Y is for Yo Mama: Examining First Graders’ Pursuit of Joy Through Black Language Play With the Di•VERSE Literacy Curriculum

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 3:45 pm - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Literacy, Identity, and Justice: Critical Perspectives

Abstract

This paper examines how children who self-identify as Black, Brown, and People of Color experienced joy through Black Language Play during foundational literacy instruction with the Di•VERSE Literacy Curriculum. The strength and asset-based curriculum incorporated culturally relevant and culturally historically responsive education frameworks to provide children space during phonics instruction for children to use their identities, home languages, and lived experiences in the classroom to advance their learning in encoding or writing development. Data examined is from a larger mixed methods study, including quantitative and qualitative methodologies, constructing the Di•VERSE Literacy framework to investigate the influence of the innovative curriculum I designed on children who self-identify as Black and Arab foundational literacy development and children’s experiences engaging with the curriculum.

Author

• Amber Lawson, Bowling Green State University