoga Warren Board of Cooperative Educational John T. Guthrie, Co-Director Services, Saratoga Springs, New York University of Maryland Cc'lege Park Arthur N. Applebee James F. Baumann, Associate Director State University of New York, Albany Univer-ity of Georgia Ronald S. Brandt Associate Director . Koskinen, Patricia Association for Supervision and Curriculum University of Maryland College Park Development Nancy B. Mizelle, Acting Associate Director Marsha T. DeLain University of Georgia Delaware Department of Public Instruction Jamie Lynn Metsala, Interim Associate Director Carl A. Grant University of Maryland College Park University of Wisconsin-Madison Penny Oldfather Walter Kintsch University of Georgia University of Colorado at Boulder John F. O'Flahavan Robert L. Linn University of Maryland College Park University of Colorado at Boulder James V. Hoffman Luis C. Moll University of Texas at Austin Cynthia R. Hynd University of Arizona Carol M. Santa University of Georgia Robert Serpeii School District No. 5 University of Maryland Baltimore County Kalispell, Montana Betty Shockley Anne P. Sweet Clarke County School District, Athens, Georgia Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Linda DeGroff U.S. Department of Education University of Georgia Louise Cherry Wilkinson Rutgers University Publications Editors Production Editor Research Reports and Perspectives Katherine P. Hutchison Linda DeGroff, Editor University of Georgia University of Georgia James V. Hoffman, Associate Editor University of Texas at Austin Dissemination Coordinator Mariam Jean Dreher, Associate Editor Jordana E. Rich University of Maryland College Park University of Georgia Instructional Resources Lee Galda, University of Georgia Text Formatter Research Highlights Ann Marie Vanstone William G. Holliday University of Georgia University of Maryland College Park Policy Briefs NRRC - University of Georgia James V. Hoffman 318 Aderhold University of Texas at Austin University of Georgia Videos Athens, Georgia 30602-7125 Shawn M. Glynn, University of Georgia Fax: (706) 542-3678 (706) 542-3674 INTERNET: NRRC(Ouga.cc.uga.edu NRRC Staff Barbara F. Howard, Office Manager NRRC - University of Maryland College Park Kathy B. Davis, Senior Secretary 2102 J. M. Patterson Building University of Georgia University of Maryland Barbara A. Neitzey, Administrative Assistant College Park, Marylad 20742 Valerie Tyra, Accountant Fax: (301) 314-9625 (301) 405-8035 University of Maryland College Park INTERNET: NRRC©umail.umd.edu About the National Reading Research Center The National Reading Research Center (NRRC) is Dissemination is an important feature of NRRC activi- funded by the Office of Educational Research and ties. Information on NRRC research appears in several Improvement of the U.S. Department of Education to formats. Research Reports communicate the results of conduct research on reading and reading instruction. original research or synthesize .he findings of several lines of inquiry. They are written primarily for re- The NRRC is operated by a consortium of the Universi- ty of Georgia and the University of Maryland College searchers studying various areas of reading and reading instruction. The Perspective Series presents a wide Park in collaboration with researchers at several institu- range of publications, from calls for research and tions nationwide. The NRRC's mission is to discover and document commentary on research and practice to first-person those conditions in homes, schools, and communities of experiences Instructional schools. accounts in that encourage children to become skilled, enthusiastic, Resources include curriculum materials, instructional lifelong readers. NRRC researchers are committed to guides, and materials for professional growth, designed advancing the development of instructional programs primarily for teachers. sensitive to the cognitive, sociocultural, and motiva- For more information about the NRRC's research tional factors that affect children's success in reading. projects and other activities, or to have your name NRRC researchers from a variety of disciplines conduct added to the mailing list, please contact: studies with teachers and students from widely diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds in pre-kinder- Donna E. Alvermann, Co-Director garten through grade 12 classrooms. Research projects National Reading Research Center deal with the influence of family and family-school 318 Aderhold Hall interactions on the development of literacy; the interac- University of Georgia tion of sociocultural factors and motivation to read; the Athens, GA 30602-7125 impact of literature-based reading programs on reading (706) 542-3674 achievement; the effects of reading strategies instruction on comprehension and critical thinking in literature, John T. Guthrie, Co-Director science, and history; the influence of innovative group National Reading Research Center participation structures on motivation and learning; the 2102 J. M. Patterson Building potential of computer technology to enhance literacy; University of Maryland and the development of methods and standards for College Park, MD 20742 alternative literacy assessments. (301) 405-8035 The NRRC is further committed to the participation of teachers as full partners in its research. A better understanding of how teachers view the development of literacy, how they use knowledge from research, and how they approach change in the classroom is crucial to improving instruction. To further this understanding, the NRRC conducts school-based research in which teachers explore their own philosophical and pedagogi- cal orientations and trace their professional growth. 