Cultivating Social Justice Through Critical (Bi)Literacies in an Elementary Bilingual Classroom

• In Event: 53.049 - Effective and Inclusive School Strategies for Children of Immigrants

Abstract

The rapid browning of the U.S., K-12 student population has precipitated an urgency to address the increasingly diverse learners of culturally, linguistically, and ethnically diverse backgrounds. Addressing the need for cultural competent teachers that respond to Latino students’ culture and language (Pew Hispanic Center, 2004) demands that teachers provide students with opportunities to utilize culturally relevant texts that include multicultural and social justice themes for critical engagement around topics of diversity and equity. In our study, we investigated the fundamental assertions that the use of culturally responsive pedagogy along with culturally relevant texts would make a difference in opening opportunities for Latino students to engage in critical and transformative interactions with varied texts.

Authors

• Brenda Ayala Lewis, University of Texas - Austin

• Maria E. Franquiz, University of Utah