Tag: Children’s Literature

The “Doll Test” and teaching respect in early childhood

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Children learn to make judgments about who they are at a very young age. They have also developed ideas about different groups. The Doll Test examined children’s attitudes towards race and found that most children have practised and internalised racism.

The Doll Test is available at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkpUyB2xgTM

An Italian version of the Doll Test experiment is available at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRZPw-9sJtQ

In one study around Difference, Diversity, and Human Dignity (the Three Ds), a team of researchers used story time to discuss children’s emerging understandings of skin color, race, ethnicity, disability, self-worth, poverty, and gender. They analysed 36 videotaped story sessions and found that children’ negative attitudes towards the Three Ds changed. Children became more inclusive in their language and behaviour as a result of discussing the stories.

Teaching for social justice is important in early childhood in order to help children develop to their full potential and to be active members in a global world.

Reference:

Hawkins, K. (2014). Teaching for social justice, social responsibility and social inclusion: A respectful pedagogy for twenty-first century early childhood education. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 22(5), 723-738. doi:10.1080/1350293X

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Children’s books on additional needs

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Children’s books have the power to take us into other worlds and to immerse us in other people’s lives.

It is important that children are exposed to stories about children with different strengths and needs.

Some books that involve children with special needs could be found under the following links:

An Animated Story of a boy who hates his disabled dog

Susan Laughs: uses a wheel chair

Disability in Picture Books | Fashioneyesta

Lucy’s picture (by Nicola Moon): Lucy made a book with tactile illustrations for grandpa.

Moses goes to a concert: group of children who are deaf go to an orchestra. Using sign language (7:55).

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Children’s Literature in a Global World

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One way to help children develop a critical disposition is through children’s literature. Fairy tales are told differently in different cultures.

Children could be asked to read different versions of the same text, to point out the changes, and to examine the effects of those changes.

As an example, here are four versions of Cinderella:

The Egyptian Cinderella
The Disney version: “Cinderella – Lets Read Kids TV, Children’s Story Books Read Aloud”
The Korean Cinderella
The Mexican Cinderella, “Adelita”

By comparing the stories, children will notice the content, settings, and illustrations in different cultures and how people are connected globally through common and individual heritage.

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