Social Justice–Oriented Content Experts: Examining English Language Arts Teachers' Critical Content Knowledges

• In Event: Critically Examining Social Justice–Oriented Curriculum for Teacher Preparation and Development

Abstract

Much scholarship examines how teachers deliver their traditional content in expert ways--but less is known about how these content experts deliver their content from a social justice perspective intent on dismantling oppression. This study investigates: what successes and challenges do English Language Arts (ELA) content experts face as they share their critical content knowledge with their students? Findings show that ELA teachers, recognizing the secondary literature canon as overwhelmingly White and male, use their critical content knowledge to incorporate non-required texts that center marginalized races and genders. Additionally, teachers reconcile the inaccessibility of their curriculum by incorporating supplementary texts that help students engage more authentically with the material. Yet, certain obstructions stymied their ability to share critical content knowledge with students.

Authors

• Jeanne Dyches, Iowa State University

• Ashley Summer Boyd, Washington State University - Pullman

• Jessica Michelle Adams, Iowa State University