Seeking Stories: Throughlining in Ninth-Grade English Language Arts

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 10
  In Roundtable Session: On Storying Equitable Literacies Education

Abstract

Literacy is deeply intertwined with the lives and stories of communities; however, questions remain about how to include learners’ cultural knowledge in classrooms. This study was co-designed with a 9th grade teacher to support students in first examining the dominant narratives in their communities and then bringing their own stories to bear on their literacy learning. Drawing from theories of equity and storytelling (e.g., Kinloch & San Pedro, 2014; Stornaiuolo & Thomas, 2018), we worked to support students in questioning their own privilege, while simultaneously creating space to center the stories of students with historically marginalized identities. Our findings reinforce the notion that storytelling can offer diverse groups of students rich opportunities to see themselves as knowledge creators in classrooms.

Author

• Kristina M Stamatis, University of Nebraska - Omaha