A Systematic Review of Culturally Relevant Reading Instruction for Students with Disabilities and Reading Difficulties

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 9:45 am - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Reading, Writing, and Literacy Instruction

Abstract

The Science of Reading (SOR) has been critiqued for ignoring students’ sociocultural identities and its deficit orientation toward students with disabilities and reading difficulties. The integration of culturally relevant pedagogy may ameliorate this issue. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review investigating culturally relevant, SOR-aligned instruction for students with disabilities and reading difficulties. Findings revealed that this instruction typically targets Black and Latine students’ fluency and comprehension needs and promotes their cultural competence, but rarely their critical consciousness. By leveraging the strengths and addressing the gaps of this instruction, we can create a future in which all students receive reading instruction that honors their cultural and linguistic identities while equipping them with the tools necessary to engage meaningfully with their world.

Authors

• Alexandra Shelton, Johns Hopkins University

• Jerae Kelly, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa

• Irene Ramirez, Johns Hopkins University

• Yang Fu, University of Maryland