Exploring Literacy Communities in Language Restrictionist Contexts for Multilingual Learners: An Equity Perspective

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 9:00 am
  In Roundtable Session: Language for All: Fostering Inclusive and Equitable Classrooms (Table 3)

Abstract

Every learner deserves a literacy community that supports agentic knowledge construction and belongingness for academic success. For multilingual learners (MLs), language education programs enacted in their literacy communities could shape their educational experiences and opportunities for academic success. Given the potential for inequitable educational opportunities in current language policy mandates that outline both English-Only and bilingual programs, this case study explored second-grade teachers' and MLs’ construction of a literacy community within a restrictive supportive mainstream language program. The study offers insight into the interaction between policy and local literacy practices, with instances of how participants negotiated the narrative of their subjectivity. The findings are discussed in view of their implications for building literacy communities and improving language and literacy policies.

Authors

• Chioma C. Ezeh, Elizabeth City State University

• Thomas Salsbury, Washington State University