Approaching Literacy Learning From Black Texts

• In Event: 77.026 - Toward Just Forms of Language and Literacy Learning Re-Mediating Pedagogies of Reading and Writing

Abstract

Most literacy courses begin and emphasize academically-based theories of literacy learning - balanced literacy, whole language, multimodal literacies, content area literacy, and the assessment of literacy. The logic behind this wide ranging base of scholarship is that teachers should be exposed to research and theories of how children and young people learn to read and how to assess both reading and writing. However, we are now preparing teachers who have largely matriculated through a K-12 system that emphasized high stakes assessment and literacy as a form of school-based achievement. To engage beginning teachers in the power of literacy as an act of self-determination, rather than as benchmarks of achievement, I designed a masters course out of two principles: this cadre of teachers who grew up in high stakes assessment era must undo and redo how they have experienced literacy through achievement scores (Author 5 & Colleague, 2017), and two, that Black writers and artists would best helm a stance on literacy as fugitive empowerment. The course texts began with Eve Ewing's Electric Arches, and included a required viewing of the film Black Panther (Coogler, 2018). Additionally, students met in writing groups each week, writing and revising their culminating paper throughout the course. Exploratory findings form this innovation revealed insights about a sharp uptick in motivation to read for class, deeper discussions of what culturally relevant and multi-modal texts can prompt in terms of engagement with societal ills and movements. In my paper, I will share quotes and feedback about the design of the course vis-a-vis empowering teachers as literate beings.

Author

• Leigh Patel, University of Pittsburgh