Fostering Biliteracy Development: Using Affirmative Mentor Texts in Bilingual Classrooms

• In Event: 75.023 - Focusing on the Cultural Assets of Students: Reimagining Teacher Work With English Language Learners

Abstract

The analysis of the data revealed three themes related to how a teacher intentionally made use of the culturally relevant mentor texts as affirming tools to foment biliteracy development within her bilingual classroom. First, learning opportunities facilitated by the content of the mentor texts positively affirmed the Latino experience of her emergent bilingual students. Second, the mentor texts opened spaces for Latino students to author selves as linguistically competent when using all linguistic resources available. Finally, the mentor texts allowed for students to challenge monolithic affirming narratives of Latinos.

Author

• Brenda Ayala Lewis, University of Texas - Austin