Addressing Racism with Young Language Learners through Picturebooks

Reckermann, Julia; Matz, Frauke

Abstract

English language teaching (ELT) has the potential to facilitate student reflection on their own positionality, thereby enabling the cultivation of an understanding of diversity and different cultural contexts. It can play a pivotal role in nurturing empathy, respectful communication and critical reflection on issues around identity and mutual respect. Therefore, it is well suited to address issues surrounding discriminatory and harmful practices, including those surrounding ‘race’ and racism. While racism is undoubtedly a challenging topic for educators to address, it is an integral component of structural violence that should be incorporated into the early years of ELT curriculum. This is essential for fostering children’s capacity to reflect on social practices and promote positive societal change early on. In the context of the ELT classroom for young learners, this topic holds particular pertinence, as these young students have begun to internalize issues of social identity and discrimination, but have not yet established definitive stereotypes and tend to be open-minded and interested in cultural and social practices and backgrounds. This article suggests that picturebooks are well placed to address such sensitive and seemingly difficult topics and explores which books as well as which teaching activities might be suitable.