Transforming practice: Transforming lives through diverse children's literature

By Helen Adam

Highly Commended — Educational Publishing Awards Australia 2022 Primary: Reference Resource

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The 21st century Australian classroom reflects our growing and changing population: it’s more diverse than ever. Children from historically marginalised and underrepresented backgrounds are very often at greatest risk of poor academic outcomes, yet are still largely invisible in the resources used in our schools, including the literature through which students learn to communicate, understand, and express ideas. This invisibility doesn’t just impact considerably on academic outcomes – it may also have long-term social and emotional impact.

As our schools and communities become more diverse, teachers need supportive strategies, informed by clear evidence, to build equitable classrooms. This book outlines a guide for teachers in creating a learning environment that is underpinned by diverse and inclusive literature – and won’t add further layers of complexity to their daily workloads.

This critical text explores the research and evidence-based best instructional practice to assist teachers to select and use literature with children as they implement the Australian Curriculum and Early Years Learning Framework. In doing so, teachers can create citizens with a strong sense of identity, social justice and sense of place in the world and achieve equitable outcomes for all children. It features thought-leaders in this arena and provides practical, tangible actions for teachers to take back to their classrooms immediately.

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