Gendered Readings of the Wor(l)d: Read-Aloud Responses Related to Gender Identity in Early Elementary Grades

• In Event: Gender in the Lives of Teachers, Pupils, and Youth

Abstract

Students come to school with notions and understandings of gender constructed from prior experiences and family constructs (Blaise, 2012; Butler, 2011; Crisp & Hiller, 2011, Dutro, 2012). However, there are instances where school curricula narrow and essentialize identities in binary ways of presenting gender (Baum, J., & Westheimer, K., 2015). This study used read-alouds in K, 2nd and 4th to actively discuss gender in picture books. Findings reveal that when students are able to identify and relate to these concrete representations of gender, they are more engaged with the act of the read aloud and provide more thoughtful and engaging responses. Such engagement with texts and literacy events shows the value that social constructs play in the curricular decisions of educators.

Authors

• Katrina Emily Bartow Jacobs, University of Pittsburgh

• Thomas Hill, University of Pittsburgh