Retheorizing Transgressive Language Practices as Critical, Community-Building Tools in Pre-K–12th Grade Classrooms

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

This session argues that transgressive language practices, often disregarded in literacy pedagogy and research, may function to disrupt hegemonic processes of sense-making in classrooms. Together, our four papers analyze transgressive language practices across preschool, elementary, middle school, and high school contexts. We conducted discourse analyses of ethnographic data collected in these spaces to examine how these practices work to both shape social relationships, identities and construct critical stances within and against the normative expectations of “doing school.” In our close explorations of students’ and teachers’ talk, we conclude that transgressive language must be reconsidered as a means of building connection, community and challenging power structures in classroom environments.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Language and Social Processes

Chair

• David M. Bloome, The Ohio State University

Papers

• Creating Stances Toward Literacy and Being Together Through Transgressive Language in Literacy Instruction - Faythe Beauchemin, University of Arkansas

• The Critical Metadiscursive Functions of Transgressive Language in Middle School Student Storytelling - Elizabeth Krone, The Ohio State University - Columbus

• "She Was Very Real": Transgressive Language Practices in Jokes and Play and How Early Childhood Educators Can Listen - Anne Valauri, Georgia Southern University

• Understanding Immigrant Youth's Transgressive Classroom Language Use Through a Lens of Critical Race Theory - Kongji Qin, New York University

Discussant

• Ramon Antonio Martinez, Stanford University