5 Editorial Review Board NRRC Cynthia Hynd Karin Dahl Patricia Adkins University of Georgia Ohio State University University of Georgia Robert Jimenez Peter Afflerbach Lynne Diaz-Rico University of Oregon University of Maryland College Park California State University-San Bernardino -a Johnson JoBeth Allen Pamela Dunston ....nsylvania State University University of Georgia Clemson University James King Patty Anders University of South Florida Jim Flood University of Arizona San Diego State University Sandra Kimbrell Tom Anderson West Hall Middle School Dana Fox University of Illinois at Urbana- Oakwood, Georgia University of Arizona Champaign Kate Kirby Linda Gambrell Harriette Arringtcn Gwinnett County Public Schools University of Maryland College Park University of Kentucky Lawrenceville, Georgia Valerie Garfield Irene Blum Sophie Kowzun Pine Springs Elementary School Chattahoochee Elementary School Prince George's County Schools Cumming, Georgia Falls Church, Virginia Landover, Maryland Sherrie Gibney-Sherman John Borkowski Linda Labbo Notre Dame University Athens-Clarke County Schools University of Georgia Athens, Georgia Cynthia Bowen Rosary Lalik Rachel Grant Baltimore County Public Schools Virginia Polytechnic Institute University of Maryland College Park Towson, Maryland Martha Carr Barbara Guzzetti Michael Law University of Georgia University of Georgia Arizona Stare University Sarah McCarthey Jane Haugh Suzanne Clewell University of Texas at Austin Center for Developing Learning Montgomery County Public Schools Rockville, Maryland Potentials Veda McClain Silver Spring, Maryland Joan Coley University of Georgia Beth Ann Herrmann Western Maryland College Lisa McFalls Northern Arizona University Michelle Commeyras University of Georgia Kathleen Heubach University of Georgia Mike McKenna University of Georgia Linda Cooper Georgia Southern U iiversity Susan Hill Shaker Heights City Schools Donna Mealey University of Maryland College Park Shaker Heights, Ohio Louisiana State University Karen Costello Sally Hudson-Ross University of Georgia Connecticut Department of Education Hartford, Connecticut Louise Tomlinson Barbara Michalove Tom Reeves University of Georgia Fowler Drive Elementary School University of Georgia Athens, Georgia Sandy Tumarkin Lenore Ringler Akintunde Morakinyo Strawberry Knolls Elementary School New York University Gaithersburg, Maryland University of Maryland College Park Mary Roe Sheila Valencia Lesley Morrow University of Delaware University of Washington Rutgers University Nadeen T. Ruiz Bruce Murray Bruce VanSledright California State University- University of Maryland College Park University of Georgia Sacramento Chris Walton Susan Neuman Rebecca Sammons Northern Territory University University of Maryland College Park Temple University Australia Caroline Noyes Paula Schwanenflugel Janet Watkins University of Georgia University of Georgia University of Georgia John O'Flahavan Robert Serpell Louise Waynant University of Maryland College Park University of Maryland Baltimore Prince George's County Schools County Penny Oldfather Upper Marlboro, Maryland Betty Shockley University of Georgia Priscilla Waynant Fowler Drive Elementary School Joan Pagnucco Athens, Georgia Rolling Terrace Elementary School University of Georgia Takoma Park, Maryland Susan Sonnenschein Barbara Palmer Dera Weaver University of Maryland Baltimore Mount Saint Mary's College Athens Academy County Athens, Georgia Mike Pickle Steve Stahl Jane West Georgia Southern University University of Georgia Agnes Scott Jessie Pollack Anne Sweet Steve White Maryland Department of Education Office of Educational Research Baltimore, Maryland University of Georgia and Improvement Sally Porter Liqing Tao Allen Wigfield Blair High School. University of Georgia University of Maryland College Park Silver Spring, Maryland Ruby Thompson Shelley Wong Michael Pressley Clark Atlanta University University of Maryland College Park State University of New York at Albany About the Authors a reading teacher at Wendy Ranck-Buhr is Drs. James Flood and Diane Lapp are Professors Roosevelt Junior High School and a doctoral of Education at San Diego State University where candidate at San Diego State University/Clare- they teach courses o-i literacy development and literacy instruction. They can be contacted at the mont. College of Education, San Diego, CA 92182. Sad Moore is Principal of Oak Park Elementary School in San Diego and a doctoral candidate at Dr. Doris Alvarez is Principal of Hoover High School in San Diego. She recently received her San Diego State University/Claremont. Ph.D. from the Joint Ph.D. Program of San Diego Mary Ann Jones is the Magnet Resource Teacher State and Claremont Graduate School. at Oak Park Elementary School and a doctoral candidate at San Diego State University/Clare- Alice Romero, former Chair of English