Social Equity Literacy Teaching: A Framework for Teacher Education

• In Event: 33.039 - Preparing Future Teachers for the Complexities of Responsible Teaching and Activism

Abstract

Social and educational inequalities undermine literacy achievement for many students in underserved, culturally nondominant communities. Teacher candidates’ ability to offset inequalities is heavily dependent on whether teacher education programs nurture their development (Darling-Hammond, 2010). While many programs claim to prepare teachers for social justice, there is little agreement about what this looks like across programs (Zeichner, 2009). This session introduces social equity literacy teaching, a framework that can guide teacher development and practice (Authors, 2012). This framework focuses on teachers’ understanding of: 1) the socio-historical factors affecting literacy achievement, 2) the nature and significance of culture in literacy teaching, 3) the culturally-situated nature of literacy/language, 4) culturally responsive/third space-hybrid teaching, 5) critical literacy and activism, and 6) teacher transformation.

Authors

• Althier M. Lazar, Saint Joseph's University

• Patricia A. Edwards, Michigan State University