Abstract
Teachers generally come out of teacher education programs with
very little background in multicultural issues and instructional
techniques. This study documents the use of Latino children’s
literature in field experience seminars to help preservice teachers
(teacher candidates) gain background knowledge of the cultures,
traditions, language, and issues surrounding Latinos in the United
States and the elementary students with whom they will be working.
The teacher candidates then use the same literature in their field
experience classrooms, tapping into the children’s funds of
knowledge and encouraging the children to respond in a personal
way. This experience enriches the teacher candidates’ work with
children and broadens their personal perspective and understanding
of cultures different from their own. This study found that using
Latino children’s literature in a university teacher education program
benefited both the preservice teachers and their students.