Using children's literature as mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors in primary ELT

About the webinar

This webinar creatively explores ways teachers can incorporate authentic children’s literature in primary ELT. Rudine Sims Bishop’s ‘mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors’ metaphor will be explored to provide a framework for teachers to select and use children’s literature such as picturebooks, chapter books and verse novels in the English language classroom.

• First, we identify how some children’s identities are hidden or even erased in primary ELT materials such as coursebooks.
• Then, we consider the inclusive potential of level appropriate and age-accessible authentic literature for use specifically in ELT.
• Finally, tasks and activities linked to selected children’s books are shared to provide practical inspiration for face-to-face and/or online English lessons. 

Recorded on 14 July 2021

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About the speaker

David Valente is Coordinator of the IATEFL Young Learners and Teenagers Special Interest Group. He works as a PhD Research Fellow in English Language and Literature Subject Pedagogy at Nord University, Norway, where he teaches on the 5-year Master’s degree in Primary Education. David has over 20 years’ experience in ELT as a teacher, teacher educator, academic manager, author and editor. His specialist interests include children’s literature in ELT, primary and secondary teacher education and intercultural learning.

Other webinars in this series

• Gail Ellis and Tatia Gruenbaum - Using picturebook video read-alouds in primary ELT
• Laura McWilliams - A window to the world: Graphic Novels in the Secondary English Language Classroom