‘Where I’m From’ and ‘Who I Am’: Cultivating Community, Creativity, and Identity through Spoken Word Poetry

Session Submission Type: Symposium

Abstract

Spoken word poetry offers youth a real-world, authentic audience for their creative work, encourages them to develop literate identities, and promotes critical dialogue. When today’s youth ‘talk back’ and ‘speak the truth’, they come to see themselves as activists and agents of change within the community. This symposium includes three papers which highlight qualitative studies on poetry from the United States and Australia to explore spoken word as a practice, process, and product.

Content Area

• AREA 7. Social, Cultural, and Political Issues of Literacy Practices In and Out of School

Chair

• Jen Scott Curwood, University of Sydney

Discussant

• Kate Pahl, Manchester Metropolitan University

Individual Presentations

• Telling stories: Spoken word, critical literacy, and culturally responsive pedagogy - Katherine Bull, University of Sydney; Jen Scott Curwood, University of Sydney

• What’s wrong with my personality?’ Using spoken word poetry to challenge youths’ externally imposed identities - Jennifer D. Morrison, University of South Carolina, Columbia

• Building greater stories: Using poetry and art to create student-voiced school communities - Adam David Henze, Indiana University