UC San Diego

Despite the growth of ethnic diversity in the student population in the United States, many English Language Arts teachers continue to prioritize assigning literature written by white authors. Researchers have outlined the many benefits of studying multicultural literature for both white students as well as students of color. Many case studies have been conducted in which the researchers observe the challenges a teacher may face in implementing lessons regarding multicultural literature and how they may overcome those barriers; however, there is little literature addressing those challenges from the point of view of the teachers. In this project, I used a qualitative phenomenological research study design understand was the barriers high school English language arts teachers face regarding implementing multicultural literature, and how they may overcome those barriers and make decisions for their classroom, and the role their institutions play in that decision-making process. The study revealed that participants faced issues with text accessibility, being able to effectively navigate classroom conversations around controversial topics and balancing their time between implementing curriculum and preparing for all the required assessments.