Date of Award

5-2021

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies

First Advisor

Dr. Dini Metro-Roland

Second Advisor

Dr. Jonathan Bush

Third Advisor

Katherine Sluiter

Keywords

Inclusion, diversity, education, characterization, literature

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Despite continuous efforts to increase comprehension and success for students of diverse backgrounds there is a major underrepresentation of these communities in literary applications. Literary devices within public institutions should celebrate diversity in race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, culture, and physical and mental ability. It is important, in young adult development, that students have literature that reflects similarities in their personal lives. This thesis will serve to prove that literature pursued in public education should be selected based on the relatability of the students enrolled in the institution and inclusivity to the student population. When selecting relatable texts, the administration should be considering inclusivity, morality, representation, and experience. With this consideration, and the information provided in this study, the goal is to decide if the exposure of diverse literature to young students has the ability to increase motivation, build empathetic thought processes, and develop interest in experiences and other ways of living. The school observed within this research will remain anonymous and will be referred to as “Unity School” throughout the research process.

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