at Hoover High School, is a doctoral candidate at McGill mont. University in Montreal. National Reading Research Center Universities of Georgia and Maryland Reading Research Report No. 22 Fall 1994 and Teacher Book Clubs: A Study of Teachers' Student Teachers' Participation in Contemporary Groups Multicultural Fiction Literature Discussion James Flood Diane Lapp San Diego State University Doris Alvarez Alice Romero Hoover High School, San Diego, California Wendy Ranck-Buhr Roosevelt Junior High School, San Diego, California Juel Moore Mary Ann Jones Oak Park Elementary School. San Diego, California Carol Kabildis Granger Junior High School, Chula Vista, California Linda Lungren Valencia Park Elementary School, San Diego, California teacher education course. Teachers read and Abstract. During the past two years, several discussed a collection of multicultural titles teacher book clubs have been investigated. including the works of Sandra Cisneros, Amy Teachers ' and preservice teachers' responses to Tan, and Toni Morrison. Sessions were video- a series of texts that focused on multicultur- taped and analyzed using the Flood and Lapp alism in American society have been examined. Coding Systew. Results indicated different Twelve elementary school teachers, represent- patterns for teachers and student teachers. ing four ethnic groups (European American, Student teachers expanded and responded .to Asian American, African American, and His- conversational utterances more often than did panic) volunteered to participate in the book teachers. Teachers, however, asked and an- club. Ten preservice teachers representing four swered more questions, redirected the discus- ethnic groups participated in the preservice sion and retold parts of the stories more often teachers' reading discussion group as part of a I 2 Flood et al. than student teachers. Both groups believed The discrepancy between the ethnic compo- that they grew in their understanding of sensi- sition of the students and the teachers became tivity toward multiculturalism. a cause for concern for many teachers. As the student population became more diverse, the During the past three years we have been teachers wanted to better understand the cultur- involved in four separate book clubs in which al backgrounds of their students. After explor- ing several options, they decided to start multicultural contemporary fiction was read a book club in which they would read and dis- and discussed by groups of teachers and student cuss literature written by authors representing teachers within the San Diego Unified School the same ethnicities and cultures as their stu- District and at San Diego State University. The dents. They further decided that they would purpose of these book clubs was to explore the choose books that focused upon the dilemmas use of multicultural literature as a means for characters face as they try to live in a multi- enhancing awareness about multiculturalism cultural society. among the teacher participants. We believed Twelve teachers, their principal, and two that the exploration of themes within books that university-based teachers formed this first book dealt directly with issues of multiculturalism in club and started reading and discussing books American society would enhance the partici- by and about Mexican Americans, African pant's own "ways of knowing" (insights based Americans, Asian Americans, and European on previous experiences) about a series of Americans. We read books by Sandra Cis- multicultural concerns that we shared, for neros, Gary Soto, Toni Morrison, Amy Tan, example, feelings about other cultures, knowl- Zara Neale Hurston, Robert Cormier, and edge about cultures, idiosyncrasies within Francisco Jimenez. cultures, and appropriate instruction for chil- The three other book clubs formed after the dren from a wide variety of cultures. Hoover High School Club had somewhat dif- Our first book club originated in response ferent origins. The second book club consisted to a concern among the teachers and principal of eight elementary teachers at Oak Park Ele- at Hoover High School, a large inner city mentary School, their principal, assistant school with a rich mixture of 2,000 multieth- principal, resource teacher, two instructional nic, multicultural students. The student popula- aides, and two university based teachers. The tion at Hoover mirrored the demographic pro- student population at Oak Park Elementary file of many urban high schools throughout the School is similar to Hoover High School's with United States. The student population was split slightly more African Americans (28 and among four ethnic groups: 36% Indochinese, slightly fewer Indochinese (29%). The teacher 22% Mexican American, 21% European Am- population paralleled the Hoover High School erican, and 20% African American. The teach- teacher population (80% European American). er population was far less diverse: 80% Euro- This book club differed from the first one in pean American, 9% African American, 8% that the teachers were invited to participate by Mexican American, and 3 % Asian American. their principal who had heard about the Hoover NATIONAL READING RESEARCH CENTER, READING RESEARCH REPORT NO. 22 1 0
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