Using Picture Books as a Tool for Creating a Culturally Inclusive Elementary Music Classroom

The United States is a multicultural, multiracial society, and by 2060, “nearly one in five of the nation’s total population is projected to be foreign-born” (Colby & Ortman, 2014, p. 9). Educators from all subject areas are striving to create classroom environments where students feel valued for their authentic selves. Therefore, the implementation of culturally inclusive practices remains a high priority for teachers and teacher preparation programs (Liu, 2020). Nurturing a culturally inclusive classroom requires educators to recontextualize their teaching practices toward those that demonstrate a commitment to working with students of diverse backgrounds.

There is extensive research about multiculturalism (Banks, 1999, 2002; Campbell, 2018), culturally relevant (Gay, 2002; Ladson-Billings, 1995), culturally responsive (Abril, 2013; Herrera et al., 2012; Pearson, 2015), and culturally sustaining (Paris, 2012) pedagogical practices. A joint facet among these practices is the necessity in developing a curriculum that reflects students’ cultural and racial identities. Music teachers are positioned well toward accomplishing this goal as music is present in every culture (Huron, 2001) and holds a significant connection to identity (Campbell, 2018; Kelly-McHale, 2013).

For years general music curricula have mainly been inundated with content from the European classical tradition (Abril, 2013), but as the topic of inclusion has become central to education discourse, efforts to expand the musical landscape to embrace music from other cultures are increasing (Campbell, 2018; Chen-Hafteck, 2007). Although there has been significant progress, “it is still common for many music teachers to teach from single, Eurocentric point of reference, finding musical diversity too complicated or too irrelevant to implement” (Cain, 2015, p. 464).

While multicultural resources exist, research indicates that teachers are reluctant to use them due to the lack of firsthand experience with cultures not of their own (Cain, 2015; Kelly-McHale, 2013; Robinson, 1996). Conversely, Shaw (2015), who examined teachers’ pedagogical approach in an urban classroom, reported that successful teachers who taught diverse populations relied on their cultural “insiders” (p. 209). Cultural insiders, or “culture bearers,” (Campbell, 2004) are community members, parents, colleagues, or students with whom teachers work in partnerships for cultural exchange. These insiders bring aspects of culture into the classroom through presentations, discussions, or performances to assist teachers in garnering the cultural knowledge and experiences needed to support their diverse students resulting in immeasurably rich moments of cross-cultural awareness and understanding. In addition to the inclusion of diverse repertoire and the support of culture bearers, children’s literature within music instruction can also aid teachers in creating an inclusive classroom.

The use of children’s literature in the elementary classroom serves as a vital resource for teaching an array of topics, including those that are challenging and complex (Sigmon et al., 2016). In the music classroom, children’s literature assists in the understanding of concepts and skills (Colwell, 2013), like structure, expression (genre), and harmony (Gauthier, 2005) as well as making connections to history and culture (Colwell, 2013). They also offer a unique opportunity to immerse students in a multisensory experience using sound, graphics, and text. Picture books uses text and illustrations concurrently to tell a story (Villarreal et al., 2015). Prater et al. (2006) describe this unique relationship when stating, “the skillful blend of these features allows authors to connect with readers in ways that are exciting and new or that expand readers’ personal perspectives” (p. 15). Incorporating culturally diverse picture books within the music curricula creates an environment where students see a representation of themselves (Robinson, 2006; Galda & Cullinan, 2006). It also validates student voices and experiences, creating a sense of belonging that lends itself to free exploration and learning on the part of the students (Wanless & Crawford, 2016). Additional benefits include having the author of a text serve as a “culture bearer.” The text can also elicit a whole new meaning toward the discussion of music from various cultures. Here are some considerations when choosing ethnically diverse literature in the general music setting.

There are specific genres in literature designed to shed light on cultures. Folklore and legends help understand cultures from around the world, and biographies help to understand people’s thoughts and ideas. These novels offer intricate details about various facets of culture, including characters, locations, experiences, or traditions (Yenika-Agbaw, 2014).

The following lesson examples were used in a professional development conducted for a school district with a diverse student population. The literature was carefully selected by either identifying authors from the culture that was represented in the school district or biographical narrative. For the sake of brevity, the activities focus only on the use of the picture book with connections to music concepts to which music teachers can extend to meet additional music objectives. The grade level indicated are recommendations by the author of this article and not those suggested by the authors of the texts. It is encouraged that teachers modify the grade level to those that best suit their students’ needs. It must also be noted that the activities presented only represent one step toward being culturally inclusive in the classroom. Further strategies are warranted for effective inclusive practices.

Using ethnically diverse children’s literature in the elementary general music setting can be a springboard for cultural exchange where all students feel welcomed. Through the combination of music’s inherent ability to reflect culture and language’s ability to tell a story, students can begin to develop a knowledge base for cultural diversity that is important for a thriving classroom community.