Presentation Title:
Literacy Learning in Spanish in Communities and Schools

Presentation Options: Onsite

Presentation Strand: Literacy (Biliteracy and Multiliteracy)

Presentation Delivery Language: English and Spanish

Description:

Spanish-English bilingual children, who have been historically underserved in schools, continue to be a fast growing group in U.S. schools. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand literacy development in Spanish. This panel brings together biliteracy researchers who share research findings on literacy development in children living in Spanish-speaking countries and literacy practices in communities and schools in grades Prek-6th. By shedding light on the dynamic interplay between teaching and the rich cultural dimensions of children’s lives, this panel offers insights for educators and researchers seeking to foster inclusive and culturally relevant literacy practices in bilingual educational settings.

Abstract:

Current policy and teacher professional learning on science-based literacy instruction is largely English-centric and fails to account for research in literacy in other languages. Spanish-English bilingual children continue to be a fast growing group in U.S. schools and given that they have been historically underserved in schools and society, there is an urgent need in the field to understand literacy development in Spanish. This knowledge can inform the design of curriculum and professional development for supporting the (bi)literacy development of Spanish-English bilingual children both inside and outside the classroom.

This panel brings together biliteracy researchers who will share research findings on literacy development in children living in Spanish-speaking countries and literacy practices in communities and schools in grades Prek-6th. These studies draw from a variety of theoretical perspectives. One study examines the alphabet knowledge development of 3-5 year-old Spanish-speaking children in Chile from a cognitive and sociocultural perspective. The second study discusses school-based literacy practices in grades PreK-3 in Spanish-speaking countries. Drawing on sociocultural and ethnographic perspectives enriched by sociolinguistics and the concept of funds of knowledge, the third study explores the diverse experiences and knowledge that sixth-grade students attending a public school in Mexico City bring from their homes and communities into their reading and writing activities. By shedding light on the dynamic interplay between classroom instruction and the rich cultural dimensions of children’s lives, these studies offer valuable insights for educators and researchers seeking to foster inclusive and culturally relevant literacy practices in bilingual educational settings.

Presentation Types: Panel-80m

Target Audience: PreK - 12

Primary Presenter's Telephone: 719-432-7083; 919-279-5211

Confirm your Participation: Yes I will present

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Dr. Esther Tapia

Biography