Literacy Matters Winter 2022

and when their identities and cultures are valued. By honoring students’ and their families’ funds of knowledge (Moll, Amanti, Neff, & Gonzalez, 1992), we position their ways of being and knowing as valid and valuable. Powerful information about children and their families can help develop a culturally responsive curriculum, select culturally relevant resources, and build positive social identities for each child (Hass, 2020). To learn more about the children and their families, invite parents/caregivers to complete a survey (print or digital options) at the beginning of the year and when new students join the class community. Sample questions may include: “What languages are spoken in your house?” , “ What are your memories of learning as a child? ” and “ What are your fears or concerns about your child this year in school, if any ?” (Kleinrock, 2021). In addition, families can recommend culturally relevant literature that represents some aspect(s) of their child’s identity (Hass, 2020; Palmatier, 2020). The children can share the book with the class resulting in greater agency and pride. Parents and caregivers can also be invited to visit the class (in person or virtually) to read the class’s books or serve as mystery readers. Families can also be invited to the classroom to share their cultures and lives at home to deepen students’ knowledge and bridge connections. For example, after reading the book Dear Primo by Duncan Tonatiuh, one third grader’s parent shared how her family was working to support earthquake relief efforts in their hometown of Mexico City and invited the children to get involved (Laminack & Kelly, 2019). In a nearby fifth grade classroom, students read Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Méndez then interviewed their families to learn about their ancestry. One parent visited the class to discuss her Gullah culture (with roots in West Africa, the Gullah culture is preserved in South Carolina’s low country) through a hands-on demonstration of weaving sweetgrass baskets and shared about how these traditions are essential to her identity (Kelly et al., 2020a). The students learned more about one of their classmates and his culture in the process. Through these relationship-building practices, teachers develop inclusive classroom communities within and beyond the four walls of the school to support student learning. These practices center students and empower them in their learning experiences. Through reading intentionally selected culturally relevant literature, sharing about their lives outside of school, and regular conversations in the classroom, students can make connections across texts and with their peers as they make sense of the world. Layered Texts to Deepen Conversations and Comprehension The intentional selection of collections of text help students deepen their understanding of the material. Developing a collection of layered texts, including print, digital, visual, audio, and video, weave together a more complete tapestry of information and ideas to expand students’ understanding and perspectives.

Our identities are multidimensional and include visible and hidden aspects that comprise who we are as human beings. According to Tatum (2017), “The concept of identity is a complex one, shaped by individual characteristics, family dynamics, historical factors, and social and political contexts. Who I am? The answer depends in large part on who the world around me says I am. Who do my parents say I am? Who do my peers say I am? What message is reflected back to me in the faces of my teachers, my neighbors, my store clerks? What do I learn from the media about myself? How am I represented in the cultural images around me? Or am I missing from the picture altogether?” (p. 99). Some aspects of our identities position us with more power and privilege (e.g., white, male, middle-upper class, heterosexual, cisgender, able-bodied, neurotypical, native English speakers, etc.), while other aspects may make it more difficult for us to move through the world. Exploring identity through read alouds is a foundational practice to build classroom community through acceptance and celebration of each other. Additionally, conversations around identity can help disrupt bias and notions of superiority that develop when children are very young. For instance, as early as five years old, white children have shown bias in favor of whiteness (Dunham, Baron, & Banaji, 2008). This was found when the Clark Doll Study from the 1940s was later replicated in 2010. The results revealed that white children developed a stronger bias towards themselves as superior as they tended to identify the color of their skin with more positive attributes (Saad, 2020). According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the most common hate and bias incidents are based on race or ethnicity. Students from other marginalized groups, including those from the LGBTQ+ community, also experience high rates of discrimination (Trevor Project). As educators, we have a responsibility to ensure students are safe from harm and create learning spaces that promote inclusivity, equity, and empowerment. To disrupt harmful stereotypes that lead to biases, we advocate for classroom communities where all students’ identities are celebrated and where their voices are heard and valued. Through honest and age-appropriate conversations about identity, biases can be confronted, leading to improved racial attitudes (Bronson & Merryman, 2009; Katz, 2003). Children must engage in conversations to explore their commonalities as well as their differences and to ask questions. Avoiding these conversations only perpetuates stereotypes that are developed at a very young age (Katz & Kofkin, 1997). Literature can provide students with opportunities to see beyond their lives, help them understand the broader pluralistic society in which we live, and inspire them to take action for social justice (Laminack & Kelly, 2019). Figure 2 includes suggested read alouds and instructional recommendations for identity exploration and celebration. See Figure 2 — Read Alouds to Explore Identity . Read Alouds to Honor Students’ Families and Cultures Another important part of identities includes family, culture, and language. Relationship building occurs when students have opportunities to share about themselves and their families

Literacy Matters Feature Article

| 8 | Literacy Matters | Volume 22 • Winter 2022

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