Black Children: Their Roots, Culture, and Learning Styles [Paperback]

Janice E. Hale-Benson (Author), Asa G. Hilliard III (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1986

American educators have largely failed to recognize the crucial significance of culture in the education of African-American children, contends Janic E. Hale in the revised edition of her groundbreaking work, "Black Children." As African-American children are acculturated at home and in the African-American community, they develop cognitive patterns and behaviors that may prove incompatible with the school environment. Cultural factors produce group differences that must be addressed in the educational process. Drawing on the fields of anthropology, sociology, history, and psychology, Hale explores the effects of African-American culture on a child's intellectual devlopment and suggests curricular reforms that would allow African-American children to develop their intelligence, pursue their strengths, and succeed in school and at work.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Educators will find beneficial guidelines that create and implement a learning environment that addresses the cultural interest and values that are compatible with the young black child's needs.

(Early Child Development and Care )

Argues that since black children grow up in a distinct culture, they require 'an educational system that recognizes their strengths, their abilities, and their culture, and that incorporates them into the learning process'.

(Washington Post )

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press; Revised edition (August 1, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801833833
• ISBN-13: 978-0801833830
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #91,949 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Black Children -- by Janice Hale: EXCELLENT!, July 3, 2000

By 

TDias (Oklahoma City, OK USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Children: Their Roots, Culture, and Learning Styles (Paperback)

Janice Hale has made a significant contribution to assisting educators and others in understanding the cognitive style of African American children. In her book, she covers the concepts of emotive style (especially as it exists historically in the Black community), relational vs. analytical learning styles and some solutions for how to better reach (and teach) African American youth.

Her writing is timeless, as valid today (in 2000) as it was when I first read it (in 1993) and when it was first published (1986, I believe). This book is a "must read" for anyone interested in gaining insight into how schools (and teachers) can better serve the educational needs of African American youth, particularly in understanding the emotive style of communication most African American youth are exposed to in church and family gatherings. While not a validation for "Ebonics" -- which I do not support -- this book definitely makes the case that the relational style of learning and emotive communication style are vital parts of the African American community's legacy, tradition and uniqueness.

5.0 out of 5 stars A daddy's read, October 26, 2011

By 

muddywaters - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Black Children: Their Roots, Culture, and Learning Styles (Paperback)

As a father of a very young female child, I found iT highly important to read this book after I heard it mentioned in a few speeches here and there. I thought to myself, self, my entire household and the future of my child's mental status can benefit greatly. The writer did an amazing job of articulating points I hold....I've attempted to describe issues raised in this book but I didn't have the careful placement of words....I GOT 'EM NOW!

13 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "THIS IS A GREAT RESOURCE TOOL.", February 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Black Children: Their Roots, Culture, and Learning Styles (Paperback)

THIS IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY STRONG TEXTBOOK IN THE FIELD OF BLACK CULTURE. IT IS SIMPLE AND CONCISE, YET COMPREHENSIVE IN ITS COVERAGE OF THE EXTANY RESERACH ON THE SUBJECT. THE ORGANIZATION AND STYLE OF THE BOOK MAKE IT USER FRIENDLY FOR CULTURE AWARENESS AND AN EXCELLENT TEACHING TOOL.