Developing Resources for Parents to Use While Reading Literature with Their Children that Encompass Gender and Sexual Orientation Topics: A Design-Based Research Study

Abstract

The goal of the study was to co-create resources with parents to use with their children when reading children's literature that include topics of gender and sexual orientation. The study aimed to address the literature gap by highlighting the importance of parents discussing gender and sexual orientation with their children to foster understanding and empathy. The study used Design-Based Research as the methodology. The three stages included - Analysis and Exploration, Design and Construction, and Evaluation and Reflection. There were two parent participants who each read their child two picture books as part of the study, while the researcher gathered qualitative data from a variety of sources to examine the themes that emerge when parents are having discussions with their children. Additionally, information was gathered during each of the phases of the Design-Based Research, with the key sources being parent journals, video recordings of parents reading and discussing with their children, and semi-structured interviews with the families at different stages of the study. Braun and Clarke (2022) was used to code the qualitative data into themes and subthemes. Findings revealed that utilizing the resources during shared reading with children's books with topics of gender and sexual orientation yielded rich conversations about identity, empathy, and inclusivity, and helped challenge stereotypes and societal norms. The parents reported feeling more confident and prepared through the use of the co-created resources. These findings suggest that accessible resources that are thoughtfully designed can produce parents with the power to engage in discussions with their children about diversity and inclusivity with literature