People of the Word: Cultivating African American Children's Literacy in Urban School Settings

• In Event: Roundtable Session 47
  In Roundtable Session: Broadening Approaches to Educating Black Youth

Abstract

Rich traditions of language, literature and culture reside in communities of color – particularly historically Black communities. While quality reading instruction remains elusive in most urban schools serving such communities, there are important ways that communities and schools can mobilize resources to ensure the full measure of educational development in children and youth. This session reports on one such approach for community based participatory research focused on infusing literature and literacy cultivation in urban settings serving African American children and families. The community literacy campaign model engages families, community partners, teachers and children in the selection of children’s books reflecting community experience, then systematically shares the richness of that literature in various settings inside and outside of school.

Author

• Peter C. Murrell, Loyola University Maryland