Teaching Across Differences: Using Elvis & Romeo to Foster Inclusive Classroom Communities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56887/galiteracy.213Keywords:
social-emotional learning, literacy instruction, children’s literature, peer relationships, perspective taking, friendship developmentAbstract
This teaching tip explores how children’s literature can support social-emotional learning in elementary classrooms. Using Elvis & Romeo (Soman & Davis, 2025), a picturebook featuring two dogs with contrasting personalities who gradually learn to appreciate one another, it demonstrates strategies such as story-based language, discussion prompts, and classroom routines like “Unlikely Pairs Week” to foster empathy, perspective-taking, and inclusive behavior. Embedding the story across daily activities helps students develop social skills, self-regulation, and meaningful peer connections while reinforcing literacy. The phased implementation framework also aligns with ELA standards in reading comprehension, speaking, and listening, allowing teachers to address SEL goals within standards-based instruction.
